Archive

  • Signs make cycle routes a wheel winner

    CYCLISTS now have a variety of routes to take thanks to the efforts of a local cycling group. Signs have been put up at locations around the town with the aim of providing clear routes for bike riders. In total there are now three routes in

  • SPEEDWAY LIVE: British Final

    10:43pm Robins rider Edward Kennett was a frustrated man after seeing his British title bid slip away this evening. EDWARD KENNETT “I am very disappointed because I was feeling good, riding well and my bikes were

  • Teenager admits to string of house burglaries

    A TEENAGE burglar who carried out a series of house raids while on a suspended sentence for robbery has been jailed. Sean Berry was spotted smashing his way into two homes on the same morning earlier this year. And after the 19-year-old was

  • Fostering has been fantastic for family

    WHEN Chris Coward gave up her job as a mortgage adviser and went back to college in her 50s, she intended to become a social worker. But a year after completing her degree, she and her husband Malcolm became foster carers and, seven years later

  • Top retailer helps pupils gain business know-how

    JOHN Lewis at Home in Swindon has been working with Commonweal School in support of the Young Enterprise Company Programme. The programme is a charity that helps pupils to set up and run a company for a year. John Lewis at Home Swindon supplied

  • Pupils in project to save bees

    CHILDREN at schools across Swindon have been taking part in projects to help our struggling bee population. Wiltshire Wildlife Trust has organised the ‘bee friendly’ project with local primary schools supported by MINI Plant Swindon to engage the

  • Lions donate £5,000 to local causes

    THE Swindon Lions have donated thousands of pounds to a number of local charities. The Lions, a group who dedicate themselves to raising money for good causes, presented cheques of £1,000 each to five charities. The money was raised at the

  • Make Some Noise

    From a very early age, children love both listening to and making music – although the sounds they create are often far from tuneful. However, whatever their ‘music’ sounds like, not only does it make children happy, it also helps them develop

  • Fly Them to the Moon

    Professor Brian Cox’s enthusiasm for science is infectious – and the TV scientist is hoping it’s a bug that plenty of the nation’s young people will catch. In a bid to encourage more youngsters to opt for careers in science, technology, maths and

  • 100% Success

    One hundred per cent of pupils who left South Marston CofE Primary School last year achieved Government targets in English and maths. Figures revealed late in 2012 showed that all Year 6 children who left the school last summer achieved a Level

  • Five Minutes With...Sally Plumb

    How do you take you tea/coffee? Both white with no sugar, and very weak! Which fictional character do you wish was real? Tin Tin. What’s the worst decision you've ever made? Not following my dreams sooner and not standing up to

  • Youngsters help out at store to support Chernobyl victims

    TEENAGERS have been helping to make a difference at the Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline store in Old Town. Sophie Young, Jessica Parsley, Samantha Reeves and Teri Farthing have been helping at the store as part of their Duke of Edinburgh award.

  • Warning over spate of fraud

    POLICE are warning businesses to take extra care after a number of women were involved in a cash scam last week in the Swindon and Royal Wootton Bassett area. Officers believe there is a possibility that it could affect areas across the whole county

  • Our school is an absolute gem

    CATHERINE Wayte is a gem of a school, according to its headteacher. Laura Brierley, who has been headteacher since January 2007, is very proud of the school which has been in Abbey Meads for 13 years. Named after the daughter of the owner of

  • Payroll manager took cash for gambling

    A PAYROLL controller who left her employers in a ‘parlous position’ after she plundered tens of thousands of pounds from work has been jailed for two years. Jacqueline Stephens siphoned money in the form of cash, cheques and electronic payments

  • Customers kept posted on PO revamp

    POST Office customers are being reminded that the West Swindon Centre Post Office will be closed for refurbishment from Wednesday. The new look Post Office will reopen next Monday at 9am. The branch is to be refurbished to create a more modern

  • Crime victims ‘losing vital support’

    INDEPENDENT charity Victim Support has warned that thousands of people in the region will find it harder to get help under Government plans to change the Code for Victims. Ministers have proposed that victims should not be automatically referred

  • On the run for needy children

    SERIOUSLY ill and disabled children are set to benefit from a 5k fun run that saw dozens of people putting their best foot forward. About 80 people took part in the fundraiser in the Drakes Way area yesterday, which was organised by used car retailer

  • Young performers take the honour in schools poetry contest

    A TALENTED trio from Commonweal School triumphed at the Swindon Youth Slam. Valentina Opare-Darko, Holly Walen and Jimmy Campbell, who make up The Glam Girls and Jimmy, beat 11 other teams with their performance poetry at the Arts Centre on Saturday

  • War stories will become a play

    A HISTORY project is underway in Swindon involving the town’s primary school children. As part of the 2014 World War One centenary next year, pupils are seeking stories about the war and how it affected Swindon. These stories will be made into

  • Town was central to inspiring my interests

    Martin Palmer, 59, is an author, broadcaster, translator, conservationist and expert on religion. He recently took part in the Swindon Festival of Literature, talking about his book, Sacred Land. His love of landscapes and their meanings arose during

  • Almost 100 fines over bus gate

    A TOTAL of 96 motorists have been issued with fines for using the Torun Way bus gate, which came into operation in September. The long-awaited bus gate was installed as part of the Priory Vale development but did not officially open until more

  • Artistic efforts aim to reflect inner life

    CREATIVE Swindon College art students are inviting the public to see their work this week. A total of 55 students are displaying their work in the ground floor of Station Square, Gloucester Street, in the town centre, for the Foundation/Access:

  • All the right notes from display of top musicals

    I JOINED a packed theatre for Sheila Harrod and her Kentwood Show Choir annual feast at the Wyvern on Saturday. From the minute musical associate Paul Maguire and his band struck the first note in the overture, we knew we were in for a treat.

  • Driver released on bail

    THE driver involved in a fatal accident at Commonhead roundabout has been released on bail. Jack Savage, 20, from Wanborough, died in the collision at 3.57am on Saturday, which involved a Ford Fiesta and an articulated lorry. It happened on

  • Centenarian reveals key to a long life

    A GOOD sense of humour, good food and willpower are the keys to living to 100, according Doris Hulbert. Eldene woman Doris should know, because she celebrated her 100th birthday with friends and family at Charles MacPherson Gardens on Saturday.

  • Teen accused of sex offences

    A TEENAGER who is accused of sex offences against two underage girls on the weekend after his 18th birthday is to face trial by jury. James Little is said to have had sex with a 15-year-old girl between August 31 and September 3 last year.

  • Charity ball raises smiles and funding

    THOUSANDS of pounds were raised for good causes across the area at this year’s Charity Ball. The event, organised by the Rotary Club of Swindon, The Adver and the Marriott hotel took place at the Marriott in Old Town on Saturday evening. A

  • Teenagers in need of caring fosterers

    UP TO 20 vulnerable teenagers in Swindon are looking for a stable home at any one time. That is why Swindon Council is using Foster Care Fortnight to make a plea for more foster carers to help the number of young people who are entering the social

  • Family in shock over crash death

    THE family of a 20-year-old crash victim say their abiding memory will be his determination to live life to the full. Jack Savage from Wanborough died in a collision at 3.57am on Saturday involving a Ford Fiesta and an articulated lorry. It

  • Pupils could lose school bus

    CHILDREN in rural areas will be unfairly hit by planned school transport rule changes, councillors say. Swindon Council gives free home-to-school transport to pupils aged five to 16 who attend their catchment area school or another where the council

  • MP is given a good soaking

    NORTH Wiltshire MP James Gray was just one of the people who got soaked during a fundraiser for the Royal Wootton Bassett Carnival. About 20 well-known people with connections to the town had water thrown over them in the High Street on Saturday

  • Family discovers ultra-rare Lego figure in lucky buy

    A YOUNG family struck gold when they opened a new pack of Lego to find a rare figurine that could be worth £1,000 or more. Gerry Tompson took wife Lisa and the two youngest of their four children shopping on his day off on Friday. They scoured

  • Money isn't everything for MacDonald

    KEVIN MacDonald has accepted that the new streamlined budget at Swindon Town will make putting together a successful side “harder work” for him, but the Robins’ manager is looking forward to the challenge ahead. MacDonald’s side lost out on penalties

  • Wes takes strength from tough year

    SWINDON keeper Wes Foderingham admitted the ‘character building’ 2012/13 season will be firmly ingrained in his memory for the rest of his career. The 22-year-old bounced back from being hauled off after only 21 minutes at Preston in September

  • DARTS: Mixed weekend for Aubrey

    SWINDON player Chris Aubrey made two quarter finals during the PDC Challenge Tour weekend in Wigan. The rising star made it to the last eight of the first event on Saturday morning before losing 4-1 to Richard Baillie, and later in the afternoon

  • Young stunned by late KO

    SWINDON boxer Kelvin ‘Young Gun’ Young suffered a shock defeat on Saturday night at the GL1 centre in Gloucester when stopped in the last second of a four-round fight against Hampshire journeyman Sam Couzens, writes WILL HALE. After a bright opening

  • TAPES-UP: Birks just wants to have fun

    FOR Ashley Birks, tonight’s British Final at Wolverhampton is all about having fun. The Robins reserve put in a superb performance at home track Sheffield to make it through a tough semi-final, beating seven-time national champion Scott Nicholls

  • TAPES-UP: Kennett motivated by glory, not GP

    EDWARD Kennett has insisted he is as motivated as ever to win the British title this evening despite a place at Cardiff no longer being on offer. In previous years the highest placing rider behind any British Grand Prix star has been awarded the

  • TAPES-UP: Rosco backs Kennett to do it

    SWINDON boss Alun Rossiter believes Robins rider Edward Kennett is firmly in the mix to win his first British title at Wolverhampton this evening. The 26-year-old has made a fast start to his spell with the Robins following two difficult campaigns

  • Golden girl Jazz shines in Scotland

    SWINDON swimmer Jazz Carlin enjoyed a golden weekend at the Celtic Tri-Nations Championship. The 22-year-old came out on top in the 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle for Wales in the competition which also involved swimmers from Scotland and Ireland

  • McDonagh through to ABA semis

    WALCOT boxer Patrick McDonagh progressed through to the Junior ABA semi-finals at the weekend with a stylish victory over Eastern Counties champion Percy Baxter. The 16-year-old England international attacked from the opening bell of the Class

  • TAPES-UP: Mechanic Mark still in shock at Rico loss

    MARK Seabright still hasn’t fully come to terms with the loss of his close friend Lee Richardson a year ago today. The 44-year-old was the late Lakeside captain’s mechanic for the best part of nine years, and the pair travelled Europe together

  • TAPES-UP: In-form Tai the man to beat on home soil?

    HOME hero Tai Woffinden is desperate to keep the feel-good factor going at Wolverhampton when they host the British Final at Monmore Green this evening. Woffinden is the overwhelming favourite to win his first ever British title after going agonisingly