SINCE the beginning of the year, 44 per cent more people have been fed by the Swindon Foodbank than in the same period last year. And in 2012, the Swindon Foodbank fed 4,756 people – 26 per cent more than in 2011. The Swindon Foodbank – run
ONE of the founders of a charity which makes and alters clothing for disabled people is putting her needle and thread down today. Sian Barrie, who co-founded Dressability in 1998 with Lizzie Jenkins and the late Tim Kilminster, is retiring from
A CONSULTANT at the Great Western Hospital and his anaesthetist colleagues have been awarded a prestigious award for their charity work in Nepal. Angus Waddell, a consultant ear nose and throat surgeon and GWH anaesthetists Julian Stone and Mike
THE National Self Build and Renovation Centre has won the award for Sustainable Manufacturing, Construction or Design at the Corporate Green Awards. The awards, organised by the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, aim to reward and promote best practice
TWO young men who tried to rob a teenager in his room at a hostel have been warned they could be facing jail. When Daniel Hall, 20, of Argyle Street, and Daniel Latham, 18, of Penhill Drive, appeared at Swindon Crown Court they both admitted a
A NEW telephone service for the elderly is being introduced to Swindon by Age UK Wilt-shire. Call in Time will allow an elderly person to receive a half an hour phone call once a week from a trained volunteer. The idea of the call is to give
EMERGENCY services are currently on the scene of a road traffic incident in Westfield Way, Haydon Wick. A pedestrian, believed to be a 12-year-old girl, has been struck by a car and police and an ambulance crew are in attendance. The incident
THE life of a self-taught historian and author whose research spanned millennia will be celebrated at his funeral next week. Royal British Legion standard bearers will be at Kingsdown Crematorium on Thursday, May 23 to attend the coffin of Eric
SWINDON Town Football Club have responded to claims made by former ladies team manager Glyn Evans surrounding his exit from the club. Evans quit his post on Monday citing broken promises and meetings he believes were held behind his back as the
TWO vehicles were involved in a crash in Drove Road this afternoon. The incident, which happened at 12.48pm outside Aldi, involved a blue Citroen C4 and a green Rover 400. The incident caused tailbacks in Drove Road, while one lane was closed
HOSPITAL Radio Swindon has renamed its studio after former presenter David Penfound, who died on Christmas Day 2011. The popular presenter organised the radio’s move from Charlotte Mews, in Old Town, to its new site in the Great Western Hospital
So this week was another productive week, I had a good meeting with a potential large client, with the hope that some business has been won. My website revamp is now complete as well, please head over and check it out at www.phcoaching.co.uk I think
A FATHER-of-three who dealt cocaine from the family home to bankroll his cannabis habit has been jailed for three years. Jonathan Vass had thousands of pounds worth of drugs when police stumbled on his operation after becoming suspicious about
POETRY might not be everybody’s thing, but it was for the 100 or so audience members who attended Nigerian poet Ben Okri’s talk yesterday evening. On the ninth day of Swindon’s Festival of Literature, the OBE award winner awed, soothed and inspired
A teenager who is accused of having sex with a 13-year-old girl is to face trial. Raife Baverstock, 18, of Leighton Avenue, Park South, is said to have carried out the alleged offence on the girl in August last year. When he appeared at Swindon
Professional flautist Rachel Illsley opened her bridal shop in Coxwell Street, in Faringdon, six months ago and has not stopped since. The doors were opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony by the Faringdon Mayor Mike Wise. “The shop has been
PUB landlord Richard Crickmar says a road closure has had a devastating effect on his business. Richard, the manager of the Tawny Owl pub, in Taw Hill, has seen his lunchtime trade fall by almost 90 per cent since part of Thames-down Drive was
A SELECTION of Wiltshire and Swindon-based charities are coming together to celebrate volunteering and the environment across the county on June 1. Volunteers’ Week is an annual campaign that takes place between June 1 and 7 and celebrates the
IT TURNS out I’ve been spelling a couple of words incorrectly for my whole life. But I’m going to take solace in the fact that almost everyone else in the audience at the Arts Centre yesterday lunchtime to listen to Simon Horobin also admitted
A FAMILY has got to together to raise money for charity in memory of a beloved grandfather and great-grandfather. Charlie Dodson, of Penhill, died of mesothelioma at the Prospect Hospice last month. He was 84, During his illness he was helped enormously
PEOPLE in Swindon are being thanked for getting behind a campaign aimed at tackling illegal tobacco. Trading standards officers from Swindon Council, health ambassadors and the Police joined members of Smokefree South West in March as part of a
SWINDON Council's Tri-Active project has been given a boost, thank to National Lottery funding from Sport England’s Community Sport Activation Fund. The project, which aims to get inactive people living in the area involved in the sports of cycling
YOUTH mentoring charity SMASH (Swindon Mentoring & Self Help) is recruiting a new group of adult mentors for 2013. Although places are filling up fast, the charity is still looking for committed individuals who can spare a couple of hours a
SEVEN men were jailed for more than 40 years yesterday for their parts in a sophisticated £6m drugs ring. Fatos Hamzaraj, Guglielmo Rossi, Paul Boulton, Paul Bunney, Jack Jones, Michael Crossley and Christopher Hemming all appeared at Bristol Crown
TICKETS for Billy Ocean are flying as the Arts Centre Bowl Series go on sale. Billy will be performing at the Bowl on June 15 and will be supported by Hazell Dean. Billy has sold over 30 million records in his lifetime, and he is proving very
The reigns of three kings will be the subject of a talk at the Central Library on Monday, May 20. The Three King Edwards – an outline of British History from 1272-1377, will be presented by Robert Jago, an archivist from the Wiltshire and Swindon
THE leader of Wiltshire Council has denied that the loss of more than 300 jobs will impact on front-line services in the county. A proposal has been put forward by the council’s corporate management which would see the council shed an estimated
THE chairman of the Mela said watch this space following positive emergency talks with Swindon Council about this year’s event. Organisers cancelled the festival last week, citing restrictions the council placed on the number of people safely allowed
SWINDON Council is urging parents and carers to make sure their children are vaccinated against mumps, measles and rubella following the measles epidemic in Swansea. There have been no confirmed cases of measles in Swindon, but it is a highly infectious
WITH his trusty wooden staff, flowing white robes and bushy, chest-length grey beard there is a definite whiff of Gandalf about Terry Dobney as he contemplates from this magnificent vantage point the surrounding Wiltshire countryside in all its pomp
Millionaire inventor James Dyson has donated £4 million towards a pioneering cancer care unit at the Royal United Hospital in Bath. The largest donation in the hospital’s history, it means the Forever Friends Appeal has surpassed its £5.5m minimum
Describe yourself in three words. Older not wiser. Who is the most difficult person you’ve had to interview during your career to date? The most challenging interview was my first. It was live on TV and just before they switched to us my
DORSET & Wilts’ hopes of a return trip to Twickenham were ended at the weekend as Surrey gained revenge for their 2011 County Championship Shield final defeat with a 41-12 victory. The home side’s youngsters never really got to grips with their
SWINDON St George didn’t get the result their performance deserved as they went down 26-20 to Bristol Sonics on the opening day of the West of England Division season. The Greenbridge Road side were only two points down at the break, and again
SWINDON made a winning start to the South West Intermediate League season as they defeated Cheltenham 4-1. The two sides had three players each and played four singles and one doubles, each game lasting three hours. Swindon captain John Small
LOCAL karter Joshua Davis has made an excellent start to the season. The 10-year-old, who secured his first karting triumph two years ago and has collected 10 trophies in 17 races, pilots a cadet kart for ages eight to 13. He competes at Rissington
ON THE banks of Lake Garda in July last year, perhaps the most bizarre season in Swindon’s recent history laid its roots. With seven players acquired over the summer - in the shape of Gary Roberts, James Collins, Andy Williams, Tommy Miller, Troy
ROBINS boss Alun Rossiter has warned anyone writing off Poole’s Elite League chances following their dismal start to the season does so at their peril. Neil Middleditch’s notoriously strong Pirates sit rock-bottom of the table after only securing
THE new boss at Malmesbury will have Hellenic League football to look forward to next season. Vics finished second-bottom of Division One West in the campaign just gone, but have been told by the league that they will not be relegated. With
SUPERMARINE manager Dave Webb is wary that his players could be targeted by neighbouring Hungerford this summer as he aims to keep his squad together. Plenty have made the jump from the Webb’s Wood Stadium to Bulpit Lane in the past and Hungerford
SWINDON Town ladies boss Glyn Evans admitted the better team won after Keynsham beat his side 2-0 to win the League Cup. The Robins started the game slowly and never really got going and were eventually punished by a goal in each half, as they
SWINDON Town Ladies boss Glyn Evans has blamed broken promises from the club’s new board and secret meetings held behind his back for making his position untenable. Evans officially quit his post on Monday just 24 hours after his side lost out
