PREDICTIONS LEAGUE: Preston North End Results and Updates So finally we can reset the form books. Swindon’s eight games without a win – gone. Preston’s 12 games unbeaten run – gone. And finally, Swindon score first and manage to hang on for all
YOU’VE been sending us your questions all week, and today we put them to Swindon Council leader David Renard, as he took to the Hotseat. Here’s what he had to say to your burning questions. Q. You have been leader of the council for almost a
1. Rats – in The Rats by James Herbert (1974), whose debut novel about savage mutant rodents began a craze for literary ‘creature features’. It had everything the discerning reader of the era could wish for, including gratuitous sex and
“A VOICE for the non-religious in Swindon,” says the description on the front page of the Swindon Humanists’ website. If the latest surveys are anything to go by, about a third of us fall into that category, but are they humanists? “Most definitions
LABOR DAY (12A) Starring: Kate Winslet, Josh Brolin, Gattlin Griffith, Tom Lipinski. Director: Jason Reitman. The heat of unexpected passion scorches two lost souls in Jason Reitman’s handsome adaptation of the novel by Joyce Maynard. Embellished
A LONG WAY DOWN (15) Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Toni Collette, Imogen Poots, Aaron Paul. Director: Pascal Chaumeil. Several Nick Hornby novels have made the perilous transition from the page to the big screen. Now after Fever Pitch, High
STARRED UP (18) Starring: Jack O'Connell, Ben Mendelsohn, Rupert Friend, Sian Breckin, Sam Spruell, Peter Ferdinando. Director: David Mackenzie. The sins of a jailbird father are revisited upon an embittered son in David Mackenzie’s gritty
PREDICTIONS LEAGUE: Tranmere Rovers v Swindon Town After the great win against Preston at the weekend, Town are back on the road again and a trip to Prenton Park. Will Mark Cooper go with two strikers again? Or will it be a 4-6-0 formation? One
Now in its 21st year, and to pay homage to the heroes of the Great War during the centenary year, the festival is taking a more sombre look at literature and asking harder questions about what it means to read and write and what kind of lives we should
PHILIPPA Borrill, 24, is a Swindon woman in the final stages of PhD research into improving the nutritional value of wheat. She is based at the specialist John Innes Centre in Norwich and recently took part in science competition SET for Britain, describing
IF you’re one of Drove Road School’s class of ’59, your old friends want to hear from you. A reunion for the girls, who turn 70 this year, is set for Saturday, June 14 at the RAFA Club in Belle Vue Road. They were 15 when they left what was
A ROW of shiny new houses with their own private lake – surely potential occupants would be queuing to snap one up? Not in Toothill this week in 1978, they weren’t. The problem with the lake, which was about 45 yards long, 10 yards across and
SWINDON... 1947: William Alfred Wakefield, 31, of Wellington Street, Swindon, set off on an adventure travelling overland to South Africa. William answered an advertisement in the Evening Advertiser offering a new horizon. He embarked at Dover
FROM their early years through to adulthood, friends Hannah Soutar and Dani Moreton have supported each other through grief and adversity. The inseparable pair will stick together as they tackle a gruelling five-day trek across the Sahara desert
YOUNGSTERS at Lawn Primary School spent last week getting creative as they took part in National Science and Engineering Week. Pupils took part in a range of activities aimed to help them learn more about the importance of science in their everyday
A NEW digital company is linking up with a local charity to help raise the issue of domestic abuse in Swindon. The franchise for Big Local App Swindon was recently bought by Lee and Michelle Stoddart and now they are looking to use the service
THE family of university student Ben Elliman have paid tribute to their ‘dearly loved son and brother’ after he was killed in a collision on the M6. The 19-year-old, from Swindon, died when his Ford Focus collided with an HGV shortly before 6.30am
BEER lovers descended on the Meca on Saturday for a night of sampling and dancing at Swindon’s answer to Oktoberfest. The sell-out ale bonanza saw no fewer than 600 patrons fill the venue to enjoy a fresh drink and bratwurst to the sound of traditional
A DOG has had to be put down by Swindon Council after it was found abandoned in a terrible state. Others, though, have recovered and are now available to good homes. The council was called to an elderly terrier who was found near Blunsdon.
WE can think of no finer tribute to Caitlin Hunt than ensuring no other child should have their life cut short in the way hers was. That is why we hope our readers give their full backing to the petition launched in her memory for changes to the
RE ‘a real kick in the teeth for nurses’ (SA Wednesday, March 19), I would like to say that the Government should be ashamed at its treatment of these hardworking, dedicated souls who keep our NHS running. Where would we be without them? It is
Swindon gets such a bad press from every quarter but it is not the cultural desert people seem to think. The exhibition of abstract art owned by the town on show at the art gallery, the current musical festival, the forthcoming Swindon Festival
Surprise surprise, I don’t think, about the latest school building fiasco. The building of the new school at Tadpole Lane won’t be finished in time so now the kids have got to go to one in Redhouse, but that one isn’t finished either (Adver, Thur
The Adver never fails to inform, but often knowingly or not, also manages to amuse. Re the article on Thursday, March 20, ‘Royal Wootton Bassett Drug Suspicion’: “Officers could smell drugs but could not find any. The car and occupants were asked
Isn’t it about time somebody nominated Matt Holland from the literature festival for a knighthood or at least an OBE? I can’t wait for this year’s Swindon Festival of Literature, and as your editor said in his opinion piece on Friday, the festival
IT has come to my notice on several occasions recently that there is more dog mess on the streets of Old Town. Thankfully, it seems most dog owners are responsible these days and we are a long cry from the 1970s when dog mess was common place.
If we are going to let people like Brenda Cook go free (Adver Mon, March 17) there is no point in having courts in the first place. Like all right minded people I am sick and tired of hearing about people like her being put in front of a judge
As a parent you love your child and want to protect them. You want them to be happy and safe as they grow up and make friends. But imagine how you would feel if you discovered your child was being sexually exploited. You would want them to trust
I just wanted to send a word of praise to the builders on the site of the new houses going up in Westcott Place. They have worked so well and so quickly. I don’t know the name of the firm but these men deserve a bonus. We have watched them from
I AM writing to you letting you know how normal and trustworthy people are being treated in the real world. I have been out of work since July 2013 and claiming jobseekers’ allowance. I have had not luck with a job yet but still look every day,
A few months ago, the council changed the rules and told us to put our bins out in the morning before 9am instead of the night before to stop foxes treating our streets like a buffet. What is the point if the binmen have already been by 7.30am
In 2011 I revealed in a speech to the European Parliament how the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) was refusing to accept the laxative effects of prunes – and unsurprisingly, I won the argument. I have now discovered another potentially more
After recently reading your Rewind supplement about the Swindon Town vs Nottingham Forest match, it brought back memories. I was 17 and worked at Plessey at the time. I was on a coach from work that went to Villa Park and we were in a big traffic
I was interested in Martin Webb’s letter with a breakdown of correspondents’ letter writing frequency. As someone who doesn’t figure in the most prolific letter writing list, may I comment on the letter in the same issue of SA, by the most prolific
Swindon Guide Dogs for the Blind would like to thank all the generous people who donated to our collection at The Swindon Designer Outlet on Saturday 15 March 2014. We raised a fantastic £505. Our thanks also go to Tina Cumpstey, Rachael Smith
I read Des Morgan’s letter dated 21st March with great interest, but wish to respond accordingly. The SWLEP had informed the Swindon Advertiser of the names of the companies awarded through the first panel meeting for the Growth Hub days prior
How on earth can I find the most appropriate words as I battle with my personal pain and depth of sorrow at the death of my dear friend Tony Benn? Tony will always remain an exceptional, historic symbol of great strength in the hall of fame and
Swindon Guide Dogs for the Blind would like to thank Robert Buckland MP and Justin Tomlinson MP for their help and support in the House of Commons regarding the new laws on microchipping, and the very recent law that protects guide dogs from attack
The oligarchy of eurocrats who plot or plan the expansion of the project for a United States of Europe (their words) have had their beady eye on the Ukraine for membership for some time, but their howls of foul play being levelled at Russia after a
You pay your money, you take your chance. This is a saying that a lot of people know and use when deciding which product to buy and people think the more expensive and the bigger the company the better. ‘Rubbish’ is sometimes the word used after
Well I knew it had been lovely weather on Sunday as I walked my dogs round Coate Water. Early Monday morning there was the proof; rubbish everywhere, yards from bins, dog poo bags just chucked on the ground and the good old rangers frantically
Britain will end up in the United States of Europe if we do not do act now. When I read the headline I thought the national newspaper concerned had made a mistake regarding the photograph accompanying the article. It was not Nigel Farage, it was
It is about a year since the NHS reorganisation and some of your readers with diabetes may be confused by the ‘new’ NHS and how their condition is looked after. There is much talk about people taking more responsibility for their own health and
It has been mentioned to me on a couple of occasions that it is the same people whose names regularly appear in the letters page of the Adver. On finishing my shopping in the Co-op in Old Town, I sat in the coffee shop having a cup of tea and on
For an example of how we are lied to by politicians, consider this. The people of Swindon are being asked to raise £3m to ensure a new radiography unit is built and maintained at the GWH. The Wiltshire Air Ambulance requires donations approaching
TOWN CENTRE: Personal trainers Hannah Golding and Heather McNamee will embark on a 25-hour Hoopathon in aid of Prospect Hospice on Monday, April 28. The duo will start the challenge at 7.30pm. To sponsor them visit www.justgiving.com/25hoopathon
ONE of the odd things about local councils is that we are the only part of government that sends each household a tax demand at the start of the financial year. I wonder how we would feel if those of us in work also received our income tax demand
IT WAS Samuel Johnson who said that when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life. He was right, but I don’t recall him having anything to say about getting to the age when London tires you out. Last week we had a short, so-called break
PURTON: A 19-year-old woman was issued with a cannabis street caution after admitting possessing the drug after being stopped by police on Thursday. Police had attended a report of youths driving in an anti-social manner and officers smelt cannabis
SWINDON: A man killed after his car and a lorry collided on the M6, near junction 10 at Walsall on Sunday has been named as Benjamin Elliman from Swindon. It is thought he died at the scene, while the Asda lorry driver did not need hospital treatment
SWINDON: Here is the list of winners for the Prospect Hospice Lottery draw held on March 21. The winner of the £1,000 prize was number 27373. Number 51253 wins £100, Numbers 03165 and 35959 win £50. Numbers 00373, 03557, 26647 and 30340 win £25
WILTSHIRE Council is looking to hear from residents about plans to commemorate the First World War as part of plans to produce a commerorative video. The council hope to capture the year’s anniversaryt events as part of a special film. For
TOWN CENTRE: There were no arrests in connection with the Swindon Town match against Preston on Saturday. The game was downgraded before kick-off but there was still a strong police presence. The police helicopter was up in search of someone they
HAZELWOOD Academy is a friendly primary school and nursery nestled on the western fringes of Swindon. It strives to work in partnership with parents and the benefit of this policy was recently demonstrated in a parent survey carried out by the
TOWN CENTRE: Emergency services were called on Saturday following a collision between a black Fiat car and Honda motorbike on Drove Road shortly after 3.30pm. Although the injuries were not thought to be serious, the motorcyclist was taken to the
SWINDON: Any resident who needs to pick up a recycling box in order to cope with the reduced recycling collections has until next Monday to do so. Since the change to fortnightly collections was introduced earlier this month demand has dropped
PARENTS can take advantage of an Easter half-term children’s camp. The Hi5 camp is available at Swindon Council’s Haydon Centre in Thames Avenue, Haydon Wick, on April 7 until 17. The camp provides activities for children of primary school
SWINDON: A Psychic Fayre will be held at the Madison Hotel in Oxford Road on May 11 from 11am to 7pm. There will be tarot readers, mediums and more.
SWINDON: Swindon North Rotary Club Swimathon takes place at Next Generation Sports and Fitness Centre at Kembrey Park on April 26 from noon until 6pm. Visit www.rotaryswindonnorth.org.uk.
OLD TOWN: Advice on coping with Type 2 Diabetes will be offered to patients at an information evening at Old Town Surgery on Wednesday, April 23 at 6.30pm. If you are a patient of the Old Town Surgery and would like to attend, contact the surgery
POLICE have warned people to take care as there has been an increase in the number of thefts from garages and garden sheds following the improvement in the weather. In the vast majority of cases the property was not securely locked. Evidence shows
A WEEK of free coaching and fun competitions is being held at Broome Manor Golf Complex to encourage new players to try the game. The club, which is owned by Swindon Council, is holding its Golf Open Week from today to Sunday. The aim of the
WILTSHIRE Fire and Rescue Service will be on the lake at Queens Park with a small boat, showing some of their skills at an event next month. Families are welcome to attend the demonstration which is on April 20 from 11am. There will also be
A MAN who is accused of burgling five flats, stealing Christmas trees from two of them, is to face trial. Scott Cadder is also said to have made off with medals, rings and jewellery during the alleged week-long spree of theft. The 27-year-old
SWINDON: The council has warned that its grass-cutting schedule may be disrupted due to the waterlogged or damp ground in some areas of the town.
STRATTON: Ruskin Junior School has put forward a planning application to increase its teaching space. They have asked to convert the former caretaker bungalow into a special resource provision classroom. The application is currently being considered
SWINDON: The local and European elections will be held on May 22, with the polls being open from 7am until 10pm before the counting is carried out at the Oasis Leisure Centre. Nomination papers for anyone wishing to stand can be accepted from April
THE Labour Group is concerned about a recently established infrastructure fund from the New Homes Bonus. It argues this is not the correct use of the money and the cash will end up in the hands of developers. Coun Jim Grant (Lab, Rodbourne
NORTH SWINDON: A 22-year-old from Purton was arrested on Friday night for drink-driving after being spotted driving a Jaguar erratically out onto Thamesdown Drive from the Orbital Retail Park. Special Constables patrolling the area spotted the
LIDDINGTON: A property in Bell Lane was broken into at about 11pm on Thursday. A mahogany box was stolen containing some miscellaneous papers, photos and some keys. The box was about 12 inches in length and 10 inches in height and had a blue silk
SWINDON Town striker Nile Ranger is in trouble with the law yet again after being arrested on suspicion of criminal damage in Liverpool. The player, who is out for the season with the Robins through injury, is being questioned by Merseyside Police
IN THE Hotseat next week will be InSwindon BID manager Rebecca Rowland, Rebecca replaced Simon Jackson, the former chief executive, in June last year after almost five years at the helm. She works alongside the BID investors to build Swindon’s
A woman from Swindon died of her injuries yesterday after she was involved in a major car crash on the M1. The collision occurred at about 12.41pm on Friday, March 21 on the southbound carriageway of the M1 motorway about one-and-a-half miles after
EMERGENCY services are dealing with a three vehicle crash on Thamesdown Drive, close to the Redhouse Junction. The crash involved a red Renault Clio, a blue Citroen van and a beige Renault Megane. Paramedics are currently in attendance and
2:53pm Poor Trevor had to be put down after Swindon Council found him in a sorry state having been abandoned. Others are now ready to be rehomed, click the pic to find out more. 2:17pm
SUPERMARINE Sports Club were left counting the cost of SKS Blyskawica’s withdrawal from the Wiltshire League despite their 6-0 win at Ludgershall Sports. The Premier Division leaders had played the now defunct side twice this term winning both
YASER Kasim praised Swindon Town manager Mark Cooper’s tactics after the Robins beat Preston North End 1-0 at the County Ground. Michael Smith’s second-half penalty was enough for Town to end Preston’s 12-match unbeaten streak and hand the hosts
GARETH Davies was left to rue another poor refereeing decision as his struggling Malmesbury Victoria side fell to a 1-0 defeat to Division One West title chasers Lydney Town. A first half strike from Jarred Liddington gave the Severnsiders the
JOHN Fisher may have been the only local Hellenic League manager to pick up any points on Saturday, but he was still left with a bad taste in his mouth following his side’s 1-1 draw with Ardley. TJ Bohane struck to level things for Highworth after
ELDERLY residents in Eldene are concerned about how they will draw their pension when their post office is demolished. Swindon Council has announced that Eldene Centre will be demolished by November, after issuing a demolition notice for the flats
A PAEDOPHILE on early release from prison is back behind bars after being caught using his Twitter account to upload indecent images of children. Christian Derrick had been freed at the halfway point of a two year sentence for distributing the
THE Adver has teamed up with Wiltshire Police to publish CCTV images of suspects they want to speak to about unsolved crimes around Swindon. CCTV footage shows a man entering the Co-Op store in Windbrook Meadow at about 4.45pm on January 20.
DRIVING hail and heavy rain were not enough to dampen spirits at the seventh annual Mad March Hare event yesterday morning. More than 700 competitors, ranging from seasoned runners to four-legged family pets, took part in the run which aims to
FRESH-faced women in Swindon have helped to raise more than £2m for Cancer Research UK after the no-make-up selfie craze went viral on social media. The campaign asks women to post photographs of themselves wearing no make-up online and with the
MARK Cooper thought his young Swindon Town team defied their tender years as they outfought a physical Preston North End outfit to secure their first home victory in almost two months. A second-half penalty from Michael Smith was enough to separate
“IF WE’D started the other way round, struggled at the start and worked our way up to eighth everyone would be jumping up and down saying ‘what a great season’.” Following Swindon Town’s 1-0 victory over high-flying Preston North End on Saturday
LOUIS Thompson and Ryan Harley will both miss Swindon Town’s trip to Tranmere Rovers tomorrow after picking up injuries in training towards the back end of last week. The midfield pair did not feature in Town’s 1-0 win over Preston North End at
BEN Gladwin received a standing ovation as he left the County Ground pitch following a man of the match performance against Preston North End on Saturday, not that he noticed. Gladwin, who signed for Swindon Town from Marlow in November, won the
FOR AS long as we choose to mock Swindon Town manager Mark Cooper when he references the inexperience of his Robins squad as a major factor in defeat, we must praise him and his players when they produce a performance of this magnitude. Preston
SWINDON Wildcats sent out a message to the rest of the teams in the EPL play-offs that they are side to beat as they ended the regular campaign with a magnificent seven victories. The Link Centre side followed up Saturday’s 3-1 success over Basingstoke
SHRIVENHAM Town were up against it even before their eventual 2-0 defeat at Ascot kicked-off on Saturday. A serious accident on the M4 meant boss Sam Collier and four other players arrived just 15 minutes before the scheduled kick-off time, with
SWINDON Supermarine stalwart Kyle Lapham admitted he and his teammates were in a state of shock after losing 3-0 away at bottom side Fleet Town. A misplaced back pass from captain Dave Bampton gifted the hosts the lead after only nine minutes and
NEW College academy director Ian Howell insisted his side were good value for a point despite slumping to a 2-1 defeat at home to Shortwood United reserves. Sam Lofts struck to level things up for the students after the visitors had taken the lead
CELEBRATIONS were in full swing in Wroughton on Saturday as villagers marked 40 years since the opening of the heart and soul of the village – the Ellendune Centre. From a photography exhibition featuring black and white pictures depicting village
IN THE Hotseat next week will be InSwindon BID manager Rebecca Rowland, Rebecca replaced Simon Jackson, the former chief executive, in June last year after almost five years at the helm. She works alongside the BID investors to build Swindon’s
THE devastated family of Caitlin Hunt, who was killed by a bus last week, have said they are overwhelmed by the donations already received on a web page set up to collect funds for her funeral. The nine-year-old died after being hit by the single
MILES Storey revealed how he feels he reaped the benefits of a month on loan at Shrewsbury Town after returning to the Swindon Town starting line-up on Saturday. The young striker was paired with Michael Smith up front against Preston North End
MARK Cooper admitted that he was a little nervous pre-match at the prospect of throwing Ben Gladwin into the deep end against Preston North End, but the Swindon Town manager’s concerns were more than eased by the midfielder’s man of the match performance
