SHRIVENHAM made it two draws in five days as they picked up a point away at local rivals Wootton Bassett Town. However, the result means Shrivvy, who also shared a goalless draw at Milton United at the weekend, will now definitely finish in the
We all dream of ditching the 9-5 to explore lands far, far away, but writer-explorer Levison Wood took things one step - or 7 million steps, to be exact - further, tackling one of the last epic journeys left on Earth. In December 2013 he started
with Amy Martin of Sustrans Next week sees the launch of The Big Pedal, the UK’s biggest cycle and scoot to school event run by Sustrans. It inspires pupils, staff and parents to choose two wheels for their journey to school, and is a great
With one in four UK adults facing mental health problems, talking about it a little more could help break the taboo, writes Nel Staveley Asking somebody how they are these days is such a default question, do we even really hear the answer?
With Peter Andre Personal happiness is something Peter Andre certainly doesn’t take for granted, because he’s too well aware it can be snatched away. His turbulent marriage to model and celebrity Katie Price, much of which was played out in
The Big Pedal challenges children to cycle or scoot to school. Former Olympic swimmer and sports commentator Sharron Davies tells Lisa Salmon why she'll be getting on her bike next month We all know that exercise is good for us – yet many people
Stylist Shan Williams reveals a new season trend which harks back to the 1970s They are the polar opposite of the tailored, steamlined sillouette that has dominated our wardrobes for so long. For devotees to the skinny, this one isn’t going
SPRING is nearly upon us and the great outdoors beckons so why not enjoy a family day out at Millets Farm? Set in Oxfordshire, the farm boasts its very own mini zoo featuring animals from across the world. During their visit children get to
Alan King is confident Balder Succes is in "very good form" ahead of his tilt at the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival on March 12. The seven-year-old has done most of his racing over two miles, but a step up in distance has helped his cause
OLDHAM Athletic boss Lee Johnson has been appointed as the new manager at Barnsley. Swindon Town chief Mark Cooper was linked to the vacancy at Oakwell last week in the wake of Danny Wilson’s sacking and the County Ground club are understood to
HUNDREDS of Brownies descended on Royal Wootton Bassett at the weekend to celebrate World Thinking Day. Every February 22, Girl Guides and Girl Scouts around the world celebrate World Thinking Day and celebrate friendship, advocacy and fundraising
THOSE looking for a different way to celebrate Mother’s Day this year could do worse than signing them up to the Mad March Hare. The annual event in aid of Breakthrough Breast Cancer will take place on Mothering Sunday, March 15, when fundraisers
This week we have had an important and very welcome announcement about so-called ‘pensioner benefits’. David Cameron confirmed that as long as he is Prime Minister, the free bus pass, TV licence and winter fuel payment will all be protected.
Ronny Terry is a Swindon-based personal trainer. He has previously worked as Performance Analyst with Swindon Town FC and on obesity initiatives with the NHS. Tweet your questions to @SWITCHFITUK or visit www.switchfituk.co.uk Q I’m struggling
MARION SAUVEBOIS meets a 35-year-old who survived heart surgery only to suffer a stroke RUTH Hillier lives each day with the knowledge that her heart could give in at any time. And yet when she considers how her life was brought to abrupt halt
Matt Whittaker, manager of Pets At Home Swindon, writes about thejoy of keeping guinea pigs Guinea pigs are lovely, intelligent and inquisitive animals and make really rewarding pets for adults or children (with adult supervision, of course!) Despite
Counsellor Fiona Caine tackles your dilemmas Last year my husband left me for a woman 25 years younger than him. I was shocked and angry enough, but what made it worse was, three years before, she’d been engaged to our son – she dumped him
I HAVE sympathy with the bowls clubs who are likely to have their funding cut and I agree that the Steam Museum continues to be subsidised. However, I would like to point out that when the museum was opened it was on the basis of a wildly optimistic
I was pleased to read a letter from one of your correspondents thanking the team of workers who keep the hedgerows clear and tidy in his area. I just wish the same team would come and sort out the hedgerows in West Swindon. The way the area was
I see Terry Reynolds still writes about PFI schemes as though they were an exclusive feature of the Labour government, (Labour used PFI, of 18 February). In fact they were first introduced by the Conservatives in 1992. Labour carried on the practice
Mr March pulled me up for saying I don’t think we should take any more Syrian refugees. He says it’s only a few. We have heard that before about Poles, Romanians and others and what did we get? Like I said, these people have been either anti
The discussion on this page has been getting increasingly hysterical of late. Can I suggest some correspondents take a deep breath and gain some perspective. I agree that Sharia law is incompatible with this island’s traditions, but there is
In recent days, I have seen on the news as I’m sure many people have, the coverage about the three girls who left this beautiful realm that I for one am proud to call the greatest country in the world and voluntarily travelled to Syria via Turkey with
Chris Humphreys’ letter demonstrates that some can swallow any nonsense if it is served up with enough racism. First he shows he really has his finger on the pulse by saying the French Prime Minister is Francois Fillon. He hasn’t been since 2012
I believe your correspondent Mr Reynolds may have been enjoying the mainstream press’ recent, rather over-excited interpretation of the Green Party’s policies, from his words here about ‘membership of ISIS’ and our alleged views on that. However
Guy Green raises good points and asks searching questions in his letter (SA 21 February) when he refers to the decision of SBC to spend £1.5 million on a national provider to improve broadband connectivity and speed to a specific area of the town.
IT is wonderful news that SEQOL charity stepped up to the plate and saved Swindon Half Marathon. It was unthinkable that, after the town was abandoned by the British Heart Foundation, the race would not go ahead. Amazingly there were suggestions
MARION SAUVEBOIS meets a 35-year-old who survived heart surgery only to suffer a stroke RUTH Hillier lives each day with the knowledge that her heart could give in at any time. And yet when she considers how her life was brought to abrupt halt
The long-running saga of the closure of Gilberts Hill School in Dixon Street was a controversial issue and featured regularly in the pages of the Swindon Advertiser. Parents were very much against the closure and they were particularly vocal in their
Barrie Hudson looks at the people & events hitting the Adver headlines FEBRUARY 23-28, 1966 ‘SCULPTOR Hoping for Approval’ said the headline of a minor Swindon Advertiser story this week in 1966. As any fan of horror films knows, there’
BRADFORD City manager Phil Parkinson has hit out at Swindon Town's players accusing them rolling on the floor every time they got touched. The Bantams chief was unhappy with how Mark Cooper’s men conducted themselves during Town’s 2-1 success at
MARION SAUVEBOIS meets a 35-year-old who survived heart surgery only to suffer a stroke RUTH Hillier lives each day with the knowledge that her heart could give in at any time. And yet when she considers how her life was brought to abrupt halt
IT was murder, of sorts. At least that’s how it was described. The identity of the victim, who died in a horrific manner at the Swindon Railway Works, was not revealed other than he was “Smarmer’s brother”. He was killed “with a blow on the head
SWINDON Wildcats have announced that the price for 2015/16 season tickets will be frozen at last year’s prices for the whole of March. The club have confirmed that the March Madness 2015/16 Season Ticket Offer will allow Wildcats fans to purchase
Charity bosses who have saved the Swindon Half Marathon want feedback from the people of the town about how to make the event better. Swindon charity SEQOL has saved the half marathon by agreeing to organise this year’s event. The popular race
SPORTY youngsters made the most of their half-term break last week at the Draycott Sports Camp, at Oakhurst Primary School. Dozens flocked to the school in Shaftesbury Road to take part in a daily schedule of activity throughout the school holidays
SHRIVENHAM caretaker manager Michael McNally is hoping to take Saturday’s performance in tonight’s Wiltshire derby at Wootton Bassett Town. The Barrington Park outfit claimed their first point in th e Premier Division since January 24 at the weekend
SWINDON’S Mark Jones has been awarded the President’s Shield by Wiltshire County Chess League president Nick Wingfield. Jones is the latest player to have had exceptional results during the chess season and defeated all the higher graded players
PUPILS at Covingham Park Primary School are starting a six-week sword fencing course during physical education lessons this week with the aim of them achieving their British Fencing Association Grade One Award in Foil. Each week they are learning
COUNCIL tax is set to be frozen for the fifth year running after councillors approved the 2015/2016 budget, but there are warnings of tough times ahead. At the meeting on Tuesday night council chiefs were left having to fill a funding gap of £17m
AS THE budget for the next 12 months was rubberstamped, a few late amendments were made using reserve funds. Although the council is under severe financial pressure, more than £4m of the New Homes Bonus remains unspent. The cash is not ring-fenced
EMPLOYEES at a Swindon truck manufacturer had the chance to hit the bullseye this week as they took on one of the darts world’s biggest names. James Wade, currently ranked fourth in the Professional Darts Corporation ProTour Order of Merit, visited
A FORMER Garrard worker who helped defend the south cost of Britain from the Nazis will celebrate his 100th birthday in Swindon today. Alfred Page was born in Groundwell Street on this day in 1915 and has spent most of his adult life living in
SWINDON charity SEQOL has saved the Swindon Half Marathon by agreeing to organise this year’s event. The popular race, which has raised thousands of pounds for charities since it was revived 12 years ago, had been threatened with cancellation when
SWINDON Town chairman Lee Power stated that Mark Cooper has 'the best job in football' after turning down a second approach from Barnsley for his manager. At one stage Cooper had been made the bookies favourite to get the Oakwell role, but now
SWINDON Town offered the perfect response to their dispiriting defeat to Crawley at the weekend with a rousing win against in-form Bradford City. Needing to restore confidence the return of Massimo Luongo was the perfect tonic, the Aussie star
JANET Angelo is getting on her bike for the challenge of a lifetime in the hopes of raising £10,000 for three cancer charities. The managing director of painting and decorating firm, Wall2Wall, has signed up for this year’s Women V Cancer challenge
A DISCOUNT online retailer from Swindon has been named and shamed by the government for failing to pay one of its staff the minimum wage. 99p Land Ltd, of Kembrey Park, was ruled to have underpaid a worker at a store it used to own by £315.26.
SWINDON were blown off the pitch as they fell to a fourth defeat on the bounce with a 35-22 defeat away to local rivals Trowbridge. In a game where the players had to endure rain, snow and hail, Swindon’s slow start saw them give up a big deficit
ROYAL Wootton Bassett might have reached double figures in their winning run with a 30-11 win over Stow-on-the-Wold on Saturday but head coach Alan Low is still demanding more of his young side. Tries from Gavin Ougan, Hamish Forbes-Keith and skipper
A POPULAR budget store has shut up shop for the last time in Royal Wootton Bassett, leaving another unit empty in the town’s High Street. The landlord is now looking for a new tenant to take on the lease of the shop now it has become vacant.
THERE will be no room for passengers when Swindon bus operators Stagecoach and Thamesdown Transport lock horns on the pitch in memory of colleague Colin Daley next month. Drivers and garage staff will put on a uniform of a different kind at Grange
SWINDON was whisked back to the 1960s this week as the cast of a retro show stopped off at a vintage shop in the town. The cast of Dreamboats and Miniskirts, which runs at the Wyvern Theatre until Saturday, were at Carry On Vintage, in Swindon
MARK Cooper was delighted with response of the players as Swindon ended a run of three consecutive defeats by beating Bradford City 2-1 with a determined performance. Town were by far the better side in the first half, dominating the ball and with
