BATES, baths, or balls - or perhaps all of the above.

That is the choice facing the people of Swindon following the latest announcement from Swindon Heritage as they move forward with the next part of their blue plaque scheme.

Up and down the country, blue plaques are used to honour a person or organisation for making a significant contribution to their community, or their country, or perhaps the wider world.

But until recently, Swindon didn’t have a scheme to honour our own history and notable individuals in the same way.

That all changed in March last year with the unveiling of the first Swindon Heritage blue plaque at 24 North Street, the birthplace of Swindon-born suffragette Edith New.

Now, hot on the heels of a further three unveilings - for the Starr brothers and Swindon’s own Diana Dors - the Swindon Heritage team have revealed the next three names set to be honoured on the walls of the town.

The plaques are made to last and have to be specially cast in aluminium, then carefully painted - each costs around £400.

For that reason, crowdfunding pages have been launched for each of the three choices - people can contribute to one, two, or even all three.

First up is Ralph Bates who died in 2000 at the age of 101. He has been called ‘Swindon’s forgotten writer’ but it is hoped a blue plaque at one of his former town centre homes could put him back on the map.

Well known and respected in his day, Bates is best known for his novels The Olive Field and The Dolphin in the Wood.

A 1930s Time Magazine article described him as “a better writer than Ernest Hemingway”.

But Bates’ story goes beyond his books. Described not only as an author, but also a mountaineer, political agitator, soldier and academic - he joined other writers opposing the fascists by volunteering for the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War.

The second plaque is destined for the building now known as the Health Hydro.

Opened in 1892, it housed washing, swimming and Turkish baths, but also medical consulting rooms and a dispensary.

The headquarters of the GWR Medical Fund, it has been described as the birthplace of the NHS and as a ‘crowning glory’ in the social development of new Swindon achieved by railway workers all those years ago.

Finally balls - footballs in fact.

The third name announced by Swindon Heritage is that of Swindon Town’s first manager, Sam Allen.

Born in 1868 at the address where he would spend most of his life, Sam served Town for a staggering 51 years.

While he eventually went on to become club secretary, he spent much of that time as manager. In fact his service to Swindon puts him on the list as the sixth longest-serving manager in English football history.

More details of how to contribute to the three crowdfunding campaigns is available from www.swindonheritage.com/bates-baths-and-balls/