With the summer holidays now upon us I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to all our teachers, support staff and governors who do such an amazing job for children in Swindon.

They are our without doubt unheralded stars and I wish them all a very relaxing break so they come back refreshed for the next academic year.

As the current heatwave shows no signs of relenting, it would be remiss of me not to repeat the advice of colleagues in Public Health. If the temperatures are just too much to bear, avoiding the heat by staying out of the sun between 11am and 3pm, keeping rooms cool by using shades and drinking plenty of cold drinks to keep hydrated are all sound pieces of advice.

When we are in the throes of extreme weather it is also important that we check up on those in need who may not be able to look after themselves. This is the time when they are likely to need our help the most.

We are extremely lucky in Swindon that there are lots of different things to do during the long summer break with a number of Council-owned attractions offering fun activities for all the family.

If you want to escape the hot weather, I would highly recommend stepping back in time to reflect on what life used to be like in Swindon, by visiting Steam. This summer the museum has a special offer where children can gain entry for just £1 when accompanied by a full-paying adult.

The museum’s Learning Team will be running a range of family drop-in activities throughout the summer and children can climb aboard the train simulator or visit Steam’s Exploration Station where they can make their own train out of recycled household items.

If you want to take advantage of the Kids for a Quid offer, all you need to do is print off the special voucher on the Steam website at: www.steam-museum.org.uk

Elsewhere in the borough we have plenty of beautiful parkland for children and families to explore and many of them have their own activities running throughout the summer holidays for people to enjoy.

Lydiard has its own Kids for a Quid offer which allows children to visit Lydiard House and the Walled Garden for just £1.

The Lydiard Bark Show, on August 5, is always a popular event, while there are open-air cinema and theatre performances as well as pond dipping.

We have a total of nine country parks ranging from Barbury Castle to the Town Gardens and all are perfect places to unwind and enjoy the sunshine.

But don’t just take my word for it, find a park and see for yourself – www.swindon.gov.uk/parks