PLEASE keep your letters to 250 words maximum giving your name, address and daytime telephone number - even on emails. Email: letters@swindonadvertiser.co.uk. Write: Swindon Advertiser, 100 Victoria Road, Swindon, SN1 3BE. Phone: 01793 501806.

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A wonderful visit

Last week a large group of us Friends of Bristol Museum visited Lydiard Park, house and church. What a delight it was, and having such a knowledgeable guide brought it all to life. Standing in the south porch of St Mary’s Church, we really felt like pilgrims arriving on our way to Malmesbury or other places. We could just picture the area in the days of King Alfred and the Vikings - right up to visits by both Queen Elizabeth I and II and more recently Prince Harry.

We were privileged to see the wonderful St John polyptych painted in 1615. There was just so much to see that it was impossible to take it all in and do it justice. I have promised myself that a return visit is essential to see the wall paintings which are being conserved this year; to look more closely at memorials and the Golden Cavalier.

Once in the house itself, thanks to another guide, we could visualise the condition it was in when Swindon Corporation bought the estate in 1943 to the wonderful way it looks now. How lucky people of Swindon are to have this lovely place with so much history on their doorstep. When I was volunteering at Tyntesfield (another wonder place) this week, I was telling a visitor that we’d had an American Field Hospital in our grounds, and said “there was also one at Lydiard Park, Swindon” - not knowing the gentleman was from Swindon and knew Lydiard Park very well indeed. “If you enjoyed your visit so much” he said, “do write to the Swindon Advertiser” - hence this letter.

Ceri Addis, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol

Thanks for support

Highworth and District Branch of the RNLI would like to thank all who supported us at the Highworth Co-operative Society on Saturday 28th April; we raised £444.22. Our grateful thanks to Highworth Co-operative Society for allowing us to use their premises for this worthy cause.

Our collection boxes that you see in pubs and clubs also raised £119.44.

Thank you for your support.

Ron Rose, Highworth and District RNLI, Twickenham Close, Swindon

Not fit for purpose

The report, “Strong criticism for council phone service” (SA April 25) provided me with confirmation that I am not the only one to have had bad experiences when attempting to contact Swindon Borough Council by telephone.

Residents have demanded the council improve its phone service and described it as not fit for purpose. They said, response times are lengthy and it is increasingly difficult to contact the authority.

While admitting there have been “particular challenges in recent times” the council claimed average response time for each call was 90 seconds. Haydon Wick resident Mr Roy Worman labelled this comment as rubbish. Having experienced waiting times of 15 or 20 minutes, for my telephone calls to be answered, I must agree with Mr Worman’s analysis of the situation.

Councillor Keith Williams, the cabinet member responsible for corporate services and digitalisation, said “there had been a few issues around losing experienced members of staff and that he hoped the drive to move more services online would mitigate the problems with the telephone service”.

I suggest Coun Williams tries using the services for which he is responsible. The last time I tried to use my online account it failed to record the data I entered on three occasions. I became even more frustrated when I attempted to register a complaint via telephone. Not only were there lengthy waits but there is no technical support for the online system.

I sent a complaint to customer services by email on March 1. I received a message on March 2 saying the email was forwarded to complaints department for a response. March 30 I sent another email to say I haven’t had a response. April 3 I received a message saying my email was forwarded to the relevant department for them to respond directly. April 9 sent another email to say I haven’t had a response. April 10 I received another message saying my email had been forwarded to the relevant department. As I write this letter, on April 27, I have not had a response to the complaint which I made two months ago.

Residents may say Swindon Borough Council’s telephone service isn’t fit for purpose. The experiences I have encountered when dealing with Swindon Borough Council have convinced me the organisation isn’t fit for purpose.

K Kane, Wharf Road, Wroughton