Archive

  • School shop marks first successful year

    PUPILS with profound learning difficulties celebrated a year since the successful launch of their very own charity store yesterday. For the past 12 months, Uplands School’s 120 students have been running The Shop, a small second-hand boutique set

  • Fewer men dying from prostate cancer

    MORTALITY rates from prostate cancer have fallen by 23 per cent in Swindon since the early 1990s, according to new figures. Between 1993 and 1995, around 32.4 deaths per 100,000 men were recorded in the town. But the number has decreased consistently

  • PREDICTIONS LEAGUE: Macclesfield Town v Swindon Town

    PREDICTIONS LEAGUE: FA CUP R1 Macclesfield v Swindon Town With the memory of last season’s competition fresh in our minds, I expect we were all hoping for a better FA Cup run similar to the 2011/12 season. What better way to start than by squashing

  • Work on new solar farm is all set to begin

    CONSTRUCTION on a new solar farm near South Marston is due to start next month. The Sevor Farm project was given planning permission in June and an application has since been put forward to link it up with the Honda Manufacturing Plant, although

  • A home owner at last - after 20 years

    DECORATING her family Christmas tree this year will be specially exciting for Dena Trevett who will be doing so in her newly bought council home. She has lived at the terrace home on Warneage Green for over 20 years and thanks to the Right to Buy

  • LIVE: Biomass protest

    6:12pm Sharon Edwards, 32, said: "They haven't been honest from the start. There are so many holes in their application. It is not as green as they are making out. If it did get approved there would be no way of policing it

  • A good trading year for pupils

    PUPILS with profound learning difficulties celebrated a year since the successful launch of their very own charity store yesterday. For the past 12 months, Uplands School’s 120 students have been running The Shop, a small second-hand boutique set

  • Town to host major business exhibition

    BUSINESSMEN and women from across the region will be gathering later this month in one of the biggest networking events Swindon has ever seen. The Thames Valley Expo will see hundreds of businesses gather in one place and yesterday saw a lunch

  • Young actors wanted for Christmas show in Oxford

    Is your child an aspiring performer who would relish the opportunity to participate in a professional stage production? Based on one of the most popular and best-loved Christmas films of all time, Miracle On 34th Street is coming to the New Theatre

  • Thompson a doubt but Harley back for Macclesfield

    NATHAN Thompson is unlikely to play a part in Swindon Town’s FA Cup clash with Macclesfield on Saturday, but Ryan Harley will be among the Robins’ substitutes at Moss Rose. Thompson suffered bone bruising in his leg after colliding with a post

  • TURKISH OPEN: Bad light stops Howell's opening round

    DAVID Howell's first round at the Turkish Open was brought to an end at the 13th hole. The tournament was delayed by three hours this morning due to thunderstorms and the late starters were therefore up against time constraints to beat the fading

  • Swindon councillors to join SCS board

    COUNCILLORS will appoint three of their members to sit on the Swindon Commercial Services’ board during its handover period with the company. Swindon Council has entered the second stage of taking back control of most of the services run by SCS

  • MP joins call for care for the cancer carers

    URGENT action is needed to improve the lives of carers who support family members with cancer, according to the MP for South Swindon, Robert Buckland. He met with representatives from the Macmillan Cancer Support on Tuesday where the needs of the

  • Get out there on your bike

    I’m very pleased to introduce a brand new cycling column which will feature weekly in Family and online. As a regular cyclist – both as part of my Sustrans role, and for commuting and leisure – I am excited to spread the word on all things cycling

  • Sounds around town with Dave Franklin

    The last of the Halloween greasepaint has been scrubbed from the costume that you need to return to the shop... The final whiff of bonfire smoke and the cordite of smouldering fireworks have been blown away on autumnal gusts... And those once

  • Murrall steps down as Town general manager

    STEVE Murrall has stepped down from his role as general manager of Swindon Town. Murrall arrived at the County Ground as part of Jed McCrory's Seebeck 87 Ltd group which assumed control of the Robins in February. He has since been charged with

  • Dance just like the stars of Strictly

    EMMA DUNN steps out with the Salsanativa group PEOPLE of all ages can learn to dance like the stars of Strictly Come Dancing thanks to Salsanativa. The group, which was founded by Sally Marsden, meet every Wednesday at The Great Western Hotel

  • Album review: Still In Love by The Yearning

    Still In Love by The Yearning, out on Elefant Records. This album could be a sound track for an American high school romance. Maddie Dobie, the lead singer, has a voice of sparkling gem stones spilling on to black velvet. Joe Moore’s juke box

  • SOUTHERN LEAGUE: Supermarine receive Dean approach

    NEW Chippenham boss Mark Collier has made a seven-day approach for Swindon Supermarine midfielder Rob Dean. Installed in the Bluebirds hotseat last night, Collier has moved swiftly to attempt to secure the services of the Webb's Wood man. Marine

  • Good progress being made on stadium plan

    PROPOSALS to develop the Abbey Stadium and the surrounding land have moved a step closer as the developer submitted a detailed application. Persimmon Homes has now applied to build the first plot of 66 homes, which will be located off Salzgitter

  • Workers to protest at rail company HQ

    SWINDON is set to be the battleground for railway workers protesting against poor pay and zero-hours contracts. Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union working for sub-contractors Mitie with First Great Western are on strike for

  • Trio of treats in store for ballet fans

    Dance fans are in for a treat this spring when three traditional productions of popular ballets – Giselle, The Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake – come to Swindon. The Russian State Ballet of Siberia, accompanied by The Russian State Ballet Orchestra

  • Blockhead Norman is touring with Faith and Grace

    Norman Watt-Roy, bass player with Ian Dury and The Blockheads, is heading for Swindon as part of his Faith and Grace tour. Norman has been a stalwart of the music industry since 1967, yet this year sees the release of his first solo album.

  • Escaping those every-day stresses

    REALISING other people have had the same thoughts as him is the best part of performing for comedian Andrew Lawrence. Star of his own BBC Radio 4 series How Did We End Up Like This? Andrew Lawrence will be performing his stand-up show, There Is

  • It’s totally unplanned but guaranteed to be funny

    Paul Merton and his chums tell BARRIE HUDSON about the joys of an improvisation show which stops off at the Wyvern next week IT’S LIKE being treated to a command performance of Paul Merton’s Impro Chums; the quintet of inspired improvisers – Paul

  • Nurses’ £65 reward for winter working

    NURSES and health professionals at the Great Western Hospital will be offered up to an extra £65 to work overtime during the busy winter period. A new cash incentive has been introduced to encourage employees to cover more shifts until February

  • A friendly voice that offers hope

    THERE’S no such thing as a typical member of Amnesty International and no such thing as a typical person helped by the organisation. All the latter group have in common is that wherever in the world they happen to be, their basic rights are being

  • Letters to the editor

    Council has to kerb spending A resident of Whitworth Road asks why he should have to pay the council to install a dropped kerb which would allow him to move his car off the road and onto land adjoining his council house (Adver, November 6).

  • Letters to the editor

    Truth about plant Justin Tomlinson wrote that 2,000 of his 80,000 constituents signed a petition against an animal bedding plant powered by a biomass energy plant, which I pointed out was about 2.5 per cent and today, 5 November, Des Morgan writes

  • Help from council for those who fought for us

    At the full Council meeting this evening, I am proposing a motion to help the Council honour the memory of those who served, and those who died, while in the British armed forces. I am delighted that the leaders of the other two political groups will

  • Keeping town sweet helps raise cash

    SCORES of residents tucked into homemade cakes and hot beverages yesterday to raise money for patients with life-threatening conditions. Royal Wootton Bassett’s Sue Ryder shop, in High Street, hosted its third coffee morning of the year to drum

  • Bikers prepare for day to remember

    AT one o’clock on Sunday the world’s largest poppy should be lining up around the perimeter of London. Two hours after the Prime Minister will have laid his wreath at The Cenotaph in Whitehall, 15,000 bikers are scheduled to be synchronising their

  • Father-of-five fights for life after holiday accident

    A father-of-five from Swindon is in a deep coma after suffering a major stroke while on a sightseeing holiday in Thailand. Black cab driver Darren Little, 47, was on the 11th day of his trip with fellow cabbie and best friend Nathan Blake, in Pattaya

  • Posthumous award given to Royal Marine’s widow

    A WAR hero who died 30 years ago has been awarded the Arctic Star. William Lawton spent 18 months braving freezing conditions to protect the Russian Convoys during the Second World War in the Royal Marines. His wife, Pearl, applied for the

  • FA YOUTH CUP: Town youngsters progress after thriller

    TYREKE Johnson struck late as Swindon Under-18s defeated hosts Exeter 4-3 in the first round of the FA Youth Cup last night. Jamie Pitman’s troops will now host Totton or Leyton Orient at the next stage, with those two teams meeting this evening

  • TURKISH OPEN: Howell hungry for Turkish delight

    DAVID Howell is targeting a timely resurgence in Antalya this week as he bids to make a significant impact in the European Tour’s lucrative Final Series. The Swindonian is in sunny climes for the Turkish Open today - the third event of the four

  • HOCKEY: Bassett thump West Wilts B

    WOOTTON Bassett made a mockery of West Wilts B’s unbeaten start in Davis Wood Hockey League East Central 1 by thumping their second-placed guests 11-1 on Saturday. The battle of the top two was as one-sided as they come, as Kyle Barnes struck four

  • GREYHOUND RACING: Uphill task for Swindon

    SWINDON'S greyhounds will be looking to claw back a deficit when they meet Hove and Poole in the next round of matches in the BAGS/SIS Track Championship, greyhound racing's biggest team event. The Blunsdon outfit faced a tough away fixture on

  • Power fears loss of key trio

    SWINDON Town director of football operations Lee Power has admitted his concern that the Robins’ on-loan Tottenham trio could be prised away from the County Ground in January. Alex Pritchard, Ryan Mason and Grant Hall have all impressed in the

  • Yeovil to contribute to injured Williams' wages

    YEOVIL Town will still have to pay a portion of Andy Williams’s wages as part of their loan agreement with Swindon Town, despite the striker having been ruled out for the rest of the season with a cruciate knee ligament injury. The Advertiser understands

  • Wes hails Town's extra dimension

    WES Foderingham feels Swindon Town have now proved they have more to their game than silky passing. Questions have been raised since the start of the season about Town’s ability to stand up to a physical challenge, despite the Robins producing

  • Radnor Street Revisited

    Chiseldon Local History Group's regular monthly meeting is on November 20th at 7.30 pm in the Church Hall when the speakers are Francis Bevan and Mark Sutton. Both Francis and Mark are well known local historians and writers. They will be talking about