Thomas Dennis, who plays Albert Narracott in the National Theatre’s 10th Anniversary UK tour of War Horse chats to the Adver about his role - Can you tell me a little about your character and the journey he embarks on in War Horse? At the beginning
SHOPPERS should buy less this Christmas and donate the savings to the world’s poorest, charity campaigners have said. Christian Aid have called on south west shoppers to give their Christmas shop savings to starving families in sub-Saharan Africa. They
RAISING car parking charges will hit town centre businesses hard and the council must reconsider, shopping centre bosses demand.Kevin Gwilliam, general manager of The Brunel Centre, issued the stinging rebuke following the council’s decision to begin
IN HEARTWARMING Christmas cards youngsters have told carers that they are “special”. The festive letters, from pupils at Covingham Park Primary School, are expected to bring smiles to the faces of carers this month. In one card a pupil wrote to an unknown
SWINDON and Oxford are to be a match made in Heaven as discussions continue to wed the two historic hubs closer together.Following Swindon Borough Council leader David Renard’s appeal to the government last week, in which he urged transport secretary
THE undisputed king of the light entertainment and gameshows was in Swindon this week in 2001.Thanks to programmes such as Sunday Night at the London Palladium, The Generation Game and The Price is Right, Bruce Forsyth had been an instantly recognisable
ON Friday, December 4, 1959, a celebrity opened a new Swindon branch of furniture shop Barclayes of London. Her face will be unfamiliar to many readers, but at the time Alma Cogan was one of the country’s biggest stars. She later became a tragic
A 50-year-old man is wanted by police after a stolen van crashed into a wall and the driver fled the scene. Royston Whitehead from Swindon is white, of medium build, 5ft 8" tall with dark brown hair and green eyes. The van was stolen from outside
SPREADING a little hope and happiness to local families living in need is at the heart of a new project by the Gateway Church.The group has decided to launch a toy appeal in hope of bringing smiles to the faces of dozens of youngsters whose parents cannot
TEENAGE wildlife photographer Harry King has won camera club's Picture of the Month title for October and £50 in Love2Shop vouchers. Harry, 15, lives in Freshbrook and goes to St Johns, Marlborough. He's no stranger to success having won a
AN OLD Town bowls club has handed over £1,500 to tackle cancer care. Members of Westlecot Bowls Club ditched their bowling whites and pulled out their pens, signing a cheque for Brighter Futures.It brings the total raised by the club for the hospital’
LOTS of little ones lined up to visit Santa at his grotto in Grange Infants School on Tuesday and Wednesday.All 247 pupils at the school met jolly old St Nick and received plenty of presents to take home with them.Many of the youngsters took a break from
No Wiltshire Christmas would be complete without a generous helping of Christmas markets, festive shows, carols and concerts, parties, shopping, light festivals and more. Plus eat, drink and be merry with Christmas lunches, mince pies, mulled wine,
DAVID Howell made a steady start on his return to European Tour golf in South Africa today, while fellow Wiltshire players Laurie Canter and Steve Surry were left with work to do after the opening day of the Joburg Open. Swindon’s two-time Ryder
Taking a look at this week' pick of the bunch of album releases SIMON CALLOW WITH THE BRIGHOUSE AND RASTRICK BAND - A CHRISTMAS CAROL If you're sick to the Christmas stockings of cheesy festive pop tunes by the time you drive home for the holidays
A MAN who went on the run from police for three months has been caught. Wanted man Lee Mapstone, 36 was found by officers at an address in the town yesterday evening (Dec 6). He was arrested after being wanted on recall to prison for breaching
Hoist the sails, weigh anchor and set a course for Neverland, as the Wyvern Theatre’s hit pantomime Peter Pan continues its run this week. Starring Eastender Adam Woodyatt – better known as Ian Beale – as dastardly pirate Captain Hook, the pantomime
Nick McCaveney travels to a galaxy not so far away where scenes from the latest Star Wars film were shot I’M bouncing around our fishing boat with unbridled glee as we steer towards the Skellig Islands off the west coast of Ireland. Christian
THE introduction of Universal Credit has been “callous” and “inhumane” and has pushed people into financial crisis, campaigners say. Swindon Tenants Campaign Group (STCG), which was formed to oppose the council’s plans to sell off its housing stock
Sarah Singleton chats to Peter Hynds about his latest hard hitting production It is Berlin, in 1934, and Max and his lover Rudy are recovering from a night of debauchery with a trooper when two soldiers burst into the apartment and cut their guest
SKIP WALKER enjoys a luxurious weekend in the Cotswolds THE importance of mirrors and, most essentially, good lighting in hotel bathrooms cannot be overestimated when it comes to women guests, in my opinion at any rate. At The Rectory hotel
IN a world which seems ever more divided along political lines, knowingly supporting cash over climate issues, payola over peace and where a small very small sector of society pull the strings and calls the shots, wouldn’t it be good to have someone
A festive showcase from the children’s classes at Swindon Dance gets everyone in the mood for Christmas next week. The young dancers include members of: Salto! Juniors, Street Jam, Parents and Tots, Ballet, Movers and Jazz classes. They will
A PHYSICAL and absurd comedy featuring coffins, inspectors and toy lorries, Can’t Pay? Won’t Pay! is performed by Swindon’s newly created Darkroom Theatre Company this month. Artistic director of the new company is Olly Webb who says the play is
WEST End actress Devon-Elise Johnson learned to lip read so she could see what they were saying about her in auditions. Fortunately for the young actress when it came to casting the musical Billy Elliott they obviously said good things, as she
Festive flurry of feathers in burlesque night DIG out the sequins and wrap up in your best boa, as the Flaming Feathers bring their wonderful world of burlesque to a Christmas Cabaret at the Wyvern Theatre on Saturday 9 December. The evening
Banks are not doing enough to combat Britain’s £10 billion online financial crime surge, MPs have warned.The Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said banks need to take more responsibility for preventing cyber-related fraud which is now the most common
FERAL kids with sensitive skin inspired Joana Jensen to set up her baby toiletries firm. Seven years on, her Childs Farm brand – which makes moisturisers and soaps for babies and children – will bring smiles to the faces of new Christmas mums. The firm
SWINDON 1951: At the meeting of Louise Silver Threads at the St John’s Hall, Aylesbury Street, Swindon, the chairman Mr Cox asked members to stand in silence as an expression of sympathy for the Marine Cadets who lost their lives in the bus accident
IF dream-pop seems a nostalgic and cultish notion which has long ago had its day in the post-punk sun and pop proper is a form too concerned with playing to the gallery and making music with the widest appeal, the more switched on modern artists have
Swindon is fortunate to have a wide range of local employers that have all made significant contributions to the town over the years. Last week it was a privilege and a pleasure to see Nationwide’s joint announcement with the borough augmenting
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SOME of Swindon’s most vulnerable children will be waking up with Christmas smiles on their faces.Staff at Nationwide’s Windmill Hill offices have clubbed together to buy more than 130 presents for youngsters facing this Christmas in care. The gifts,
STRONGER (15, 119 mins) Starring:Jake Gyllenhaal, Tatiana Maslany, Miranda Richardson, Clancy Brown, Frankie Shaw, Carlos Sanz. Director: David Gordon Green.On April 15 2013, hundreds of lives were irrevocably altered in Boston when two homemade explosives
DOCTORS are seeing more flu cases this year than last. Great Western Hospital's chief nurse Hilary Walker said that early indications were that this could be the busiest flu year in the last three.She told a meeting of the GWH's board of directors
A NOROVIRUS scare has been blamed for hospital delays. Staff were forced to isolate beds at Great Western Hospital at the start of the week, after a relative came in with norovirus symptoms. Three bays on Teal Ward - a general medical ward
A MAN who attacked and injured his girlfriend this week after a row told police that he had wanted to hurt her and it had felt good. Michael Wyness, 36, of Deerhurst Way, Toothill, pleaded guilty on Tuesday when he appeared before the town’s magistrates
Stagecoach West bus drivers will be on song when they come to Swindon in their illuminated Christmas Carol bus later this month. The team of 15 have been touring the region dressed in Christmassy costumes and performing carols to raise money for
A CHARITY which helps Wiltshire residents with sight loss and visual impairment will celebrate its 100th anniversary next year.Wiltshire Sight will kick off its centenary with a special concert at St Mary's School in Calne on Friday January 19.World-renowned
IF everyone in Swindon donated just £1 this month, the town could smash Brighter Futures’ Christmas target. The hospital charity wants to raise £2 million by Christmas Day… and we’re calling on you today to help them. Fundraisers need £2.9m
RESIDENTS in a Gorse Hill cul-de-sac fear that persistent parking problems could cause a crash after new double-yellow lines painted near the close's entrance have failed to fix the issue.Sarah Bedwell contacted the council after cars regularly parked
HOSPITAL chiefs have urged people to think twice about attending the emergency department. The plea follows a “busy” few days for the Great Western Hospital, leaving people waiting in the ED.The Marlborough Road hospital’s top doctor also asked family
A TALENTED Swindonian who illustrated a book written by celebrated comedian and musician Tim Minchin is now launching an art competition to get children thinking about what they want to do when they grow up.Old Town resident Steve Antony, 41, has had
STAFF at Barn Owl Preschool have been smiling from ear to ear this week after Ofsted rated them good for a second time.Inspectors recently visited the preschool, which is based at Haydon Wick Primary School, and found that in all areas, including leadership
A COMMUNITY-owned Watchfield solar farm is getting new management. Shepton Mallett-based firm BSR will take on responsibility for managing the solar farm. Westmill Solar Park was the first community-owned solar park in the UK and generates
A GANG of Romanian car wash workers who launched a drunken attack on a man in the street have each been jailed for 22 months and 14 days. Marian-Laurentiu Badea, Alexandru Dinca, and George Ivan, had been thrown out of a town centre bar in the
DAVID Flitcroft was anxiously waiting the medical bulletin ahead of Saturday’s key League Two trip to Accrington Stanley amid fears that Tuesday night’s loss to Forest Green Rovers could have cost Swindon Town more than just their place in the Checkatrade
WILL Crisp and Delleah Belgrave collected two of the major honours at the 2017 Swindon Harriers annual awards ceremony. Middle distance runner Crisp, who is coached by Bryan Clinton, was handed the male athlete of the year in recognition of his
ROYAL Wootton Bassett A found Division Two leaders Raychem B too strong in their final match of the first half of the season. Raychem B won the Swindon & District Netball Association’s Winter League match 63-38 with Sarah Elliot Bassett’s player
FORWARD Chloe Lewis scored two fine goals as Swindon won 2-1 at Gloucester 2 to stay top of Premier Division 2A. Swindon travelled to Gloucester without their usual goalkeeper so Lynsey Wall stepped up and donned the keeper’s kit. The visitors
SWINDON Robins ace Zach Wajtknecht aims to be back on track after Christmas as he continues his recovery from a ruptured spleen. The teenager was ruled out for the season in July, having proved to be a surprise package among team boss Alun Rossiter
MATTY Taylor believes Swindon Town lost a cup tie but expanded their repertoire after reviewing their curtailed Checkatrade Trophy assault. Having proceeded with four at the back since arriving at the club, manager David Flitcroft fielded three
