THIS week, we’re shouting about an enthusiastic blogger-turned-author with a passion for, well, shouting about Swindon.

Angela Atkinson moved to Swindon 26 years ago and started blogging about different aspects of the town, including familiar sights like the Magic Roundabout.

And less well-known features like the history of the West Swindon sculpture trail.

She compiled her popular posts into the book Secret Swindon and continues to spread the good word about her adopted home town as much as possible.

Angela said: “I have never understood why Swindon has a bad reputation My feelings about it were positive before I moved here but I didn’t truly fall in love with it until I began the Born Again Swindonian blog. There’s still so much to write about. You name it, it’s all here.

“The people are fabulous, it has great infrastructure, a lot of lovely parks and gardens, and a very rich cultural offering. I refute the belief that Swindon has no culture. It is a hotbed of creativity, you just have to look for it a bit, and some of it developed from the Mechanics’ Institute.

“I love the festivals that are held every year and it’s fantastic that MFor is bringing pop concerts back to Lydiard Park.

“People come here and all they know is the roundabout and maybe the car industry so I do my bit to promote the town. I try to write about as much as I can even if it’s not my thing, because then someone else might be interested in it.”

The 62-year-old is originally from a Derbyshire mining village and now lives in West Swindon.

Angela chairs the Swindon Civic Voice group, which won an England’s Favourite Conservation Area award for the railway village that she believes helped the historic site win official status as a Heritage Action Zone.

She runs her own editing, proofreading and copywriting business AA Editorial Services while juggling other roles.

One of her favourite facts about the town is that broadcaster and architectural expert Jonathan Meades placed the David Murray John Tower on a list of his favourite five extraordinary buildings.

Angela added: “The little things like that are what I find most intriguing and interesting. The railway village is beautiful and the David Murray John tower should be listed.

“The thing about Swindon is it’s a northern working-class town that happens to be in the south west rubbing shoulders with Bath and Cheltenham.

“Those are spa towns and that’s reflected in how they look, but people didn’t come to Swindon for a spa break, they came for work and prosperity, so it doesn’t have buildings with columns. It’s a Victorian industrial town.

“Swindon is surprising. We are often guilty of saying ‘you would not expect this to be in Swindon’ though really, why not?”

Is there something about Swindon that you want to shout about? It could be anything and anyone who makes a positive difference to the lives of people in Swindon.

Get in touch by calling 01793 501734 or email daniel.angelini@newsquest.co.uk