What's happening with museum?

Whatever has happened to the wonderful things we used to see in our Museum and Art Gallery?

Like many venues, Apsley House, the building that housed Swindon’s beloved crocodile and the Egyptian mummy, closed because of the pandemic.

Unlike other venues, it remains closed. Swindon Borough Council’s leaders say a new museum and art exhibition facility should be built in the centre of town, as part of a planned cultural quarter.

So the collections have been put into storage, and Swindon residents can see a few of the artworks via worthy but small exhibitions called Art on Tour.

Swindon Borough Council’s leaders admit it will take at least ten years for the new facility to be built. The Save our Museum and Art Gallery have asked the council to ensure that the collections have a suitable home until then. In December 2021, the Cabinet decided to convert the entire top floor of the Civic Offices into a museum and art gallery. So far, so good. But something does not add up.

In March 2019, the council estimated it would cost £1,864,000 to convert the first floor of the Civic Offices. It now claims it will cost £400,000. We have asked how the cost of conversion can have fallen by £1,464,000, but had no answer.

Our rapidly growing town is already identified by the Arts Council as having low cultural engagement. This is shameful. A significant part of our culture is locked up somewhere, out of sight.

For two months, we have been trying to meet the Culture Councillor, Robert Jandy, to discuss when we will have a museum and art gallery fit for the town.

Swindon risks becoming a dormitory town, with huge housing estates and no facilities. Instead, let’s create a place we can all enjoy, and let’s start by valuing what we have got. Swindon Museum and Art Gallery remains closed and it is not good enough.

Linda Kasmaty

Chair of the Friends of Swindon Museum and Art Gallery and Save our Museum and Gallery

PMQs kindergarten

I completely agree with The letter James Grey wrote in the Swindon Advertiser about the cat calling and crowing on prime ministers question time in parliament, They are like a lot of young children in kindergarten, in fact the children are better behaved, These are people supposed to be running our country what a shambles, and can we give the so called party in downing street a rest,there are many more worrying things happening in the world at the moment.

Carole Gleed

Proud Close

Purton

Korean War memorial project

I am acting on behalf of the authorities at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery Busan South Korea, where over 800 British Servicemen are buried.

The authorities there wish to obtain photographs of those servicemen interred there, and of those who died but have no known grave. Copies of the photographs will be placed in the records and on the walls of the cemetery Hall of Remembrance.

The following names are just some of the young men from the Gloucestershire and Wiltshire area who gave their lives.F/Lt John E Y King, Maj Wilfred G Harris, Pte Brian G Gallop, Pte Victor T Bowl, Pte Frederick W Bartlett, Mne Keith D Hitchman, Pte George Davies, 2nd Lt Terence E Waters, Pte Peter D Hone, Lac Kenneth Goodfield, Rfn Samuel.F.Ellsmore, Oed/Sea Ronald.A.J.Godsall(RN)

Any family,or friend, who lost a loved one in the Korean War 1950/53 and would like to take part in this project can send the photograph to me.Brian Hough 116 Fields Farm Rd. Hyde SK143NP, or email bhough116@gmail.com

Brian Hough

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