PEOPLE are being encouraged to put their walking boots on to explore the borough as part of Swindon’s first Festival Of Walking. The festival runs from Saturday until May 22 and is being organised by Swindon Council and NHS Swindon in association with
A DETERMINED music teacher has achieved his goal of cycling the length of the country in memory of his baby daughter. Jon Driver, of Vega Close, Oakhurst and seven friends took on the epic journey from John O’Groats to Lands End in just 13 days and have
THOUSANDS of historic aerial images of Britain will be available online under a project by English Heritage in Swindon. Britain From Above, funded by a £1.75m Heritage Lottery Fund grant aims to conserve, digitise and catalogue 95,000 negatives from
A MAN has asked a judge to remand him into custody to help him get off alcohol. Carl Woodhams, of Tudor Walk, Walcot, was due to face sentence at Swindon Crown Court for grievous bodily harm and affray. But the 20-year-old failed to turn up for a pre-sentence
UP to 1,700 disabled people across Swindon could be stripped of benefits under a little-noticed Government shake-up, campaigners fear. The scrapping of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) – replacing it with ‘personal independence payments’, while carrying
A SWINDON indie rock band are hoping to wow the judges after making it through to the area finals of a national music competition. Blackwaters beat off competition from thousands of others to win a place at the Southern England final of Live And Unsigned
FIT fundraisers are being sought to tackle the 22nd annual Walkley Midnight Walk on behalf of Swindon Guide Dogs from June 11 to 12. The event, organised by the Rotary Club of Swindon Thamesdown, will see people trek along a 20-mile stretch of the Ridgeway
THE NSPCC is calling on nurseries in the town to take part in its annual Pedal Push. Now in its 15th year, Pedal Push is a fun way for pre-school children to raise funds for the NSPCC. Children at nurseries, creches and playgroups can
COMMONWEAL Piano Festival will take place at the Arts Centre on Tuesday, May 17 at 7pm. The event, organised by Commonweal School, will see pupils showcase a broad range of music styles, from classical to modern. Admission is £5 per person. To book
A GERMAN naval attack on three costal towns in 1914 is the subject of a talk at Even Swindon Community Centre, in Jennings Street, on Wednesday June 29. Bob Clarke will deliver a presentation focusing on the shelling of Scarborough, Whitby and Hartlepool
TV chef Jamie Oliver’s recipe for success has certainly rubbed off on Swindonian Lucy Ruddick after she was recognised at a national event for being a top sales person. Lucy, 38, who works for the Jamie at Home business, is one of the top in
TEN thousand is the magic number for a children’s charity asking for school pupils to go green this year. After 16 schools in the town signed up for Green Gear Day 2011 the charity is now hoping to boost that to 20 schools – or 10,000 youngsters
FIT fundraisers in Swindon are needed to climb to the top of one of London’s most iconic buildings. RNID – Action on Hearing Loss is seeking individuals or teams to tackle the 842-step climb up the BT Tower on September 24. The money
With Swindon’s hotly defended Front Garden frequently in the news, a new exhibition opens today at Central Library staged by the Back Garden, a community group that celebrates the good and bad things about living on the north side of Old Town.
AUTHOR Henry Hemming was given a grilling at the Arts Centre as part of the second day of the Swindon Festival of Literature. The 31-year-old was talking about his new book, Together – How Small Groups Achieve Big Things, in front of an
DID you go to Bradon Forest School and leave in the summer of 1981? If so we are having a 30th reunion on Friday, May 13 at The Old Bank, Wood Street, Old Town (top floor) at 7.30pm. Please bring any old photos you have and invite anyone who are still
TV FUNNYMAN Keith Chegwin has been announced as the star of this year’s pantomime at the Wyvern Theatre. Keith, star of television, radio, stage and film, will be starring as the loveable Buttons in Cinderella, which runs from December 10 to
A MOBILITY store received a golden seal of approval when it was opened by Paralympic champion Anne Dunham. The five-time gold medal winner, who was awarded an MBE in 2009, cut the ribbon to officially open the Wroughton Mobility Store yesterday. The
AN Open Evening for runners interested in training for the Swindon Half Marathon takes place this evening. The Shin Splints will be hosting an open evening from 6.15pm at the Sun Inn at Coate Water today. Shin Splints is a free, friendly running
I JUST cannot believe that so many people, some of them quite intelligent too, are sucked into believing all the publicity as to the efficiency of wind turbines. Let’s just take the really simple facts shall we? They are only effective for 30 per cent
PATRIOTIC dresses and cakes were on display at a post-wedding tea party at the weekend. Mayor Rex Barnett and wife Sandra were guests of honour at the gathering in the tiny village of Hinton Parva as around 80 residents and a smattering of
TEENAGER Taylor Jones has become the latest music sensation from Swindon after reaching number two in the Official Urban Charts. The 17-year-old former Greendown School pupil, pictured, has burst on to the music scene with his track Fallen
EVERYONE is invited to a table top sale and car boot sale at the Dome Community Centre on Saturday. The event runs from 10am until 2pm at the venue, in Burghley Close, and sellers can set up in the building or car park for a fee of £5.
PLANS to create a coat of arms for Penhill are well under way. The Penhill Forum, which brings together several community initiatives, is producing a symbolic shield to brighten up the circular tower above the McColl’s store, in Braydon Court
THE search for Miss Swindon 2011 started this weekend and there is still time for more beauty queen hopefuls to enter. Girls aged between 17 and 24-years-old are still being invited to take part in the Miss Swindon and Miss Wiltshire competition. The
The Swindon Public Sector Forum is holding a half day workshop to support local public sector organisations during a period of continuous transformation and change. Facilitated by Georgina Collins, who is responsible for organisational development
Shoppers will be getting a treat this Saturday as a new live music showcase kicks off in the town centre. Frequently InSwindon is launching the first of its musical shindigs at Wharf Green in Swindon on Saturday from noon to 4pm. Kicking off this monthly
AN unusual spa treatment has been reeling in people from across the town and leaving them hooked. Dr Spafish has officially opened in the Brunel Centre and the treatment, which is based around fish nibbling at the toes of customers, has proved a big
We are an up and coming barbershop chorus based in Rangeworthy, near Bristol Being from Swindon I am trying to fundraise for the chorus and have organised a table top/craft sale on 4th June at 1pm in Hook Village Hall To make this event successful
IN reply to Steve Thompson’s letter (SA, April 28). Moredon ward, now renamed Rodbourne Cheney, has also got the same problem - our local primary school and roads to the east are now in Haydon Wick ward put there by the Boundary Commission. We
WHETHER you are a Republican or a Royalist, perhaps a ‘don’t care either way’, there is one thing for certain - nobody does it as well as we do. The pageantry, the Forces and the British people showing the world that we are simply the best. From
COUNCIL worker Alan Battman is upset that the Coate Water mini golf course in now called ‘crazy’ golf (SA, April 28). He feels that it may offend those who suffer from mental health issues. In response, letter writer A Morgan says: “Words
WHAT a joy to see people of all ages and nationalities celebrating England's national day in the way that we have been promoting for well over 10 years both in Swindon and throughout Wiltshire. A man seated behind me on the bus going home asked
LECHLADE are determined to learn from the lessons of their titanic promotion tussle with Goatacre last season as they seek elevation from the WEPL Wiltshire Division in 2011. Last year Goatacre won the battle at the top of the league after beating their
THE POLLING cards have been posted, the ballot boxes have been dispatched, and now busy officials in Swindon are making the final preparations for the big day on Thursday. Swindon Council faces a triple challenge – with a referendum, borough
SWINDON captain Liam Tucker thinks the WEPL Glos/Wilts Division is too hard to call as he prepares his side for the 2011 campaign. Tucker led Swindon to a sixth-placed finish in the same league last term in a congested midtable that he feels will become
AFTER a two-year absence Goatacre return to the West of England Premier League Glos/Wilts Division in 2011, and skipper Craig Gibbens has called on the old guard that earned promotion last season to establish the club at their new level. For a tiny village
FOR the first time in living memory last weekend, Minety won their own annual invitational seven-a-side tournament, coming from behind to beat Sutton Benger 27-24 in a nervy final. Nine teams took part in this year’s tournament, including the hosts’
SWINDON rounded off their historic season with a 32-17 defeat of Wootton Bassett on Saturday, a result that ended their local rivals’ hopes of promotion from Southern Counties North. Bassett went into the tie at Stoneover Lane knowing nothing but a win
WILTSHIRE rugby hope Ben Loosmore scored two stunning tries as a scratch team of students destroyed the Dutch national side in Europe’s premier sevens tournament at the weekend. The 20-year-old from Marlborough was one of the stars of the show
THE Swindon Town board are faced with one of their most important decisions in years with the appointment of the next manager, who will be handed the task of masterminding an immediate return to League One. Plenty of names have been linked with the vacant
DAVID Prutton has hinted at wanting to stay at Swindon next season after stating his desire to “put things right” following the club’s relegation to League Two. The midfielder snubbed Brighton last summer to move to the County Ground having
AN army veteran has helped to raise a flag to launch Armed Forces’ Day. Charlie Schneider, 47, who spent seven years in the army with tours to Gibraltar and Cyprus, was joined by members of the territorial army to launch a search for veterans
PRESTON boss Phil Brown will make a decision on whether to follow up his interest in Alan Sheehan today with the Swindon full-back due to turn out in a second trial match for the club. The Lilywhites are looking to strengthen the left back position as
SWINDON Town chairman Jeremy Wray has confirmed no decision on the managerial situation is likely to be made until next week as the club continue to receive applications for the position. Former boss Paul Hart parted company with the club last
