THE manager of a pub who was caught without a TV licence has been ordered to pay £415 by magistrates. Dion Antoni, manager of the Rodbourne Arms in Cheney Manor Road, which has since closed, was fined £250 for the offence of using a TV without a licence
DRIVERS are facing a commuting headache after the roadworks around the Whalebridge roundabout stepped up this week. Work began yesterday on digging up and re-surfacing the road at the major junction in the town centre which has seen long tailbacks during
THE WOMAN who has been at the helm of Great Western Hospital NHS Foundation Trust for nearly a decade is moving on to an even greater challenge. Chief executive Lyn Hill-Tout, 55, will become the new CEO for the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust
SCORES of local charities look set to benefit thanks to a new scheme at John Lewis at Home. The store this week launched a new charitable giving scheme, Community Matters, whereby every three months a donation of £3,000 is split between three community
FIRST aid organisation St John Ambulance is urging businesses in Wiltshire to ensure they have trained first aiders working over the summer holiday season or potentially face prosecution. With the summer months the most popular for staff leave, businesses
A BOOK club for people who use self help books to help them through challenging and emotional times is looking for new members. The Self Help Book Club is open to people who want to share their experiences with others and find out about other self help
I HAVE looked at the ward boundary changes in Swindon issued by the Boundary Commission with concern and I urge your readers to look at what is proposed for their own ward. I understand the need to make the number of electors per councillor more equal
AMNESTY International will be celebrating its 50th birthday with a party in Swindon this weekend. The organisation was founded in 1961 after British lawyer Peter Benenson read about two Portuguese students who had been sentenced to seven years for raising
TWO new solar farms will soon bolster the town’s green credentials after they were given planning permission by Swindon Council. The two farms, at Roves Farm in Sevenhampton, and in South Marston, both measure 32 acres in size and will produce enough
For more than three generations, the Tola family has been creating distinctive blends of wine at a string of vineyards in Sicily – but you don’t have to go there to taste them. Instead, you can pop into Old Town tonight and sample them for yourself
AT the turn of the last century one in four of the world’s population turned to Britain as their ruler. Most knew little of us and we knew little of them; from Swindon to Sydney, most people’s horizons were confined to their own town or village. Popular
BOOKWORMS at Rodbourne Cheney Primary School have been treated to plenty of new material. Members of the school council approached governors earlier this year to say they did not have enough choice of books. Governors agreed to give them £1,000 to spend
TONY MARTIN is a man who makes things happen – he was the person who organised the two days’ volunteering for myself and Robert Buckland. This pocket dynamo who is Zurich’s volunteer manager for the UK, and based in Swindon, has provided the springboard
SWINDON’S oldest Scout group were celebrating another milestone at the weekend as its Beavers’ section turned 25. Rodbourne Cheney Scout Group held a party on Saturday with games and a special cake to mark the anniversary. The group were the first in
THANK you to all those who donated money to the SSAFA - Forces Help collection held on Sunday, May 1 outside the Bridgemead branch of Sainsbury’s supermarket. The collection raised a total of £318 for the Swindon Division of The Soldiers, Sailors
YOUR readers should be aware that cash machines can contain counterfeit banknotes. I recently got money from the ATM at the Co-op in Gorse Hill and one of the £20 notes was noticed to be a forgery by a cashier in the next place I shopped.
I WOULD like to reply to Adrian Roberts' letter about the lack of respect in youngsters. I am 54 and this morning went round the shop for my Advertiser as usual. I formed a queue behind two gentlemen to pay for my paper when an elderly man in his
WHEN I read the papers April 22 “Censor row as posters painted" article I thought I was living in a non democratic country where the fundamental right to freedom of expression had been banished. I've looked at the internet site in question
THEMED walks, orienteering events and poster competitions are just some of the activities taking place in schools across Swindon to mark Walk to School Week. The walking initiative coincides with the Swindon Festival of Walking and National
EMPLOYEES at the MINI plant were given a lunch break to remember yesterday. More than 800 workers at the plant in Bridge End Road, were treated to an impressive display as the company hosted the MINI John Cooper Works World Rally Car. And one lucky
COOKERY should be made a part of the national curriculum in a bid to reduce childhood obesity. North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson said the move, together with encouraging youngsters to be active in the surrounding open spaces and getting involved
AT the April full council meeting a member of the Labour Group urged the Conservative administration on Swindon Council to apply to host one of the 20 Central Government Enterprise Zones to be established in the town. As I understand it, Enterprise Zones
WHAT great news to see Ellen Osa elected as a councillor to represent the people of Walcot, let’s hope it will inspire people from other ethnic minority backgrounds to stand as possible councillors and give a true reflection of Swindon as it is today
SURPRISE, surprise, so the present owner of the Locarno has thrown his toys out and threatened to demolish the building because permission has been refused to build a hotel there. Look around you; does Old Town need another hotel? Imagine the volume
QUESTION: When is Gorse Hill Community Centre not in Gorse Hill? Answer: When the government tells you so. As part of upcoming changes to Swindon’s ward boundaries, the community centre and Gorse Hill Junior School would no longer be
AN OPTICIAN has lost his hair in a bid to raise money for a local charity. Amir Chughtai, franchisee of Dollond and Aitchison, in the Brunel centre decided to take the plunge and allowed members of his staff to shave his head. The head shave was aimed
THE future of the NHS and social care services will be discussed at an open meeting tomorrow. The Swindon LINk (Local Involvement Network) open meeting will take place at the Pilgrim Centre, Regent Circus, from 10.30am until 3.30pm. Key speakers will
JUST days after the police took to the streets to teach clubbers about the responsibilities of drinking, children have been making their own songs on the subject. Children at Churchfields School held an alcohol awareness project yesterday where they
Leicester City were today refusing to comment on speculation linking first team coach Didi Hamann with the vacant manager's position at Swindon Town. At least one of the names on interim chairman Jeremy Wray's eight-man shortlist is currently employed
A RESPITE care centre for severely disabled children will close because the building is no longer suitable for its young visitors. Tantivy, in Stanton Fitzwarren, offers overnight and short-term breaks for children with serious mental and physical disabilities
WOOTTON Bassett have been buoyed by news influential batsman Sam Lawro will make an early return from Australia to meet up with his teammates as they bid for an instant return to the WEPL Glos/Wilts Division after relegation last term. Lawro was originally
NEW statistics have revealed that the equivalent of four people a day in Swindon were reported missing to police last year. Over the course of 2010 a total of 1,459 missing persons reports were filed – equivalent to four a day or 28 a week – but by the
ELLIOT Benyon has no regrets over joining Swindon Town, even though he could well be playing in the league below his former club next season. The 23-year-old striker moved to the County Ground from Torquay United on transfer deadline day in January after
GOATACRE are enjoying a dream start to life in the WEPL Glos/Wilts Division, and Craig Gibbens’ side cruised to a 122-run win against Stroud on Saturday. Sent in to bat, Goatacre passed 300 for the second consectuive game thanks mainly to an extraordinary
SWINDON Town Ladies Under 13s completed a memorable season with victory in the Oxford League Cup final against Didcot Casuals. After a scrappy and goalless first half, Swindon made a few tactical changes at the break and soon hit the Didcot post through
WOOTTON Bassett gave their season a jump-start with a four-wicket victory over WEPL Wiltshire Division new boys Spye Park on Saturday. After home defeat to Devizes on the opening day of the new term, Bassett captain Jag Chahal was delighted by the way
THE Monahan’s Midweek Cricket League got under way last week, and defending champions Compton got off to an impressive start. John Baden smashed 69 as he helped Compton post 182-4 against Wanborough, who were never likely to reach their target
MICHAEL Rose will today become the first of Swindon's under contract players to move on following relegation to League Two after agreeing to join Colchester United. The defender, who made 33 starts for the club after joining in June 2010, will sign
A SWINDON team is set for a VIP trip to the Europa League final after triumphing in the SEAT Fives football tournament for the fleet and leasing industry. The talented group from telemarketing company 20:20 Dialogue, based in Peatmoor, beat teams from
THERE were comfortable victories for Swindon Flames Juniors and Swindon Flames Youths at Farnborough Leisure Centre at the weekend. Juniors took on the shortbenched but stubborn Ash Avalanche Typhoon in the first game of the day, and opened the scoring
READ the words Stringfellow and flamboyant strokeplay in the same sentence and you could be forgiven for getting the wrong end of the stick. For the record, Lechlade’s Kiwi import Matt Stringfellow has no known links to the famous gentlemen
SWINDON Town Ladies beat Swindon Supermarine Ladies 4-1 in the Wiltshire County Cup final recently. Town went 1-0 up through Kirsty Shell, and took the lead through to the interval but the Robins were soon pulled back thanks to a Marine penalty after
SWINDON Spitfires Under 12s ended their season on a high after beating Kidlington 2-1 in the final of the Oxford Girls League Cup. Spitfires started the game in gung-ho fashion, taking the game to Kidlington as they were determined to make up for missing
LOCAL golfers helped raise more than £1,000 for good causes at the Urban 18 inaugural charity golf day. Twenty teams contested the tournament held at Wrag Barn Golf Club in aid of Wiltshire Wooden Spoon, a rugby charity for disadvantaged children. Winners
SWINDON Harriers’ Morgan Gascoigne is the new Wiltshire AA under 20 women’s long jump champion. Despite blustery conditions and a tender Achilles tendon, the 16-year-old, competing for the second time in her new age group, managed a creditable 4.96m
FRONT-LINE officers across the county fear cuts to the policing budget will result in poor public service and increased crime. The results of a survey of around 500 Wiltshire police officers published yesterday also suggest morale is lower, workload
SWINDON proved lightning can strike twice, as they followed up last week’s decimation of Rockhampton with a near-identical demolition of Marshfield in the WEPL Glos/Wilts Division. Once again numbers four to 11 in the home batting order were left to
PAOLO Di Canio’s interest in becoming the next manager of Swindon Town has not altered despite the sacking of Avram Grant by former club West Ham. The 42-year-old is looking to break into management and was one of eight short-listed candidates to meet
LAMBOURN Sports are on the brink of the North Berks League Division One title after beating defending champions Saxton Rovers 2-1. Kirk Willmoth gave Lambourn a first-half lead but Paul Churchouse equalised after the break with a penalty, before Jonathan
It was a tale of two majority points decisions when Walcot ventured over the border into Wales for Chepstow ABC’s event at the Chepstow Rugby Club. Kieran O’Donoghue faced Welsh Schoolboy Champion Jamie Morley from the host club. An all-action tussle
GREYHOUND asserted their dominance of local Sunday football as they wrapped up a league and cup double at the weekend. Dave Hawkins’ side had already won the Swindon Sunday League Division One by a commanding seven points before they stepped out for
FOUR Swindon players have qualified for the end-of-season showpiece in the Cuestars South of England Under 21 Silver Tour, following the final leg of the regular season at Jesters. Oliver Parsons, Joshua Lee, Jamie Perry and Jodie Symes will all compete
THREE young children have been left with nothing but the clothes they are standing up in after a fire ripped through their home. The fire, which started in the bedroom of five-year-old Conrad-Leigh Brydon and his four-year-old brother Kori, is thought
Sat 21st May 2-9pm is our third annual community festival, THE MIX, organised by the emerge project and sponsored by local groups. It's held at Shaw Village Centre on the field and in the Church building next door. A great mix of workshops in music,
On 17th and 18th of September, Swindon is turning Weird. The international event of 2011 arrives in Swindon and wants to get local businesses involved! Weird 11 is the UK's premier weekend event exploring unexplained mysteries, ancient myths, the
