Contents Welcome to our October edition of The Swindonian Magazine, 2018 is flying by! The crazily hot summer holidays are well and truly over, the children are back at school and it is so very nearly Christm..... Hang on I will stop there, we still have Bonfire Night to get through yet and of course, we all know that October is the month of Halloween. The end of this month will see many weird and wacky pumpkin designs being carved and also many of the town’s youngest heading out to Trick or Treat their neighbours in scary costumes hurriedly put together at last minute. Whatever you do to celebrate this old Celtic festival, don’t forget to have fun, stay safe and remember to share your spooky pics with us on our social media pages. If you are not a fan of all things Halloween, do not fear, the magazine is packed full of things to do musically and on stage throughout the month and of course there are your usual thoughts from Grasslands and the Swindon Mum. There is even a sprinkling of Disney magic. Remember you can always catch up with the latest news and events online at www.theswindonian.co.uk and don’t forget October 28th sees the clocks going back an hour and yes that may mean an extra hour in bed, it also means that the evenings will be darker.
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Take up the walking challenge - The National Trust have launched twelve new walks around Wiltshire.
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Neo Nature - Tom Grasslands Haynes talks about some of the interesting wildlife events going on this October.
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But First Tea - Our Swindon mum talks about the change in seasons with her little one.
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Disney Magic -
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Swindon History with Roy
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Musical Musings with Dave Franklin Dave digs out
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Allan Trinidad shares his tips on making the most out of Disney. How did the street names around town get their name?
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the best of the musical happenings for you to visit this month.
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Community News -
Check out what your local councillors have to say.
©Disney
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TC & I - Plan your month around the musical goings on.
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Stage Coach with Ben Thomas If you are looking for something to do this month let Ben help you out.
Until next month….
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THESWINDONIAN.CO.UK // OCTOBER 2018
SEPTEMBER S H O R T S
Launch of James and the Giant Peach themed adventure kit
GREAT WESTERN ACADEMY OPENING TO STUDENTS
To encourage children to explore Westonbirt Arboretum after school, Forestry Commission England has joined in partnership with Roald Dahl Story Company to create the most marvellous “forest adventure kit”. The kit was launched on 13th September, Roald Dahl Day to celebrate the much-loved author on his birthday. In Roald Dahl’s bestselling story, James and the Giant Peach, James Henry Trotter escaped from Aunt Spiker and Aunt Sponge by rolling away in a giant peach and going on an extraordinary adventure. Informed by Roald Dahl’s own love of adventure and nature, Forestry Commission England are now inviting children to go on their own special adventure where they can meet their very own insect friends and learn all about their habitats with the “forest adventure kit”. The kit is available to buy from the Tidings at Westonbirt Arboretum shop and has everything needed; a backpack, activity booklet, foldout binoculars, magnifier, collecting tray, forest find cards, stickers and a pencil.
Great Western Academy, Swindon’s newest secondary school, opened for the first time on Wednesday 5th September. The new school is based in brand new facilities in Tadpole Garden Village to the north of Swindon. The vision of GWA has been summarised as having three key areas; Achievement, Care and Excellence. They are also committed to providing a wide range of enrichment activities, with students staying on site until 4.30pm in order to benefit from a choice of extra-curricular opportunities, or to complete independent study. GWA has been opened under the Government’s Free School Initiative sponsored by New College Swindon. The grand opening for the Academy will be held in October when Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock, a space scientist and educator will attend. The Academy’s houses have been named after important space scientists and explorers – Aderin, Peake and Sharman.
For more information you can contact office@gwacademy.co.uk 4
Recognition given at September Force Awards
THESWINDONIAN.CO.UK // OCTOBER 2018
Swindon named as the best value town for workers who rent The Daily Mail reported that a study found Swindon to be the most affordable town in the UK for those looking to rent. The job website Adzuna compared average advertised salaries with average rental figures in towns and cities across the UK to find the most affordable and the most expensive places for renters to live.
Wiltshire Police celebrated one of the highlights of their year on 4th September, the Force Awards at The Corn Exchange in Devizes.
The study found that in Swindon, workers can expect 11.5% of their take-home salary to go on rent, which is much lower than the national average of 22.1%.
Around 60 people attended the event with a total of 22 officers, staff and members of the public presented with:
In contrast, Londoners can expect to pay out 41% of their wages and those living in Oxford 39% of their wages on rent.
Chief Constable’s Certificate of Excellence, Chief Constable’s Commendation, Chief Constable’s Certificate of Recognition, Inspirational Leadership and Long Service Awards. It was Kier Pritchard’s first awards ceremony as Chief Constable and he was joined by: Police and Crime Commissioner Angus Macpherson, Deputy Lieutenant Charles Bartholomew, Assistant Chief Constable Craig Holden, Superintendent Sarah Robbins, Superintendent Jeremy Carter, Superintendent and Dave Minty was Master of Ceremonies again. Following the event, Chief Constable Kier Pritchard said: “This very special night gave me the chance to recognise and reward the hard work and dedication of our fantastic officers and staff as well as some valiant members of the public. “As my first awards ceremony as Chief Constable, I was delighted to be able to take part in this wonderful evening. “We are a service of people serving the public and it is right that we take a moment to support, thank and pay tribute to those who have been given these awards.”
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THESWINDONIAN.CO.UK // OCTOBER 2018
Thinking about neutering your pet? Neutering is often a hot topic of conversation when your pet reaches the appropriate age and can often result in a lot of deliberation between a family. As with most things there are plenty of articles online outlining the pros and cons but often these may have outdated information. So, what if you are undecided about neutering? The decisions are different dependent on the species. For instance, it’s much easier for a cat to wonder down the street and mate than it is a dog. As long as the decision you make is an informed one and is in the best interest of your pet then it’s the right one. So, what are the health and welfare benefits? Some of the health and welfare benefits include: •
Prevention of unplanned pregnancies
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• • •
Eliminates unwanted seasons Prevents ovarian, uterine or testicular tumours and reduces breast and prostate cancers Reduction of unwanted sexual behaviour Phantom pregnancies Protects cats from sexually transmitted diseases
What happens during their stay? Your pet is usually admitted by one of our veterinary nurses who discuss the procedure and answer any questions. Once admitted the vet carries out a pre-operative health check, and ensures your pet is made comfortable and ready for the procedure. Once the vet is happy your pet is taken through to theatre where the operation is carried out. After the surgery and once your pet is out of postoperative recovery they are returned to their heated bed to have a comfortable nap and once up they are offered a little drink and something to eat before being allowed return home.
After care Once home the trick is to keep them quite and rested (easier said than done). Often, they are back to their normal self the next day so it is important to keep to short lead walks or house rest and prevent licking of the surgical site for the next 10 days. They will pop back for postoperative checks at 3 and 10 days with one of nurses after which they will be given the all clear. If you have chosen keyhole surgery then the recovery time will be quicker and safer.
Our team are always on hand to offer further advice and information so if you have any questions or would like to take advantage of our special neutering offers please contact your clinic on 01793 526780
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THESWINDONIAN.CO.UK // OCTOBER 2018
Twelve new walks launched as part of the Wiltshire Landscape Walking Challenge The National Trust has launched a new series of walks taking in twelve Wiltshire sites as part of the Wiltshire Landscape Walking Challenge.
miles if all are completed. They take in some spectacular landscapes, all cared for by the National Trust.
Following on from the success of the popular Stonehenge and Avebury Walking Challenge, these twelve brand new walks are longer, more challenging and encompass all of the sites cared for by the Wiltshire Landscape team. The walks average around 7 miles each totalling eighty-four
The challenge element comes from completing all the walks before the 30th
Have your say on draft Waste Strategy Swindon Borough Council want you to have your say on ways in which they could manage the town’s waste over the next ten years, so they have launched an engagement period for a Waste Strategy which outlines their ideas.
April 2019. Those proving that they’ve done them (by taking a ‘selfie’ at each site) can enter a draw to win a Cotswold Outdoor voucher for £300. A Wiltshire Landscape Walking Challenge Pack costs £12 and consists of a map holder, 12 printed walks, tips and instructions, a free drink from the café at Avebury and a chance to enter the competition. To find out more go to www.nationaltrust.org.uk/avebury
Invitation to design parliamentary Christmas card Robert Buckland MP has launched a competition asking Primary school pupils in South Swindon to design his Parliamentary Christmas card.
In Swindon, the recycling rate fell from 48% in 2011/12 to 38% in 2016/17 so the Council have been set a target of 50% by the Government which they need to reach by 2020 so it’s important we come up with a way to manage our waste in a way that is safe, environmentally sound and cost effective.
The winning design will be used as Robert’s Christmas card for this year. It will be sent to businesses, public sector organisations, schools, charities and community organisations and to councillors, MPs and Ministers. The Christmas card competition is open to all primary schools in Robert’s constituency with the theme being ‘Christmas time in Swindon’.
For the full proposal and your chance to add your own input into the project, visit Sustainable Swindon on the Council’s website by 19th October.
Entries should be sent to the Constituency Office, 29b Wood Street, Old Town Swindon, SN1 4AN before 26th October 2018.
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Neo Nature with Thoma
to give them the energy for their big migration-commute back to countries far away.
Tom talks about how nature prepares itself for the colder days of autumn. So here we are: October. Autumn is in full swing now with the autumn equinox passing us by on the 23rd September along with those beautiful sunsets that signified the end of the lighter evenings. Now we get prepared for the cold and dark days of winter. The wonderful thing about October is all the wild food resources that nature provides. Creatures big and small reap the harvest of blackberries, rose hips, crab apples, hazel nuts and seeds to help them fatten up for the winter months, prepare for hibernation periods or 10
October is also a great time to go out looking for fungi, as most of our showier species are fruiting at this time of year. If you buy yourself a good identification guide you can become more familiar with the fungi species that you can eat, Cep being a very tasty fungi that is quite easy to identify with its brown cap which looks like freshly baked bread; remember that some species of fungi are very poisonous so it pays to go on a walk with a local expert to make sure you can develop your identification skills and safely start your hunt for wild fungi. We are also in deer rutting season when male deer grow antlers and start fighting each other as a bit of a macho display to attract female deer (they are very noisy too). Deer rutting can be seen and heard in many woodlands and country estates both in the day time and at night. Wild happenings this month include a wildlife
as ‘Grasslands’ Haynes
walk to look out for migrating species on Morgan’s Hill, Calne on the 7th October. The walk starts at 9am and finishes at 12pm and booking in advance is recommended (book online at: https://www.wiltshirewildlife. org/Event/migration-watch-sunday). Also on the 7th October, at Ravenroost Wood near Malmesbury, is a fungus foray that begins at 10.30am and will be led by Dr Lee Hayward of the Cotswold Fungus Group; tickets are £4 and you can book by contacting Robin Griffiths on 01793 751081/07761 290725 or robswildlife@googlemail.com. On the 14th October is a special bus trip from Wootton Bassett to visit the Great Bustard Introduction Project on Salisbury Plain. The Great Bustard is the world’s heaviest bird and feeds and nests on large open grasslands. It became extinct in the UK when the last bird was shot in 1832. This iconic species of Wiltshire, which is pictured on the Wiltshire
Coat of Arms, returned to the UK in 2004 when the Great Bustard Group initiated a 10year trial reintroduction. The project sourced birds rescued from agricultural operations in Russia, with a plan to release 20 birds per year onto Salisbury Plain. The bus will leave Boroughfields Car Park, Wootton Bassett at 12.30pm and tickets cost £15. Contact Barry Bissett on 01793 848217 or barry.bissett@btinternet.com to book a place. Finally, on the 16th October, at Lower Moor Farm, is a talk by Ben Williams of Reading University who is conducting ground breaking research on hedgehogs and recently made national news with the findings of the first assessment of national hedgehog populations. The talk starts at 7.30pm and donations of £5 are suggested. Contact Derek Gard to book a place (derekg@wiltshirewildlife.org)
Grasslands Out! 11
But First, Tea.
THESWINDONIAN.CO.UK // OCTOBER 2018
Just a Swindon Mum winging my way through life with my boy.
Park Life
my coat (and daydreaming about a middle-of-the-day, uninterrupted hot bubble bath) I was forced to take a long hard look at myself in the mirror as the little one proclaimed: ‘It’s just a bit of rain mummy, it won’t hurt us and we can just wear our hoods. It will be fun to have an adventure together and it doesn’t matter if we get wet does it?’ And so off we went.
How quickly our beautiful summer has disappeared to make way for colder and drearier days… I knew it would happen and yet I wasn’t quite prepared for swapping my beloved flip-flops for boots, having to give in to the heating and watching the darkness creep in earlier and earlier in the evenings. I’ve been told on more than one occasion that I’m ‘the world’s coldest person’ (temperature wise you understand…) and it’s safe to say that I’m definitely more of a summer girl (snow and Christmas aside), so it’s a very real struggle not to give in to complete hibernation from September - March and wait for the warm sunshine to appear again before I venture outside. My 4 year old has no such desires to spend his time curled up on the sofa underneath multiple blankets, only emerging for hot chocolate and cheese toasties (my ultimate winter survival tools). What do the colder months mean to him? Why, opportunities for more adventures of course. They mean wellies and waterproof trousers, being able to wear gloves (who knew these could cause as much excitement as a promise of pick ‘n’ mix at the 12
cinema), riding your bike through the biggest puddles you can find, collecting conkers, kicking piles of crunchy leaves and just generally getting wet and dirty at every opportunity. Weekends with kids can be tough when the weather isn’t playing ball, especially when indoor entertainment options are limited and likely rammed with other struggling parents and their hyper, sweaty children. Soft play is always the first request in our house, but if it’s raining I tend to get a headache just at the thought of what it’ll be like and desperately try and come up with appealing alternatives. Inevitably, I end up giving in to the cry of ‘park, park, can we go to the park, pleeeeeease’ even though it’s blowing a gale and the clouds are a glorious shade of charcoal. This weekend as I was reluctantly reaching for
We didn’t just go to the park, we went to 4 parks. We rode our bikes, we played hide and seek and ‘tag’ (I definitely was not legitimately out-run by a 4 year old), we climbed trees, went on a bear hunt through long grass and watched squirrels chase each other. We sang songs loudly, talked about Autumn and hibernation (only a little wishful thinking from me) and laughed a lot over 2.5 hours. And I didn’t have to spend a penny. Did we get wet? Yep. Was it all OK and worth it for the fun? Hell yes. Did I get an ‘I told you so’ when we collapsed at home in a happy heap? You know it. So as hard as it is for me, I will embrace these cold seasons to come and you will find us on outdoor adventures as often as my little explorer requests them, because that’s what being 4 (and a lucky Mum to one) is all about.
Email me:
butfirstteamum@outlook.com
BFT x
THESWINDONIAN.CO.UK // OCTOBER 2018
Swindon Labour back town centre based half-marathon The Swindon Labour Group’s Spokesperson for Leisure, Councillor Jane Milner-Barry, has backed calls for the Council to actively support a Swindon Half Marathon in 2019. In August the organisers of the Swindon Half Marathon said that because not enough runners had entered the race this year, there might be no half marathon in 2019. They felt that SBC’s insistence on starting the race at 8.00 am had meant fewer runners from outside Swindon signing up. It is also known that Swindon Council assigned significant costs to the Swindon Half Marathon organisers that other local
councils do not charge. Councillor Jane Milner-Barry, said, “The Half Marathon is a very special event and a lot of people really got behind the race this year. Although I recognise there were traffic issues in 2017, I was very surprised that the Council forced the organisers to move to a much earlier time. The very early start was bound to make it more difficult to attract enough runners to make the run sustainable. The Council needs to recognise the positive effect this run has on public health and community cohesion. It’s a goal which
encourages local people to pick up their running shoes and join the growing number of running groups. The run also has a very positive effect on the Town Centre, which was full of people on what would have been a quiet Sunday. And the 2017 race raised more than £60,000 for charity – an amazing amount. If we were running the Council, the Labour Group would safeguard the future of the Swindon Half Marathon by giving the organisers the support they need. We urge the Conservative Group to also make this commitment and show cross-party support for the event.”
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Travel to the Magic!
The children are back to school and hopefully settling into their crisp, new and slightly big uniforms! As the summer season drifts into a distant memory, some of you may be being proactive and already planning your next holiday. This is a perfect opportunity to showcase what delights Disney has to offer the young and the young-at-heart for travel before the year is out, 2019 and beyond!
Halloween Celebrations From 1 October–4 November 2018, Disneyland® Paris invites you and your beasties to Disney’s Halloween Festival: a Spooky Mouse Skelebration. With Mickey turning the autumn atmosphere on its head for The World’s Biggest Mouse Party, and brand new tricks and treats jumping out at every corner, this is set to be the craziest Halloween ever. It’s going to be a scream come true! On 31 October 2018, Halloween takes on a whole new dimension at Disneyland® Paris! Plunge into this monster-sized party, where stunning shows and amazing animations enchant you with hauntingly happy surprises. The party lasts from 8.30pm–2am, but ticket holders can go right into Disneyland® Park from 5pm. Get your costumes ready, because places are limited! Separately ticketed event. Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is an after-dark special event in Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and runs from 17 August-31 October 2018. This spooky Halloween-themed festival is more fun than fright! Suitable for all ages, you can get dressed up in your favourite costume and trick-or-treat around the Park for delicious candy delights before watching the special themed parade. Don’t forget to look out for your favourite Disney Characters— they’ll be wearing Halloween costumes too! Separately ticketed event.
Christmas Festivities Encounter familiar Disney friends at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, as you come face-to-face with beloved Characters decked out for the holiday celebration! During Mickey’s
Very Merry Christmas Party, you’re invited to share hugs, receive autographs and capture photos with over a dozen beloved Disney Characters as they spread holiday cheer around Magic Kingdom Park. Share in the spirit with classic Characters dressed in their holiday best, and enjoy rare appearances from the likes of Santa, Jack Skellington as Sandy Claws and Scrooge McDuck—there’ll be no ‘Bah! Humbug!’ here! Separately ticketed event. Mickey is shaking up Christmas tradition for The World’s Biggest Mouse Party, so jump for jolly joy as you unwrap a sackful of unexpected festive fun at Disneyland® Paris from 10 November 2018–6 January 2019. Bring your loved ones together and revel in surprising seasonal spirit, as both Disney® Parks become enchanted by an extra sprinkling of merry magic—all with the world’s most festive Mouse twist.
Introducing Toy Story Land – Now Open! Play big and have more fun than humanly possible at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida! Become the size of a toy alongside Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie and the rest of your Toy Story pals—all in the so-much-larger-than-life setting of Andy’s backyard. It’s the rootin’-est, tootin’-est time ever, one you’re invited to discover this summer in Toy Story Land, a brand-new addition to Disney’s Hollywood Studios! This is your chance to be surrounded by giant building blocks and board games that Andy’s rigged up into a playground straight out of his vivid imagination—where kids and grown-ups alike can play with new attractions, fan-favourite experiences and other Toy Story adventures. So, buckle up your space ranger utility belt, set your lasers for big fun with some of your best pals… and have a blast at the biggest play date of all time! Valid Theme Park Admission required.
©Disney
FREE Disney Dining & Drinks at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida At Walt Disney World Resort in Florida there’s something to suit all tastes and satisfy all appetites. From self-service to fine dining, there’s
a whole range of magical mouth-watering possibilities at every Theme Park and Disney Resort Hotel, as well as the delectable restaurants on offer at Disney Springs and Disney’s BoardWalk. With so many stimulating flavours, every mouthful just has to be savoured.
Better yet, FREE Disney Dining & Drinks is available on selected bookings made between 19 April and 6 November 2018 (for select arrivals 1 January – 30 November 2019, excludes arrivals 8–25 Apr 2019 on all Disney properties and excludes arrivals 17 Sep–30 Nov 2019 at select Disney properties). Because guests staying at a Disney Deluxe or selected Deluxe Villa Resort Hotel can tuck into FREE Disney Dining Plan, or FREE Disney Quick Service Dining Plan at a Disney Moderate Resort or FREE Breakfast when they stay at a Disney Value Resort. And that’s not the only delicious news. With the Disney Dining Plan of up to 100 dining venues, there’s something for everyone— including families, those with dietary requirements, and foodies looking for haute cuisine. It also includes drinks, so you can fill up on everything from healthy smoothies to chic cocktails. Additional terms and conditions apply.
Disney’s Ultimate Ticket – the only ticket you need! Disney’s Ultimate Ticket is designed for UK and Ireland guests, and only available to purchase pre-departure. They are available in 7, 14 or 21Day durations. It allows entry to all SIX Disney Parks which include Magic Kingdom Park, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park* and Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park*, PLUS Disney’s Oak Trail Golf Course, Miniature Golf and ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex (*subject to seasonal and weather closures). Pre-purchase your tickets to help budget in
advance and plan your holiday more effectively. Child prices are 3-9 years, under 3 years do not require a ticket. Includes Memory Maker with every 2018/19 adult Disney’s Ultimate Ticket purchased—standard gate price $199. With Memory Maker, you’ll receive access to digital downloads of your Walt Disney World holiday memories, including all your Disney PhotoPass photos, including Character Experiences and Magic Shots, photos from selected attraction and dining locations and magical extras like Animated Magic Shots and videos from selected attractions. With Disney FastPass+ service you’ll be able to reserve selected attractions, entertainment experiences and Disney Character Experiences before you even leave home—up to 30 days before you arrive (or 60 days for Disney Resort Hotel guests). Also, Disney FastPass+ service will let you reserve selected spots to view fireworks and shows, all while making changes on the go from your mobile device or using the in-Park kiosks. Best of all, it’s included in your Theme Park admission. Valid Theme Park admission and online registration required. Looking for a Disney holiday or have any other travel aspirations? Make your next travel arrangements with a knowledgeable, trustworthy and friendly travel expert (especially Disney!). I deliver a personal, professional and bespoke travel service. Contact me: allan.trinidad@travelcounsellors.com
©Disney
©Disney ©Disney/Pixar © POOF-Slinky, LLC.
©Disney
The Goddards, Lords of the Manor since 1562 have the most streets named after them which is not surprising so I have listed them here. Lets start with Goddard Ave, Lethbridge Rd, Pleydel Rd, Sandford St, Hesketh Cres, Ripley Rd, Ambrose Rd, Bradford Rd, Charlotte Mews, Fitzroy Rd, Bouverie Rd, plus some after places or farms they owned.
SWINDON STREET NAMES PART TWO
I hardly know where to start there is so much to say about Swindon Streets. In part one we learnt how Brunel and Gooch started the habit of naming streets in their railway village and how it spread to every estate in Swindon. Pinehurst was to be the new city of Swindon when it was built in the 1920s a state of the art estate with gardens back and front and all the streets tree lined, of the 28 roads there 27 are named after trees the odd one out being the Circle. Look at Walcot and you get famous Britains from the 16th and 17th centuries. Park North and they used
place names in Devon and Cornwall, Abbey Meads and it stately homes, in fact the whole of Swindon is organised in this way look up your area and see if you can find the connection. But this is only half the story of our streets and some came about in strange ways. One of the strangest is Lanac Road just off Oxford road, here the houses were built at the rear of the Wilts & Berks Canal so they named this road Canal backwards, someone with a great sense of humour arranged that one I think. North Star Ave, named after the first train that Brunel bought in 1837 from Robert Stephenson and was the first train to run on the G.W.R. Fleming Way named after Swindons greatest footballer, Harold was born in 1887 he played for Swindon Town 332 times and scored 202 goals, he also played for England 11 times and it would have been many more but he refused to play or even to travel on a Sunday.
Dudmore Rd, Upham Rd, Walcot Rd, Glenwood Close, and of course the Lawns estate. Then we get New Swindon and the great men of the G.W.R. Churchward Ave, Dean St, Armstrong St, Emlyn Square, Birch St, Gooch St, Collett Ave, Hawksworth estate, Newburn Cres, Stainer St, etc. The Welsh of course had their influence on the Town when they came here to run the Rolling Mills ( yes the pub in Regent St was named after that part of the railway works ) Ferndale Rd was named after a village in Wales but they also had their own estate off Faringdon Road called Cambria which was the Roman name for Wales. This article could have easily have been twice this size but this will do for now. Much of this information came from a wonderful book called Roadways written by Peter Sheldon and Richard Tomkins but I do know that there is in the offing a newer book that will be a joy to read then it comes out hopefully next year.
By Roy Cartwright 17
The Swindonia
THESWINDONIAN.CO.UK // OCTOBER 2018
Poetry Festival @ Richard Jeffries Museum Russell Watson @ Wyvern Theatre
Gaz Brookfield @ The Vic
ABBA Wonderland @ Tree
Great Wes Brick Sho Steam
Oktoberfest @ County Ground
Family Fun Day @ Wyvern
Theatre SALOS Oklahoma @ Wyvvern Theatre
Derek Acorah @ Arts Centre
Bowood Animal Trail Full Monty @ Wyvern Theatre
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Dinosaur Workshop @ SMAG
www.theswindonian.co.uk
Neil Diam @ Arts Ce
Roves Far Fireworks
an
stern ow @
Great Western Brick Show @ Steam
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Brighter Futures
Halloween
Spooktacular
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Musical Musings with Dave Franklin THESWINDONIAN.CO.UK // OCTOBER 2018
It’s safe to say that the summer festival season is behind us and barbecue weather is long gone and so we can turn our attention once again to the serious business of packing ourselves into sweaty rooms with a bunch of people genetically connected only by our record collections to sup ale, tap toes and experience live music as god intended it.
And right off the bat there is a bit of a treat for you with the return of Gaz Brookfield to The Victoria on the 11th.
This time in his guise as solo acoustic guy and with fellow acoustic guitar slinger Jake Martin along for the ride you can expect a night of energetic folky, punky, poppy tunes, tales of the road, charm, humour and more besides. An acoustic set from Raze*Rebuild starts the night. Before that happens you can catch the return of Atari Pilot at The Tuppenny on 4th. After making one amazing album and playing some memorable full band shows, life got in the way and the project was put on hold. Well, they are back with a few acoustic shows to gently ease back into things but
even in stripped down form this is a show to catch. Another musical oasis in the sea of classic rock cover bands that is Swindon can be found at The Victoria on 25th with Basement Club. Out of the wave of local indie bands to have emerged in the last couple of years, this is one of the most interesting, mixing as they do 80’s new pop vibes, jangling guitars, space and modern indie cool. Sounds good to me! And finally for all you music fans from way back when, Eddie and The Hot Rods bring their final tour to Level 3 on 26th. Punk, rock, R&B, they have it all. Even if you weren’t here at the beginning, I recommend that you be here at the end. Of course there is no better way of supporting local, original music than by buying a CD on the way out of a gig and if I were to recommend just one then Daydreams by Palm Rose is it. Running in the face of young shouty indie bands that seem all the rage, this is full of soaring and cinematic sonics, shimmering shoegazery and slow burning beauty. In fact I will recommend two CD’s to you.
Buy this one …twice! 20
THESWINDONIAN.CO.UK // OCTOBER 2018
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THESWINDONIAN.CO.UK // OCTOBER 2018
Motor dealer helps charity walkers hit fundraising target A charity that supports around 4,000 unpaid carers in Swindon has raised more than £2,500 from a sponsored walk, after receiving the backing of motor dealer Pebley Beach. Dominic Threlfall, managing director of the Suzuki and Hyundai franchise, pledged to match every pound raised by Swindon Carers
Centre’s Walk A Mile In My Shoes sponsored walk up to £1,000. Spurred on by the company’s support, participants in the Walk A Mile In My Shoes raised £1,573 in sponsorship and donations. With Pebley’s £1,000, the total stands at £2,573. The money will be used to fund breaks and activities for some of the 4,000 unpaid carers supported by the charity, whose ages range from between five and 96. Dom said: “Swindon’s unpaid carers, young and old, do a fantastic job in supporting relatives who could not cope without them. “We’re proud to be supporting Swindon Carers Walk A Mile In My Shoes events for a second year.” For more information about the work of Swindon Carers Centre visit www.swindoncarers.org
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THESWINDONIAN.CO.UK // OCTOBER 2018
Community News Stratton St Margaret News Update From Barrie Jennings Griffith Close/Sandgate Footbridge In my last article I referred to drainage issues with the Griffiths Close/Sandgate bridge after Network Rail redesigned the bridge as part of their rail electrification works. Network Rail had said they would solve the problems however hadn’t done so at the time of me writing this article. I have contacted the Council to chase this up.
Wanborough Road Clean-Up In early August I organised a litter pick in and around the White Hart Pub. There was a great turnout on a hot day and we took away 20 bags of rubbish. Thanks to everybody who attended the clean-up.
Number 20 Bus Update Reinstating the number 20 bus or an equivalent is an issue I am actively pursuing. In the past, I have taken the matter up with Stagecoach, the company that took over Thamesdown Transport and with Swindon Borough 24
Council without result. However, Stratton St Margaret Parish Council are interested in the issue and it was discussed at their last Highways and Planning Committee. At that meeting, Councillor Anne Brooker and I were mandated to discuss possibilities with the West Oxfordshire Community Transport Organisation (based in Witney) with a view to setting up a similar organisation in Stratton and running a community service along the old 20 bus route. Setting up a community transport organisation appears to be complicated but since meeting the West Oxfordshire Community Transport Organisation we came away with plenty of information and several possible strategies. I will update you in future articles.
If you have any local issues or concerns please don’t hesitate to contact me. You can call me on 07944740562 or email 1strattonjennings@gmail.com
Till next month, Barrie
Nadine Watts & Jane Milner-Barry Old Town & East Wichel Councillors Local Plan Review Potential new development sites in all wards in Swindon are being identified to help deliver housing numbers in the town. These sites will be available to view on the Swindon Borough Council website from the end of September. Please let Nadine and Jane know your views on these potential sites. LED Streetlights The Council is reviewing the business case for converting all bulbs on streetlights to LED. Converting all streetlight bulbs to LED has been longstanding local Labour policy and Nadine and Jane welcome this news as it can save significant amounts of money and produce better lighting.
Air Quality There was a public engagement event on 19 September 2018 to discuss Kingshill Road Air Quality Management Area. More information at: www.swindon.gov.uk/airquality
The Council has established an Air Quality Management
THESWINDONIAN.CO.UK // OCTOBER 2018
Steering Group to develop and oversee the implementation of actions that aim to reduce the harms of NO2 exposure (due to the volume of traffic) within the Air Quality Management Area. These will be set out in an Air Quality Action Plan, a draft of which will be issued for public consultation later this year.
Contact details: Please contact your Labour councillors. Call Nadine on 07595 071381 or Jane on 07864 839746 or email:
Commercial road. It also marked a record entry for Swindon councillors taking part. Stan Pajak finished second out of the 5 councillors which included for the first time Swindon’s mayor Junab Ali. Stan says “ Alas the future of the race is again in doubt but it’s a great event with runners of all abilities taking part and raises lots of money for local charities. I have ran all the Swindon Half Marathons and this one was one of the best and I will push for their continuation.”
oldtown@swindonlabour.co.uk
Councillor Stan Pajak and Parish councillor Toby Robson
The unit a relatively short distance to the town centre has a guaranteed existance time span of three years and is located at the former Riverside school on Queen’s Drive close to the ambulance centre. Radnor Street Cemetery WWl Commemoration
Swindon Half Marathon Following complaints regarding the traffic disruption caused by last year’s Half Marathon radical measures were taken by the organisers including additional marshals, slight changes to the course and a 8am start. Alas such an early start was bound to have an effect on discouraging runners from any distance taking part combined with the Chippenham Half Marathon taking place the same day with a 9.30am start. However the race proved a great success starting at the County Ground and finishing on
At long last some good news has been announced with the creation of a unit to house rough sleepers through the four month period when the weather is as its most severe matched by a day centre providing a hub for homeless organisations to operate and give access to services such as mental health provision, health care and drug and alcohol support.
Rough Sleepers scheme Announced Swindon like many towns throughout the country has a growing rough sleepers problem with car parks, shop entrances and parks becoming their unsuitable sleeping places.
On Sunday 14th October from 10am to 3pm there is an event not to be missed at Radnor Street Cemetery. It is an opportunity to view the wonderful WWl artefacts of Swindon’s celebrated WWl historian Mark Sutton in the chapel. There will also be Cemetery Walks to learn about some of the 104 Commonwealth War Graves. Tea, coffee and light refreshments will be available. Email: stanpajak@ymail.com Email: blackandwhitecastings@ gmail.com 25
THESWINDONIAN.CO.UK // OCTOBER 2018
To win family tickets to a movie of your choice, please email us the words “WIN TICKETS” to the email address below? Please send your email to us at getintouch@theswindonian.co.uk Closing date for the competition is the 25th October 2018
THESWINDONIAN.CO.UK // OCTOBER 2018
Congratulations to Jazzy Edmonds for winning the September Competition. Good luck for October! Remember closing date for the competition is the 25th October 2018
TC&I
THESWINDONIAN.CO.UK // OCTOBER 2018
Ahead of the upcoming run of TC&I shows at Swindon Arts Centre I managed to grab a quick chat with Colin Moulding about recent events, a return to treading the boards and what the future holds. This time last year I had spoken to him and Terry Chambers about the release of their e.p. Great Aspirations, so I was interested to know how we got from that record to full band live shows.“A few reasons really, all those songs I wrote for XTC, when I had finished recording them I just had to wave goodbye to them and 28
I thought it might be nice to hear them in a concert setting as a lot had never been heard that way. This coincided with Terry thinking shall we play some live shows on the back of these new recordings but of course we only had four new songs. I knew he wanted to get back out and play live, that’s how Terry best expresses himself. I thought, I can’t go the whole hog, I can’t go back to a touring lifestyle, I have commitments but I can go half way and play some shows via a more considered approach.”
XTC famously had a fairly short live life compared to its recording career, “short but intense” in Colin’s words, I ask if he was looking forward to the challenge of playing those songs live, does it feel like a daunting task to finally realise them in a gig setting?
“It’s a very daunting task, there were very accredited players on them, following in their footsteps isn’t easy but then I don’t want to just copy the originals per se, I want this to be TC&I”
There are a couple of local recruits joining you on stage. “We have Gary Bamford on keyboards, he’s more of a jazz player, it’s almost like hearing Dudley Moore, so Dudley Moore is playing King For A Day! And Steve Tilling is on guitar, he’s so great at what he does, it’s all sounding really good. ”Talking about the up coming shows. “Yes, Swindon Arts Centre, it’s a very intimate room, I haven’t played there since March 1973 one of
the first XTC gigs, or Star Park as we were called then.” And any plans beyond that?
Because of course this is a new band, not an XTC tribute,
“Although a lot of people might want it to be but we can only play the songs in the way that this combo can do them.” And of course given the production, texture, layering of some of those songs it would be a hard task for four people to replicate every part live.
“Well, just see if people enjoy it and see if we like it enough to do more but there will come a stage where I will need to take some time off, it’s so all-encompassing and in the old days I could write on the road now I probably need six months off to do it. So you envisage there being more recordings at least from TC&I ? “If the songs come up and they feel like they are the best things I can write then yes, hopefully something else will come.” And something else will come is where leave things.
TC&I play The Arts Centre 29th Oct - 1st Nov with two extra dates now added on 18th and 20th November.
THESWINDONIAN.CO.UK // OCTOBER 2018
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THESWINDONIAN.CO.UK // OCTOBER 2018
Children’s charity Jessie May shortlisted for Tesco community scheme funding Swindon-based children’s hospice at home charity Jessie May is bidding to bag a massive cash boost from the ‘Tesco Bags of Help’ initiative. Tesco teamed up with Groundwork to launch its community funding scheme, which sees grants of £4,000, £2,000 and £1,000 raised from carrier bag sales in Tesco stores awarded to local community projects.
Three groups in every Tesco region have been shortlisted to receive the cash award and shoppers are being invited to head along to Tesco stores to vote for who they think should take away the top grant. Jessie May, whose nurses provide vital respite care to
local terminally ill children and their families in their own homes, is one of the groups on the shortlist in two stores – Nailsea and Portishead. Jessie May Community Fundraiser Helen Mackie said: “We are thrilled to have been shortlisted for this amazing opportunity! Winning any of these grants would be an amazing boost for our charity, which relies heavily on funding like this to provide our services at no cost to families locally. “Our nurses are currently providing care to many children in and around Bristol and North Somerset, so it’s particularly moving to have been chosen in both the Nailsea and Portishead stores, where we are supporting families close by.
“Now we’re just so excited to see what happens over the next few weeks! Please get voting for Jessie May and help us welcome newly referred life-limited children to our ever-growing caseload, and continue to fund our incredible nurses who go above and beyond to support Jessie May families through respite care, emotional support, end of life care and bereavement support. “Any of these grants would make a world of difference so please do something amazing while you shop and vote for Jessie May!” Funding is available to community groups and charities looking to fund local projects that bring benefits to communities. Anyone can nominate a project and organisations can apply online. 31
THESWINDONIAN.CO.UK // OCTOBER 2018
Private Parts Live featuring Jamie Laing and Francis Boulle No revelation is off limits – Made In Chelsea stars Jamie and Francis tell us all about their upcoming UK tour. Their podcast is an unmissable weekly indulgence of filth, honesty and non-stop LOLs – now Made In Chelsea stars Jamie Laing and Francis Boulle are bringing us Private Parts Live. Expect excruciating revelations, mega LOL moments and interactive, fast paced jinks from hilarious TV twosome Jamie Laing and Francis Boulle during their first ever UK tour. Fans are used to hearing these lovable gents bare their souls, reveal all their secrets and even read their diaries on their Private Parts podcast, now they’re ready to reveal the most intimate and sordid details of their lives, including the on and off-screen gossip from Bafta-winning Made In Chelsea in front of a live audience. Here they tell us why absolutely nothing is off limits, even though their parents will be watching, and what they hope to achieve from the 20-date tour of Private Parts Live. Why are you are touring Private Parts? Francis: We get a great buzz from making people laugh. We’re so overwhelmed by the podcast’s positive feedback. It may surprise people that we’d put ourselves out there on stage but we performed at school and university and share an urge to push out our comfort zones and hone our acting skills. Jamie: It’s one of those things I’ve wanted to do forever. I went to Leeds 32
to do theatre and performance and we’ve always loved the stage. We started the podcast to do something different. Everyone always talks about lovers but there’s no greater thing than a friend relationship, it is the undying thing. Francis is one of my best friends and we have so many stories together.
Jamie: We’re honest about everything so it is no-holds barred. It’s about revealing stuff that you never talk about.
What’s behind the success of the podcast?
Jamie: You don’t want your parents to know these things. But we just do it. That’s what’s great about it.
Jamie: It’s very revealing. We have great guests on. The name Private Parts is about us all trying to protect ourselves. We all have skeletons in our closet, funny stories and silly things we’ve done. It’s so relatable. There’s this barrier – that so-called celebrities don’t want to be honest - well, we do. We have around 500,000 listeners a month, people love it. Are you embarrassed about stuff you reveal? Jamie: Some of the things. We talk about the naughtiest things we’ve ever done. We basically chat about our lives without worrying what people are going to think or say. I think that’s what is so great about it. What can the audience expect from the show? Francis: Olivier worthy debut performances from two D-list reality stars with rank delusions of grandeur.
What’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve revealed on Private Parts? Francis: Jamie has regular ‘sex’ with a silicone vagina called a flesh light.
What do you hope will come out of it? Francis: I hope it will be well received and that we can do a follow up tour. Maybe a world tour if it goes really well. Jamie: I’ve always wanted to have my own chat show. I love finding out about people. So hopefully this is a little starter of what’s to come. Is any revelation off limits for you? Francis: We keep no secrets - this is something of a tellall. Lots of juicy stories - the real inside scoop. Jamie: We don’t edit it. That’s the great thing. It’s all the stories from when we lived together. We talk about fame a lot and what it’s like to be a reality star dealing with comments on social media - the criticism and glory. Someone once said: ‘That Jamie Laing – he really is a short, balding dwarf.’ I couldn’t believe it! Private Parts Live featuring Jamie Laing and Francis BoulleAt the Wyvern Theatre on Mon 8 October
Stage Coach
THESWINDONIAN.CO.UK // OCTOBER 2018
If you’re a fan of bicycle-themed theatre then October presents something of a mensis mirablis as there are two velocipede-related productions on in Swindon. First the Art Centre presents ‘Ventoux’ (5th & 6th October), a play based on the controversial cycling rivalry between Lance Armstrong and Marco Pantani.
And then the Wyvern Theatre hosts ‘Tour de Ned’ (9th October), a one-man show by ITV’s cycling correspondent Ned Boulting in which he seeks to recreate the gut-wrenching tension of the Tour de France in front of a live theatre audience.
Bicycletastic, I’m sure you’ll agree. It’s not just bikes in October, though (which is a shame as that would make this article far more thematically satisfying). There’s also Shakespearean magic, Grand Goignol, Suffragettes, Rogers and Hammerstein and male strippers.
Shakespeare Live’s ‘This Rough Magic’ explores occult themes in Shakespeare’s works at the Art Centre (2nd October) while Rupus Theatre Company present a night of Gothic Horror in ‘The Devil’s Bride’ (8th October, also Art Centre). SALOS offer their production of ‘Oklahoma!’ at the Wyvern (17th to 21st October) before Broad Horizon’s Theatre Company present
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With Ben Thomas
‘Rebellious Sisters’, an intimate drama focussing on the struggles of Suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst (24th October, Art Centre). And, finally, back to the Wyvern at the end of October for the 2018/2019 touring stage adaption of the much-loved 1997 British motion picture ‘The Full Monty’ (29th October to 3rd November). I can offer a preview as I saw the play in Bath during its original 2014/2015 tour. It was adapted by Simon Beaufoy, who wrote the original screenplay and it’s full of all the grit, humour and heart that made the original film such well-loved classic.
There aren’t any bicycles in it though so I’ll have to mark the score down to 9/10.
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