Born Again Swindonian

I moved to Swindon back in the 1990s from a part of the country devastated by the 1980s pit closures. So coming to Swindon was truly like coming to the land of milk and honey.

Swindon afforded me opportunities and facilities that were not easily obtainable back in my part of Derbyshire / Nottinghamshire. And that’s a big part – but not the whole story – behind my fondness for, and advocacy of, Swindon and the decision to build this Swindon-centric blog.

I’m aware of Swindon’s flaws. But who can show me the perfect urban conurbation? A good friend of mine, Carole Bent, once wrote a beautiful line or two, exhorting us all to look for the glitter in the concrete and the sparkle in the cement. Now I daresay that was a metaphor and not a direct reference to the urban landscape. Yet it’s applicable. It’s fair to say that the glitter in Swindon’s concrete is sometimes elusive. But look hard enough and you’ll see it twinkle. And this blog is a testament to that.