Born Again Swindonian

A personal celebration of Swindon

More about Born Again Swindonian Read our Swindon blog posts

Born Again Swindonian

I moved to Swindon back in the 1990s from a part of the country that had been devastated by the 1980s pit closures. So coming here to Swindon was truly like coming to the land of milk and honey. I was afforded opportunities and facilities that were not easily obtainable back in my part of Derbyshire / Nottinghamshire. And that’s partly, but not entirely, what lays behind my fondness for, and advocacy of, Swindon and the decision to build this Swindon-centric blog. Don’t get me wrong: I’m as aware as anyone of what could be different and better. I simply try to look beyond that and see what’s beyond that – and there’s lots. As this blog can testify.

More about me

Latest Swindon Ramblings

I’m always looking for new and interesting angles to share when out and about in Swindon.

A love of Art and Design … close to home

Arts/Culture/Heritage, David Bent, Made in Wiltshire, Tim Carroll

y way of sharing a blog on the Creative Wiltshire website. Read the full blog on the website here.

The blog began life as a series of Facebook posts by Carole Bent, partner in the David Bent Studio. Carole set out, in the lull following Open Studios in September, to use Facebook to celebrate some of Swindon’s artists and to showcase ‘what an artist’s wife and partner bought’.

Dona Bradley: Architectural Illustrator

Arts/Culture/Heritage, Made in Wiltshire

I’ve long admired Dona’s work. So when she expressed interest in having a feature in this ‘Made in Wiltshire’ section on the blog, thrilled didn’t cover it. It’s a b*gger that I’m out of wall space – fridge magnets it is then!

View All Posts

A word about our sponsors

When I’m not being Born again Swindonian and writing Swindon-related books I offer proofreading, editing and writing services as AA Editorial Services.

Food, drink and cafe culture

Swindon has a burgeoning independent eating and coffee scene. You’ll find write-ups on just some of them here.

Heritage, culture and the arts

Swindon is so much more than its rich and varied industrial history. It’s been described as a surprising creative hotspot. And it is. Read some of the posts in this section and you’ll see for yourself. I’ve lumped heritage together with arts and creativity because so often they are intertwined. The image shows the front cover of an issue of the very splendid Swindon Heritage magazine. Always worth a read

Swindon in business

A departure here from the rest of the site. Here are posts about Swindon businesses – many of them start ups like my own AA Editorial Services. Some, but not all, are paid advertorials. I have to earn a crust. That said, I know all of them personally, I’ve met them in some business capacity. I do business with many of them & trust in the rest.

AA Editorial Services

Things to celebrate in Swindon

Find out more about the starting point of this blog. My non-definitive list of ten things to celebrate about Swindon.

Swindon's sons & daughters

A whole host of writers, actors, musicians and other notable people have connections with, or roots in, Swindon. Read about some of them here. The sculpture in the photo is of the Swindon-born actress Diana Dors. It’s located outside the Shaw Ridge cinema complex in West Swindon.

Born Again Swindonian