THE SWINDON FESTIVAL OF LITERATURE- 30th anniversary!
Swindon Literature Festival is 30!
Swindon Literature Festival is 30! Planning is now underway for the next — the 30th no less — Swindon Festival of Literature, due to take place 1st – 7th May ’23.
‘You go to litfests not because you’re a book lover but because you want to show that you’re a book lover.’
Nitya Prakash
Hmmm … not sure that festival head honcho, Matt Holland would agree with that! Anyway ….
The festival will begin with its now traditional dawn chorus event on that high ridge in Lawn Woods. We’ll watch the sun rise over Swindon, with all manner of entertainment al fresco, including storytellers, acrobats, and singers.
For subsequent days of the live in-person 30th anniversary festival, organisers are planning to bring a great line up of national and international authors and speakers. You can see them at the Arts Centre, Central Library, Town Hall, Lydiard Park, and Lower Shaw Farm. All will offer fascinating, informative, and entertaining talks and workshops. Plus performances for people of all ages and backgrounds.
The festival will end with an exciting children & families day and a fabulous festival finale at Swindon Town Hall.
If any festival followers have an author or speaker they’d like to see and hear in Swindon in May, now is the time to let festival organisers know. Please send your wish list or recommendations to swindonlitfest@lowershawfarm.co.uk
The Swindon Festival of Literature is grateful for funding from:
Arts Council England
Swindon Borough Council
Lower Shaw Farm and …
… in-kind support from many other individuals and local organisations.
‘Ours is a Festival, which, to only slightly paraphrase T S Eliot, ‘boldly assumes the existence of a public . . eager to be kept in touch with current good reading, writing, and ideas.’ Matt Holland – festival organiser.
PPS. Virtual Festival events that took place in 2020 and 2021 are still available to enjoy online.
About the arts centre – aka the Bradford Hall here:
Turner prints, a book launch and local gifts are among the many Malmesbury offerings on Museum Shop Sunday
Museum Shop Sundayat Athelstan museum in Malmesbury – The Athelstan Museum is opening its shop on Sunday November 27 as part of an international event. The aim of the event is the promtion and highlighting of the vital role that retail plays in helping arts, cultural and heritage venues to survive and thrive.
Museum Shop Sunday takes place every November. This year’s event will involve more than 1,800 visitor attractions worldwide. It’ll celebrate the shops that help them thrive and, in some cases, survive. Often the sales from those shops get reinvested back into the venue.
Susan Mockler & Graham McDougal – Museum Shop Sunday at Athelstan Museum
Events and activities
Each attraction will have its own special events and attractions, with the ultimate aim of:
Grow awareness of their shop and products
Reaching new audiences and driving sales
Involving and engaging their teams and the local community.
Athelstan Museum has been participating in the event for several years.
Sharon Nolan, one of the trustees at the Athelstan Museum said: ‘It’s important to be part of this event because our museum shop enhances our visitor experience and provides a range of items for visitors to buy as presents or souvenirs.’
‘We buy from local artists and suppliers wherever possible. There is a small team of volunteers who run the shop in a professional manner. All profits support the museum which offers free entry and relies on donations, events and the museum shop for its income. We offer the best Malmesbury-focused products in our town.’
Museum Sunday opening hours
The shop will be open on the day from 11.30am to 3.30pm and will feature several special events, including:
The launch of a new edition of the popular book, The Fascination of Lace by Alison Lewis. The book tells the fascinating story of Malmesbury lace and Alison will be available on the day to sign copies.
Chas Gould will be signing his new book, The Same Tree, which features three time periods, one of which is set in Malmesbury.
Framed Turner prints, featuring the artist’s watercolour of the town’s Abbey, which is on display in the museum, will be available on the day, priced at £17. A book about Turner’s watercolour will also be available. There’ll also be shopping bags featuring the Turner image and some calendars depicting other Turner paintings.
A full selection of local artists’ cards, local history books by local authors and plenty of Christmas gift ideas for adults and children will also be on sale.
The museum acquired the Malmesbury Abbey Turner thanks to support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, The Art Fund and local Wiltshire donors. It has pride of place on the mezzanine level of the museum.
SOUTH SWINDON PARISH COUNCIL ANNOUNCE PARTNERS FOR THE ENCHANTED GARDENS LIGHT TRAIL 2022
Enchanted Gardens Light Trail Partners – South Swindon Parish Council is partnering with Brighter Futures, Prospect Hospiceand ShopSmall Swindon at the Enchanted Gardens Light Trail 2022.
Last year the Parish Council partnered with Brighter Futures and raised over £25,000. The donations helped fund the new urgent treatment centre at Great Western Hospital. This year Brighter Futures will be running a winter raffle. And also selling some incredible Christmas stocking fillers.
ShopSmall Swindon will also be at the trail with lots of independent stalls to help you make your last minute Christmas buys!
Local children’s author Kate Claxton will be hosting storytime sessions for younger visitors. They’ll be every Tuesday in the Town Gardens bandstand. She’ll be reading her brand-new book, Searching for a Roarer.
But there’s more
Other local groups and performers that will be at the Light Trail include:
Commonweal School
Kitty Langan Studio Performing Arts School
Swindon Gilbert and Sullivan Society
Rising Aspirations Academy of Performing Arts and many more that we’re yet to announce!
Neil Hopkins, Chair of Leisure, Environment and Amenities:
We’re delighted to be working with so many great local businesses and individuals. It’s fantastic that we’re able to utilise so many great local people to create an even more spectacular trail for South Swindon this year.’
Kate Claxton, award winning local author:
‘I’m so excited to be part of the Enchanted Gardens Light Trail on a weekly basis. Based in the bandstand each Tuesday, I’ll be entertaining younger visitors with readings of my brand-new book, Searching for a Roarer. It’s a story of magic, nature and discovering lights in the night sky, so it’s a perfect theme for the trail.
“Children will also be able to recreate the magic and wonder of both the trail and story with night sky crafts. And I’ll be signing and selling copies of my books too!’
Lisa Lowe from Ooh Lovely Lilo Ceramics,Shop Small Swindon:
‘Shop Small Swindon is delighted to partner with South Swindon Parish Council. We’ll be bringing a wonderful variety of local handmade christmas market stalls to the light trail, you will find us near the end of the trail. We have so many perfect gifts for you and your loved ones.’
How to book
To book tickets search on Skiddle for ‘Enchanted Gardens Light Trail 2022.’
The official car park for the enchanted gardens light trail is at the Commonweal school and sixth form, a short 5 minute walk from the Town Gardens. The parking charge is £2 and all monies raised through parking we’ll donate to Prospect Hospice.
Kenresa Stratford, Brighter Futures:
What are you bringing to the Enchanted Gardens Light Trail 2022?
We’ll be attending this year with some wonderful festive craft items which our lovely supporters have either knitted or crafted for us. We’ll also be selling our winter raffle tickets, offering a top prize of £1000! Not only this but we will be selling some merchandise on behalf of the Parish Council for the light trail.
What are you most excited for at the Light Trail this year?
Seeing all the changes from last year! Last year’s event was stunning and we all loved it and each of us had a favourite element. We’re looking forward to seeing how the trail has expanded and what’s in store for the town this year. We’re also looking forward to working alongside Dressability and local small businesses attending in the market area of the event.
What was your favourite part of the light trail last year?
We had so much fun last year and everyone who worked had different elements they enjoyed! I’m sure we can all agree the disco ball installing was pretty amazing! We had a great time working alongside our fellow stall holders too and the light trail team. At the end of the event everyone felt like family. We hope we can emulate that, this year!
How pleased were you with the £25,000 raised from last year’s trail and what was it used for?
We were delighted with the donation of £25,000 and this was the first donation to our Way Forward Appeal. This appeal focuses on key programmes of work to create a hospital environment suitable for Swindon’s growing and ageing population, now and well into the future.
Putting the money to good use
What will you use the money donated at this year’s trail for?
We’ll invest this further into the Way Forwards Programme. That’s currently focused on purchasing sensory play equipment for the urgent treatment centre. The donation will help fund new play and sensory equipment for children using our new urgent treatment centre. This donation could make a scary and anxious experience for young people less stressful and help them receive care quicker.
Better Co-ordination of Services for Veterans in Swindon Celebrating our 2nd Year of Funding from Veterans’ Foundation
Funding Continues for Swindon Veterans. With much pleasure, Voluntary Action Swindon is announcing it’s received funding for a second year from the Veteran’s Foundation. With that VAS can continue employing their Veteran Support Navigator, Katie Linstead.
Katie would like to hear from veterans who’d like to volunteer to help her gather an understanding of the need of veterans in Swindon. Ideally the volunteers will be veterans themselves. Or a family member of a veteran or serving military and willing to volunteer for a few hours per week.
Katie is a military wife living with her family at Brize Norton. Thus she understands the needs of those serving, transitioning into civvy life and veterans.
Funding Continues for Swindon Veterans
Swindon veteran’s drop-in
This second year of funding from the Veterans’ Foundation will enable Katie to develop the veteran support drop-in – a monthly event. The first drop-in took place in October. The second one is set to take take place between 12 pm – 2 pm on Monday 28th November, at Buckhurst Community Centre, Burghley Close, Swindon SN3 3BS.
All veterans, their families and serving military are welcome. Come and tell us your needs, where there are gaps in provision, and what you would like to see offered locally.
The first drop-in was well attended by veterans and support organisations. This included the Association of Service Drop In Centres (ASDIC), Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), Help for Heroes, NHS Op Courage, Avon and Wiltshire Partnership Mental Health Partnership, Veterans UK, The Bridge Charity. As well as support from Councillor Lawrence Elliot, Swindon Borough Council’s Armed Forces Champion. Veteran’s attending will be able to make direct links with the organisations and find the help they need.
Come and join us on 28th November.
Veteran’s Christmas Lunch
The Zurich Community Trust has also accepted us for a festive challenge project. That will help us to host a Christmas lunch for veterans. Please come along, have a free festive buffet lunch, mix with likeminded people, share stories, and make some new friends or catch up with old friends.
For further information or to book a place at the Christmas lunch, which will be from 12 pm – 2 pm on Wednesday 7th December at Sanford House, in Swindon town centre.
Cafe Mobility will provide a Christmas themed buffet. There’ll be a raffle with a chance to win a Christmas hamper.
Please contact Katie on 07563251669 or e-mail katie@swindon-vas.org (Katie’s workdays are usually Monday – Wednesday).
Swindon’s Festival of Tomorrow gets boost from Arts Council England
Swindon’s Science Festival gets Arts Council Boost. Swindon’s successful Festival of Tomorrow will be back for its fourth year, after receiving a grant from the Arts Council of England. Thanks to the support, the festival will combine science and the arts. It’ll be teaming up with artists and Swindon arts organisations to find new ways to help people explore the science, technology and discoveries that will shape the future.
The festival, which takes place every February will include a dedicated programme for Swindon schools. Further there’ll be free half-term activities across town and a two-day hybrid event at The Deanery CE Academy in Wichelstowe on the 17th and 18th February.
Swindon’s Science Festival gets Arts Council Boost – rocket show by wonderstruck
Rod Hebden, Festival of Tomorrow Director said:
We’re delighted that Arts Council England are supporting Swindon, by getting behind the festival. The links between science, technology and the arts are greater than the divide between them. Scientists and innovators are naturally creative. And the arts provide a powerful lens to see the world and its possibilities in new ways.’
‘We’ve been proud to support the Festival of Tomorrow since it launched in 2020. So we’re pleased to see this recognition of its impact. Science, arts and culture are critical to the future of Swindon. Innovative and exciting programmes like the Festival of Tomorrow have the potential to drive economic growth and attract great employers and a skilled workforce to the town. So we’d encourage all Swindon to get behind it!’
Hush Hush!
Whilst organisers are keeping tight-lipped about what is in store next February, they’ll have a big job to top the events of the last year. 2021 saw mammoths, robotic dogs, climate scientists and rocket shows for Swindon families to explore.
Participating organisations include:
Swindon-based UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)
The UK Space Agency
The James Dyson Foundation
The Science Museum Group and several leading universities will be supporting the festival yet again.
There’ll be hands-on science, talks, shows and workshops to give people of all ages and backgrounds the chance to share in the latest discoveries and technologies. Things that will help shape our future.
Roll up, Roll up!
To be the first in line for tickets and to hear the latest announcements, sign up for updates by visiting www.festivaloftomorrow.com
