PET SITTING SERVICE EXPANDSWITH NEW SWINDON STAFF MEMBER. Premium pet sitting service Birddog Catwalk has welcomed a new face to their team, with Swindon-based Zuzia Flake joining as a pet sitter.
Zuzia, 19, from Nythe in Swindon, attending St Joseph’s Catholic College. After working for almost two years in retail, she made the decision to turn her passion and love for pets into a budding career.
‘I’ve always adored animals,’ said Zuzia. ‘I studied animal care at college and worked at a kennels and doggy daycare in Royal Wootton Bassett. Since I joined Birddog Catwalk, I’ve had so much fun and it’s never stressful.’
PET SITTING SERVICE EXPANDS image shows Zuzia Flake, who has joined the Birddog Catwalk team of premium pet sitters with founder Holly Bird and fellow pet sitter Mia Baulch.
A growth opportunity
Zuzia says her move to regular working around animals will give her the opportunity to learn and grow.
‘I came into this job to do what I love. I work with a great team and can show the trustworthiness of pet sitters to owners. Of course, meeting all the animals keeps me going. I strive to be a great pet sitter and, at length, working to do this job full time,’ she said.
Beginning with one staff member, Birddog Catwalk, founded by Holly Bird, has grown into a small and dedicated team. Zuzia has become integral to the premium pet-sitting company. They focus on animal welfare to provide owners with peace of mind across Malmesbury, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and the Cotswolds.
Birddog Catwalk’s friendly and caring approach to animals and owners is what drew me to work with them. I’m my happiest when I see a dog or cat when I’m out and about. Getting to pet them and be around animals is a real joy,’ Zuzia added. “Now, I do it as my job!’
Holly Bird said, ‘Zuzia has been an incredible addition to our team. She is so passionate about bringing peace of mind to pet owners when their pets are in our care and brings years of customer service experience with her. I’m looking forward to seeing her thrive and grow through her pet-focussed work.’
Birddog Catwalk’s dedicated team offer pet sitting services, dog walking and drop in visits to families, couples and homeowners across North Wiltshire, Bath, Bristol and the Cotswolds. Further afield destinations are available for overnight cover. Prices start from £15 per hour.
Secure Safety Solutions Fundraising. The team at Swindon-based health and safety consultancy, Secure Safety Solutions have announced ambitious fundraising plans for a local charity in 2026.
Andrew Wilkinson started Secure Safety Solutions in 2019. His wife Kim followed him into the business in 2020. The health and safety business offers risk assessments, safety audits, and fire risk assessments. The pair head the team and are setting out their plan to raise funds for a cause close to their hearts.
For 2026, they’ve announced their charitable focus will be local bereavement charity, Wiltshire Treehouse.
Wiltshire Treehouse offers advice and creative programmes that support the social and emotional wellbeing of bereaved children and young people. The charity actively works for those living or attending school in Swindon or Wiltshire, who’ve been affected by a bereavement. Further it’s a charity that resonates with us personally. We’ve both experienced loss in different ways. That’s including bereavement through illness and suicide. So we understand the lasting impact this can have, particularly on children and young people,’ said Kim.
The team aim to raise a minimum of £3,000 for Wiltshire Treehouse over the next 12 months.
Secure Safety Solutions Fundraising – the Wiltshire Treehouse team
Support at a critical time
Being able to support a charity that helps children and families at such a critical time feels most important to us. If our fundraising and awareness efforts help even one child access the right support earlier, then that would mean a great deal to us. For us, it’s about raising money as well as bringing awareness for the incredible work this charity does,’ continued Kim.
They’re set to hold a multitude of events to fundraise including everything from bake sales to running health and safety webinars in the charity’s name. Further to this, they’re committing to donating £25 from every Fire Risk Assessment completed in 2026. Alongside these fundraising events, they’ll be helping to raise awareness of the charity and the support it provides.
‘Wiltshire Treehouse are so excited to be working with Secure Safety Solutions as their charity of the year,’ said Sarah Bear, business director of Wiltshire Treehouse. ‘Whilst a brand new relationship for the charity, they too are a small local company making a big impact and we’re so grateful for their support.’
‘In a challenging time for charity fundraising across the country we’re so grateful to all the community who are supporting us. Without this support, we wouldn’t be able to provide our services for bereaved children & young people, so we thank you all from the bottom of our heart.’
Secure Safety Solutions is a trusted business in the health and safety consultancy field. They provide tailored solutions to support businesses meet regulatory standards. And nurture a positive well-being culture within organisations.
Work Begins on Apsley House. Work has begun on the redevelopment of Apsley House in Swindon’s Old Town. And that marks a major step forward in bringing the former museum and art gallery back into active use after six years standing empty.
Apsley House and 1960s Gallery extension
Property developer Arthur Dallimer, founder of William Arthur Property, is now on site delivering his vision to rescue and reimagine the Grade II listed building on Bath Road. The scheme will create a flagship destination combining:
Food
Work and social space
All contributing to the ongoing regeneration of Old Town.
Work Begins on Apsley House – (l to r) Cllr Chris Watts, Cllr Neil Hopkins, Cllr Nadine Watts, Arthur Dallimer, Cllr Jim Robbins, Leader of Swindon Borough Council and Cllr Kevin Small inside Apsley House where renovation works are beginning.
The plans
The plans include:
An exceptional artisan bakery
A vibrant co-working space for local businesses and sole traders
and the creation of a high-quality restaurant or bar within the former gallery space.
There’s also going to be upgrades to several retail units on Victoria Road that form part of the wider Apsley House site.
‘This building will become the flagship destination in Old Town, Swindon. We’re creating something special, with an exceptional artisan bakery and a vibrant, modern co-working space already committed to the scheme,’ said Arthur.
We’re now calling for an ambitious restaurateur or bar operator to take on the remaining space. What we’re looking for is a high-quality, design-led restaurant or bar that shares our vision and can bring fresh energy, creativity and vibrancy to the area.’
Swindon Borough Council has worked closely with Arthur. Together they’re ensuring the development protects and enhances the building’s heritage. But all the while allowing for modern and commercially sustainable uses.
Apsley House
Built around 1830, Apsley House has played a significant role in Swindon’s cultural history, most recently as the town’s museum and art gallery. Councillor Jim Robbins, Leader of the Swindon Council, said:
‘Apsley House is one of Old Town’s most recognisable and much-loved buildings. It was fantastic to receive a tour from Arthur who explained how it’ll soon come back to life.
‘When we agreed the sale, the intention was always to see the building restored and contributing to the local economy again. And it’s exciting to see the plans moving forwards.
‘A development of this scale will strengthen Old Town’s offer, attract new visitors and support local jobs. It’s great to see more significant investment in such a prominent part of Swindon.’
Arthur Dallimer (30) is a Swindon-born entrepreneur who bought and sold his first property at the age of 18. Through William Arthur Property, he specialises in commercial and residential developments across Swindon, Wiltshire and Bristol. All with a focus on breathing new life into underused and heritage buildings.
Crystals for love – the Woo Way. Louise Muir-Sage, the owner of Something Kind of Woo, the independent crystal and wellbeing shop in Royal Wootton Bassett, is offering some tips on crystals. Crystals to help with love and relationships in the run-up to Valentine’s Day.
She has brought together five crystals often associated with love in its many forms. That’s from self-worth and emotional recovery to trust and vulnerability. The collection reflects a growing interest in using crystals as tools for reflection, reassurance and personal development rather than quick fixes.
Crystals for love – the Woo Way – bowl with crystals in it
Her suggestions are
Rose Quartz – it’s the reminder that love starts inside. Its soft energy encourages kindness toward yourself especially when your inner voice gets a bit harsh. It’s about learning to treat yourself with the same care you give others.
Supports: self-worth, compassion, gentle healing.
Rhodonite – trusting love again. It’s a heart stabiliser after emotional knocks. It’s often chosen by people working through old wounds or rebuilding trust. Think of it as steady support while your heart relearns safety.
Unakite – healing past relationships. It carries nurturing, earthy energy that encourages emotional release and renewal. It’s a crystal for letting go of what no longer needs to live in your heart.
Slow, steady healing , no pressure, no rush.
Supports: Slow, steady healing , no pressure, no rush.
Moonstone – it helps you sit with your feelings instead of fighting them. It encourages emotional awareness and intuition which is key to navigating love in any form. A gentle reminder that feelings ebb and flow.
Lepidolite – completes the collection, and is about feeling safe in love. It carries a calming, reassuring energy that supports emotional balance when your heart feels overwhelmed or cautious. It’s often chosen during times of stress or change – especially when learning to open up again.
Think of it as a gentle reminder that safety and softness can coexist.
Supports: emotional calm, reassurance, easing anxiety around vulnerability.
More than romance
‘Love is not just about romance, it’s about how we treat ourselves and how safe we feel emotionally,’ said Louise.
These crystals are ones people often reach for when they are doing quiet, personal work around healing, trust and compassion. And I wanted to bring them together in a way that feels supportive rather than overwhelming.
Crystals don’t replace self-reflection or support from others, but they can act as gentle reminders. Sometimes just holding something that represents calm, kindness or renewal can help people slow down and listen to themselves a little more.’
Something Kind of Woo is based in Royal Wootton Bassett’s High Street and offers crystals, spiritual tools and Reiki sessions.
The shop welcomes customers who are new to crystals as well as those who have worked with them for many years or love them for their decorative qualities. Find out more by visiting https://somethingkindofwoo.co.uk/
I’m happy to tell you that there’s a small contribution from yours truly in this publication. David approached me about writing a paragraph or two regarding the recently-deceased, Swindon artist Ken White and his association with XTC. Something I was glad to do.
New Book Celebrates XTC – front coverBack cover of XTC: I Am the Audience
‘XTC: I Am the Audience explores XTC’s remarkable legacy through in-depth conversations with over two hundred fans around the world.’
It’s a global fan-led tribute featuring:
Unpublished interviews
Unseen photographs and insights from acclaimed musicians, journalists, and producer Steve Lillywhite
The book offers an exploration of the remarkable legacy of XTC. One of the most inventive and influential bands in British music history. Built around conversations with more than two-hundred fans from across the world, the book captures the deep and lasting connection between the band and its audience.
Further, it features contributions from an exceptional lineup of artists and commentators, including:
Pat Mastelotto
Dave Mattacks
Chris Difford
Respected journalists Paolo Hewitt and Jon Robb and …
… Grammy award winning producer Steve Lillywhite
At its heart, XTC: I Am the Audience presents previously unpublished interviews with XTC’s Andy Partridge and Dave Gregory. It offers fresh insight into the band’s creative process, evolution, and enduring influence.
Complementing these interviews are rare and unseen photographs by leading rock photographer Justin Thomas. All adding a rich visual dimension to the story.
More than a biography, XTC: I Am the Audience is a celebration of community and love for a band that consistently defied expectations and reshaped the possibilities of pop music.
XTC has always been an underrated gem, and it’s high time they got the recognition they deserve.
Chrissie Hynde, The Pretenders
Many a Swindonian would agree with Chrissie there I’m sure.
About the author
David Marx entered this world in Swindon, England to a Polish father, a Dutch mother and a Surinamese grandmother. All of which partly explains his speaking Dutch with an Amsterdam accent.
He fell in love with The Beatles at an early age. Then opened for The Clash whilst still at school and discovered George Orwell and Stevie Wonder shortly thereafter.
David moved to London in his late teens. There, songwriting became the norm, followed immediately by music journalism, freelance writing and then everything New York City had to offer. All of it from sleaze, tease, De Niro and The Marx Brothers/Dylan, Cohen and a fleeting sense of belonging.
He says he should have signed to Sire, but then should have done a lot of things.
Whilst studying for a Masters in Ethics, David wrote a screenplay called Under The Sink. Lo and behold thatwon an Arts Council award and got made into a short film.
Since then, the songwriter has produced/released several albums of original material on the independent Revolver label – so named in honour of one of his favourite albums. He’s also written several forewords for a collection of primarily music-related books. Among them, Bringing It All Back Home: Bob Dylan’s Second Big Bang, by Jochen Markhorst (2021).
He published his first book of lyrics and poetry, Lying In The Arms Of Venus De Milo in 2022). He’s now nearing completion of Fear & Loathing In The UK. That’s a collection of quasi-musical and political, satirical essays, along with a book on the recording of the third Squeeze album, Argy Bargy.
With a continuing passion for the written word and all things Lennon & McCartney, Bob Dylan and early Motown induced, the author currently resides near Bruges, Belgium.
A bit about XTC
Formed in Swindon in 1972, chief songwriter Andy Partridge led the band, alongside longtime collaborator Colin Moulding. Emerging from the UK new wave and post-punk landscape, XTC soon acquired a reputation for witty lyrics, razor-sharp melodies and fearless studio experimentation.
Following early live-band success, Partridge’s health issues forced them to stop touring. This might have finished many bands off. But the opposite happened, instead they had a creative rebirth.
Now freed from the constraints of stage, the band evolved into a studio-only project that led to them producing their most celebrated and adventurous work.
Albums such as Drums and Wires, Black Sea), English Settlement, and Skylarking (produced by Todd Rundgren) cemented their status as masters of sophisticated pop songwriting.
