Birra Ichnusa comes from Sardinia. It’s brewed in Assemini, a town near the Sardinian capital of Cagliari. It takes its name from Hyknusa, the Latinized ancient name for Sardinia. Founded in 1912, Heineken International now own Birra Icnusa – and many other beers for that matter.
The Ichnusa story
According to Total Sardinian.Com, an entrepreneurial pioneer by the name of Amsicora Capra opened Sardinia’s first brewery, in Cagliari. Capra specialized in producing and exporting fine wines. But, after a wine-producing crisis in Sardinia back in 1911, he decided to go into brewing. A couple of years after founding his brewery WWI began. Thus, Ichnusa couldn’t become well-known for some years.
WWII forced suspension of production again and it took until 1945 for Ichnusa to form a bond with the Sardinian people.
Expansion
1963 saw the business expand and open a new brewery in Assimini, not far from Cagliari. Their success continued and boomed in the 80s, attracting the attention of the Heineken Group. They acquired the business in 1986.
The branding of Ichnusa Non-Filtrata
The beer’s branding incorporates the flag of Sardinia known as I Quattro Mori. The Sardinian flag bears four Moors’ heads representing the Moorish kings defeated in combat by the Crown of Aragon. It shows too the cross of St George. The identity of the Sardinian people and this beer are intertwined. That symbiotic relationship goes a long way to explain the beer’s success and dominance.
What’s in a name? The origins of the beer’s name
The name Ichnusa hails from the Greek word Ichnussa (Ιχνουσσα) – and that in turn may well have roots in the Greek word Ichnos. Ichnos originally meant a human footprint. And the main logic behind that being that the map of Sardinia resembles a large footprint.
This unfiltered version of Birra Ichnusa has a more intense taste of barley malt and corn, softened by scents of fine herbs and notes of yellow fruits and apricot. The aroma recalls bread crust.
A low fermentation, 100% pure barley malt full-bodied lager beer with an incomparable aroma. Perfect for an Italian Aperitivo together with a cheese & charcuterie board. Yet you’ll find it equally good on its own as a refreshing cool-down drink.
Talk in Code Young Love’s Dream The new single from Swindon/Wiltshire 80s flavoured indie band Talk in Code, Young Love’s Dream, is due for full release on 11th February 2022. Yet you can access the album preview ahead of release on Spotify here.
The single comes from the band’s forthcoming album – ‘The Big Screen’ – set for release on Friday 15/04/2022. With a bright, uplifting vibe, ‘Young Love’s Dream’ explores the themes of youthful hope and possibility before life presents its many twists and turns and we go our separate ways from those we love. Or do we?
Described as ‘Pet Shop Boys meets The 1975’, the band continue with strong momentum from 2021. In that year they headlined three of Wiltshire’s largest music events in Mfor, Concert At The Kings and Swindon Shuffle. That alongside appearances on the national circuit with Foodie Festivals and sharing billings with:
Scouting for Girls
Sophie Ellis-Bextor
Craig David
SAS band
10CC and …
… Lindisfarne
With accessibility in mind, it is fair to say TALK IN CODE’s sound spreads across many genres.
Radio stars
Having accumulated 180,000 Spotify streams and getting added to over 700 Spotify playlists, TALK IN CODE have also been well supported by international, national and regional radio.
That’s including college/independent stations in the US, Amazing Radio, BBC Introducing, BBC Radio Wiltshire and Swindon 105.5. Further, they’ve enjoyed great press coverage from online platforms such as:
Q Music
CLOUT
Indie Is Not A Genre
Indie Buddie
The Ocelot
Swindon Link and Devizine.
TALK IN CODE play an album launch show at Level 3, Swindon, on Saturday April 16th 2022. Go HERE to buy your tickets.
Launching Swindon Day In 2021, the Federation of Small Businesses used Wiltshire Day on the 5th June, to celebrate some of the small businesses that are part of the FSB family. They ran a social media campaign using the hashtag #WiltshireDay with a relevant image and a few words of why each participating business loved Wiltshire. The campaign gave the FSB’s small business community a much-needed boost and showcased the range of businesses across the county. The feedback from the businesses involved was nothing less than positive.
As all this was happening an FSB member enquired if there was something similar for Swindon. It turns out there isn’t – so the FSB is starting one! But when should this day take place? And why?
#SwindonDay: 22nd January
Before the railway came, the town existed only as a small market town up on a hill. It’s now known as Old Town. Then, in 1841, construction began on a greenfield site some two miles from the hilltop settlement, of the GWR railway village. And New Swindon was born.
The two Swindons co-existed, not altogether at peace each with the other, for almost a decade. They remained apart, both physically and administratively, until 22nd January 1900. On that date Queen Victoria signed a charter, the last such of her reign, to bring the old and new Swindon’s together as one. Thus, the hill that links the two, and up which the women of the railway village would daily trudge to buy provisions, bears her name.
So that historic date is surely the perfect hook on which to hang an #SwindonDay small business campaign?
We have support pledged from such august bodies as Swindon Borough Council, Total GuideSwindon,InBID Swindon, Swindon Theatres and the South West Local Enterprise Partnership (SWELP)to help us celebrate and support our Swindon-based members. Such support is needed as much now as it has been over the last two years as Covid19 continues to make its presence known.
Wiltshire Day is now an established feature of the county calendar. Let’s work together to do the same for this day for Swindon.
What you do (limit to 1 sentence with max 10 words)
What they like about being based in Swindon (limit to 1 sentence)
An image of yourself and/or youe team to use with the post
Your Twitter handle or (web page if you don’t have Twitter)
Your Facebook page
The FSB needs all that by close of play on Tuesday 18 January. They can then include you in their tweets from their @FSBSomAndWilts twitter account and Facebook posts on our FSB Somerset and Wiltshire page on 22 January.
POIGNANT PRODUCTION IN MEMORY OF AMBASSADOR, ELLEN-GAYLE HAREWOOD
Latest news from Revolution Performing Arts RPA Rapport CIC
The most recent live stage production from the teen section of Swindon-based Revolution Performing Arts (RPA) was Oliver Lansley’s The Terrible Infants. The performance comprised a real visual and musical feast based on the original story Les Enfants Terribles.
A collection of cautionary tales, The Terrible Infants told its story through puppetry, dance and pure old-fashioned storytelling. It saw young people from RPA Rapport CIC involved in every aspect of the production process. Everything from the acting and the set design to the tech and stage management.
Terrible Infants by Rapport CIC
The company held the performances, which took place from November 21-23 at The Swindon Arts Centre in Devizes Road, in memory of RPA’s Ellen-Gayle Harewood. Gayle recently died from Covid19 at the age of 44.
Ellen Gayle
Ellen-Gayle was a self-employed actress, writer and drama tutor. She’d worked on several creative projects across the UK, South Africa, Dubai and Uganda. Further, as an independent artist, she had also:
1. Directed shows 2. Founded youth groups 3. Hosted events and … 4. ..been part of the history-making female stand-up comedy troupe, Funny Girls UAE.
The Covid pandemic lockdowns brought Fi and Ellen together via the The Export Department’s, Andrea Collins-Clifton.
Andrea throught Fi could help Ellen with her own business. But on meeting they discovered they had such a similar synergy and ethos they decided to work together. They both felt very grateful to find each other.
Passionate about the arts, Ellen-Gayle had been consistent in her pursuence of the opportunity to perform. And to share her experience with the next generation. She brought warm, outgoing enthusiasm and energy to her classes. Thus Ellen-Gayle ensured students remained engaged and inspired to learn.
‘Ellen reached into your heart and squeezed it a little tighter,’ said Fi. “She was a joyous beacon of light and championed all young people to be the amazing vibrant people they are. Just like the amazing vibrant flourish of humanity that was our dear friend, Ellen.’
Revolution Performing Arts
Revolution Performing Arts is one of the South West’s leading performing arts companies for children and young people. Fi Da Silva Adams founded it in 2007. The company specialises in empowering young people to celebrate their individuality through the power of performing arts.
Ofsted registered RPA has its base in Swindon and has classes across the town. The company also runs classes in Shrivenham, as well as at venues in North Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire.
All the teachers are DBS checked, trained in first aid and receive training in safeguarding protocols.
A New World in the New Town; the Cultural Heritage Institute By Rebecca Davies BSc (Hons)
Swindon’s Cultural Heritage Institute
Swindon is Britain’s only large town with no university. There is a university in Gloucester, a university in Reading and TWO universities in Bath. And they even have a university in Oxford – who knew?
But not in Swindon. Yet that has now changed.
Swindon’s Cultural Heritage Institute
The Cultural Heritage Institute
Just recently the Cultural Heritage Institute opened. This is the Royal Agricultural University’s new branch dedicated to heritage and its environment.
They offer a selection of postgraduate courses. The courses on offer range from the conservation and management of historic buildings, to the historic environment management.
The Royal Agricultural University
The Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester, founded in 1845, had an initial aim of improving the efficiency of agricultural yields. These being the years after the Irish potato famine.
At the present time this aim has undergone modification in response to future potential problems. Issues such as climate change, sustainability and conservation. Heritage is also a conservation discipline and so is a natural continuation of such schemes.
The Locale and Environment
Windows inside the carriage works
The Carriage Works are part of the globally famous GWR Railway Works. Built in the 1870s, the Carriage Works, as the name suggests, existed to construct the railway carriages in. Their purpose was not so much heavy ironworks, but woodwork and upholstery. The workers wheeled the carriages through the department on tracks. The bare frame went in at one end and the completed product came out at the other end.
This was in fact, an early production line system – forty years before Henry Ford’s innovation.
Another innovation was the roof, prefabricated from iron and bolted together. It is a fast and lightweight construction. This interesting modern roofing is open for all to admire.
Roof space in Swindon’s Cultural Heritage Institute
One of the buildings was demolished many years ago to make room for Bristol Street car park. Sad yes, but parking spaces are lacking in the area. Yet Shops Number 7 and Number 8 are still intact and currently used by light industry.
The Carriage works enjoys a convenient location between the retail Outlet Centre and the railway village, filing in this gap. It is within convenient reach of organisations such as the National Trust HQ, Heelis, and the offices of English Heritage. It is an ideal spot for such a specialised institution.
Redeveloping the building has been a seven year journey. One that has only recently come to an end. Or, should I say, a new beginning?
Layout
The inside is set out in boxes. There’s a laboratory and classroom, surrounding a lecture hall. On top there is an IT suite and a class dedicated to mapping and drawing. You could say the hall runs around the outside with seating areas and a library. This arrangement centralises the space while providing spaces dedicated to different activities, including tea breaks and socialisation.
Technology
Technology is at the forefront of the work of the CHI. Since archaeology has recently got official recognition as a STEM subject. I studied archaeology as a science, whereas most students take it as a humanity.
This wonderful new development has cost £1.35 million. That’s a fraction of what a new purpose built property would have set back the RAU. But reusing a redundant building is not only good for Heritage aims and environmental costs, it saves money too.
Lecture space in the CHI
This building is being redeveloped as part of the widerHeritage Action zone. To press, only the CHI have settled in their comfortable new home. Other organisations with similar aims, such as the University of Bath will be moving in soon.
The location of the CHI is central in Swindon being convenient to the town centre, the railway and bus station. It also has plenty of free parking. Further, the flat above the Baker’s café is being refurbished for short term lets for young people. Thus providing accommodation for students.
The future
What does this new institution mean for the people of Swindon? Well, as yet it is only postgraduate courses on offer, in collaboration with the wider field of local heritage. There will be even more adventures in heritage in future. When will I see you there?
The official opening of Swindon’s Cultural Heritage Institute
