So! This week saw me in Swindon town centre for the first time since March. It felt very odd I have to tell you. But in a good way. Meeting someone over lunchtime to make an exchange of my new guidebook for the requisite sum of money, said person suggested we meet up at Love Brownies Swindon. Loving a new coffee shop/cafe/eatery I agreed. Indeed, should you be following either the GWR heritage trail or the New Swindon exploration in said guide book, this place would make for a good pit-stop.
Having been shielding since the Covid induced lockdown – and emerging into my family bubble in Surrey not long back – I had no idea about this place.
Side view of Love Brownies Swindon
The people behind the baked goods
Love Brownies is a franchise with a small number of shops across the country. Running the Swindon branch are Adam Clarke and Amy Elmer, Swindon residents of 15 years standing.
‘Not only do we have the most amazing brownies, but we pride ourselves on our service. So if you’re looking for an experience that’s just that little bit different then we’d love to see you. The shop serves up award-winning chocolate brownies, brownie milkshakes, gifts, and a range of premium, freshly-brewed coffees, as well as a breakfast and lunch menu.’
Very Scandi!
I loved the decor. It felt like walking into an Ikea catalogue. It’s super Scandi with a mix of white and light wood tables and chairs, sofas and long bench seating with colourful cushions. I love where it is too. It’s on Faringdon Road – on the corner of Catherine Street with a view to the ever-so-lovely GWR Railway Village. It’s perfect.
Whether you want somewhere to meet a friend as I did, or somewhere for a spot of remote working the place is well worth a try.
YOUNGSTERS PUT ON THEIR DANCING SHOES AS THEY GET BACK TOGETHER – SAFELY
Latest news from Revolution Performing Arts
16th September 2020
RPA Youngsters Don Dancing Shoes. And young people in Swindon who love singing, dancing and acting are getting back to the studio after many months of online classes.
One of the town’s leading voices in performing arts, Fi Da Silva Adams, worked hard with her team to return to socially-distanced performing arts classes last week.
“Our online classes were a life line for many young people during lockdown,” said Fi. Fi is the MD and founder of Revolution Performing Arts which, as a rule,supports around 350 young people on a weekly basis.
“Young people still had an outlet and an opportunity to experience our empowerment through the arts experience. So they got a thrill from seeing their friends, even if it in the virtual world.
“Now we are doing a phased, Covid-safe return to classes so that children can get back together in a mindful manner and it’s been wonderful.”
In-Person Session – RPA Youngsters Don Dancing Shoes
One of the first parents to attend an ‘in-person’ session at Shaw Church in West Swindon was Emma King. Her daughter Darcy felt excited to attend a real-world class. RPA are soon to launch classes are in Freshbrook and Shrivenham too.
Emma said: “What a return! First class back after summer and lockdown and it was amazing! The measures to ensure the safety and happiness of the children and us parents was outstanding, from entering the building to leaving. You could see the smiles from the children and they were so excited to be back.”
Revolution Performing Arts, founded in 2007, has felt the effect of lockdown with half of the business based in schools. Fi knew she’d have to innovate. So her team offered online classes and now a phased return to distanced classes.
She said: “As schools are still reluctant to have external clubs in I had to diversify. So we decided to launch a programme of new sessions. These new session include more performing arts open classes, circus theatre arts, musical theatre, ballet for fun, RPA Sing, RPA Dance, RPA Street and RPA Act. We’re now offering some of these classes in person at venues around Swindon.
“It’s so exciting. I’m so grateful for the Covid19 Emergency Fund Grant from Arts Council England. And the hundreds of parents who stood by us and kept us going all through lockdown.”
Revolution Performing Arts
Revolution Performing Arts runs sessions in after school clubs and also open classes in church halls.
It specialises in empowering young people to celebrate their individuality through the power of performing arts.
Heritage open days 2020 is England’s largest festival of history and culture. It brings together over 2,000 local people and organisations and thousands of volunteers. Every year, in September, places across the country open their doors to celebrate their heritage, community and history.
This is your chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences. And – ta da – it’s all for free!!! Or rather it would be were it not for a little thing called Covid-19. Oops!
So what CAN you do in Swindon?
Well a number of things – and not all of them virtual experiences. Although, for obvious reasons, the offering is a bit more limited than it might be under usual circumstances, there are some worthwhile offerings.
Exciting things are happening in Swindon’s Railway Village which is currently being revitalised by Historic England, Swindon Borough Council and other organisations through the Heritage Action Zone.
Built in the 1840s to Isambard Brunel’s design to house employees of the Great Western Railway (GWR) Works, the village is the UK’s best preserved example of a model railway village. Planned as a self-contained community with all the necessary facilities for a ‘decent’ life (according to the times), it comprises 300 railway workers’ cottages. All laid out in charming terraced streets, a church, pubs, shops, a school and a park.
Additional communal buildings of interest include the Mechanics’ Institution and the Health Hydro. Long before the National Health Service this provided a comprehensive health and wellbeing service for GWR workers and their families.
Refurbishments are ongoing or planned for the Cricketer’s pub, the Carriage Works, the Health Hydro and the Mechanics’ Institution.
Explore the Railway Village for yourself guided by our free map, downloadable from the HOD website. It’s full of information about Swindon’s rich history. Then come back next year to see inside the buildings and check how the regeneration is progressing.
The Pattern Store
The interior of the newly refurbished Pattern Store:
1897 saw the completion of this imposing 4-storey building, built to house the GWR’s collection of patterns. And later the pattern-makers themselves. It was designed to be fireproof with a steel frame and minimal combustible materials. All loading and internal doors and stairways are metal. On the roof are four massive steel watertanks capable of holding 1.1 million litres of water.
See all that in this lovely film by CREATE Studios:
Our small but perfectly formed museum is going all out to reach our visitors through a mix of virtual and ‘real’ activities.
On Friday 11th September, a brand new section on our website will go live with a host of wonderful resources, and entertainments. All designed to help folk make the most of the museum in these strange, limited times.
Our new online activities include: Downloadable art/heritage activities for adults. Fun and easy-to-do crafts for children. Videos of musicians who have been commissioned to play/sing for the museum. Educational activities for children to engage with the museum in all its different ways. And a wonderful collection of nature photographs by Sarah Singleton.
It’s ever curious is it not – how stuff pops up on social media relevant to somewhere you’ve not long since been to? In this instance the co-incidences relate to Shaw House, on Old Shaw Lane.
I tend to think of Old Shaw Lane as being a bit of bygone Swindon. But of course it’s not – not really. Because this side of town – the western expansion – wasn’t Swindon. Back then Swindon was the settlement on the hill. Old Swindon – Old Town as we call it now.
I wrote about the western expansion where I live, inSecret Swindon. And Frances Bevan has also written about it: ‘Development on the western expansion of Swindon began in the mid 1970s. First came Toothill, then Freshbrook, Grange Park (where I live) and Westlea. Shaw and Middleleaze followed in the 1980s.’
Covid Constitutionals
During this whole lockdown and Covid carry on I’ve taken to meandering around on what I call Covid constitutionals. During lockdown in particular I couldn’t get any further than my bladder would take – so that meant roaming West Swindon. I did feel a bit like I was in the Truman Show…
And one of my recent meanderings took me down Old Shaw Lane past the house that you see below – Shaw House.
Frances Bevan again:
‘The lane that runs between the former Lydiard Millicent parish boundary and the tributary of the River Ray dates back to the Middle Ages. Building was slow along the thoroughfare known as Shaw Street in 1668 and two hundred years later there were just two farmhouses beside the lane. Shaw Farm, once owned by Viscount Bolingbroke, stood at the south east end and Lower Shaw Farm near the west end. A further 13 houses and cottages straddled the verges.’
Frances wrote about Mary’s great niece, Jane Helena Tuckey, in her splendid book Struggle and Suffrage in Swindon. It’s a great book – I heartily recommend it to you – and you can find a bit more info on it in this poston Born again Swindonian.
Across the lane from this house is Lower Shaw Farm – another old farmhouse that Frances writes about on her blog.
On and around and about Old Shaw Lane
Remnants of rural life are all around us if we take the time to look. As the photographs above testify.
And my last word, and staying on this particular snatch of days gone by and linking to Frances one last more (as my granddaughter says) she has a blog post with the most appropriate name – Rural Remnants
BACK TO SCHOOL ADVICE FROM PARENT WHO RUNS ONE OF WILTSHIRE’S MOST SUCCESSFUL PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL
Latest news from Fiona Da Silva Adams of of Revolution Performing Arts
AS PARENTS prepare for their children to return to school parent, here’s some helpful back-to-school advice from Revolution Performing Arts owner, Fiona Da Silva Adams. She shares her top tips for getting back into a school routine.
Fiona (known as Fi) runs Revolution Performing Arts, which offers after school clubs and classes across Swindon offering drama, dance and singing for children of all abilities. The ethos of RPA is one of inclusion.
Fiona Da Silva-Adams owner of Revolution Performing Arts based in Swindon, Wiltshire.
Fiona (known as Fi) runs Revolution Performing Arts, which offers after school clubs and classes across Swindon offering drama, dance and singing for children of all abilities. The ethos of RPA is one of inclusion.
“I’m a parent to two children myself,” Fi said. “Although many children are looking forward to going back to school, some may not be and some may worry about what school is now going to look and feel like. It’s my belief that, as parents ,we can support them around this new ‘unknown’.”
Looking forwards
It’s important we start thinking about the future. Our children are living through the same challenges we have. Life isn’t going to return to what it was. Yet with the opening of schools, parents and children alike need to try and get back some structure.
These tips might help some parents to prepare their children for this change,” Fi said.
Fiona’s Top Tips
Sleep Routine – If your child has been sleeping in or establishing a nocturnal lifestyle it’s time to start restoring a regular sleep pattern. Start by encouraging them to go to sleep half an hour earlier until they’re into a new healthier sleep pattern. Returning to school will bring its own challenges – sleep deprivation will make the perspective that more enduring. It’s proven that a regular sleep pattern is good for your mental health. So it’ll be a great start to the new academic year.
Anxiety/Social Interaction – school will look and feel different and some children may be anxious about this. There may be one way systems in school, children may not be able to get physically close to teachers and adults may be wearing masks. Children may even worry about hugging their friends.
Speak to the school and find out what school will now look like. Depending on the age of your child a Worry Monster can be perfect for ‘eating up’ worries or check out the book “The Huge Bag of Worries” by Virginia Ironside. Both are fantastic as a starting point to ease anxieties in children.
If your child’s a little older, plan a ‘Yes Day’ with one parent/carer, if you can manage it. This involves you saying yes to everything for a day. Most young people understand there are financial restrictions to this – no, a new X Box is not part of a ‘yes’ day. You’ll find that most simply want you to share your time and their experiences and favourite hobbies. It’s a perfect opportunity for a child to open up about any worries while they have your undivided attention.
Practicalities – Check out that school uniform and shoes as some stocks can get quite low and your child won’t need that extra stress. In particular as they have to be ‘the right shape’ trousers or ‘the correct shade of grey’!
Getting there – Did you book the school bus? Are there rules about social distancing on the bus? Is your child aware of them? Do they need to wear a mask on the bus?
Masks
If they have to wear a mask, treat them to one they’ve chosen – from their favourite band or matching head wear – as long as school allows it. Or, if you drive, there are loads of road works currently planned for Swindon. Make sure you are ready and prepared to take an alternative route or allow extra time. Your stress levels will thank you for it!
And finally!
Celebrate and re-connect – Finally, no matter how the first days go, celebrate with your child and plan a treat with the family! They did it! They got through the first day and survived! You can all breathe a sigh of relief.
Revolution Performing Arts
Revolution Performing Arts was set up in September 2007. Although Fi has more than 20 years’ experience as a qualified performance artist with a BA Hons in Performing Arts. She is a mum to two children, Zavier, aged 17 and Angel aged 14.
Fi set the group up in the first instance as Drama Babes (drama for toddlers and preschoolers) in September 2007. A year later the demand was so great the business moved on to offer sessions for primary school age children and Drama Babes was then sold on. The emphasis for RPA is on fun, confidence building, boosting self esteem and developing individual potential.
Today Revolution Performing Arts supports 100s of children across Swindon to enjoy the arts and express and embrace who they are and what makes them different. To find out more visit: https://revolutionpa.co.uk/
