I’ve no idea how much public art other towns have but it seems to me that Swindon has an astonishing amount.
‘When I began blogging about Swindon, the public art was one of the first things I turned my keyboard to. Not that I even knew the term then. Back in the corner of Derbyshire I left behind, the closest I got to it was an ancient village pump, a cenotaph and a redundant and rusting pit-winding wheel. Hence, discovering all the public art in Swindon was quite the revelation. It’s not possible to write about all of it here but, if you’re so inclined, Born Again Swindonian contains oodles of posts about Swindon’s public art – in particular the West Swindon sculpture trail.‘
Thamesdown Borough Council commissioned the pieces that comprise the West Swindon sculpture trail in the period from the early 1980s to the early 1990s. Funding came, in part, from the housing developer’s contributions to the Percent-for-Art public realm scheme.
My Sculpture Favourites
Within this blog I’ve written about much if Swindon’s sculpture and outdoor art installations. Thus there’s no point in my going over it all in this overview post. You should find it all in this section of the blog. But I will give special mention to a couple of my faves.
And one of my very favourite pieces is The Blondinis. Such a shame that they’re now languishing in a park in Gorse Hill. I still miss them.
Part of the West Swindon Sculpture Walk this one is located on one of the many superb big green spaces that West Swindon features, it’s quite easy to forget that one is in the middle of a big conurbation. It needs little imagination to see the artist’s intention for the sculpture as a relic of a long gone civilization.
FESTIVAL & CORONAVIRUS . . . . SPRING FESTIVAL UPDATE
Swindon Spring Festival update. Organisers of the Swindon Spring Festival take seriously the present Coronavirus situation and their responsibilities to festival followers. And, of course, the public at large, and the importance of heeding Government advice.
In the light of all this, plans for the Festival are proceeding as follows:
We’ll launch the Festival programme, in hardcopy and on our website as planned at midday on Thursday 26th March. But not, as intended, in a theatre, indoors, with food, drink, lots of Festival followers crowded together, and even hugging and kissing one another. No, absolutely not.
Instead, hot off the press, we’ll launch this year’s Festival programme in the open air, in a field, with a backdrop of birch tree and birdsong, at Lower Shaw Farm.
Festival banners will mark the spot. From there, for two hours, from 12midday to 2pm on Thursday 26th March, you can get a programme, or even a bundle to share with neighbours and friends, from a table in the middle of a field, far from the madding crowd.
Come one by one, or two by two, keeping far apart, as you like, making the right decisions for your own wellbeing and that of all others.
That way you can get a festival programme and read about more than twenty books and their authors who are or were due to appear live at the Festival in May.
Live appearances? Probably not?
The likelihood that many of the programmed visitors may now not appear live is a real one. Yet, there are other ways of enjoying the fruits of their labours and those of the festival organisers. As this Swindon spring festival update explains.
Festival followers: buy or borrow books described in the programme and read them. In particular if you’re in enforced isolation. What better companion, to lift the spirits, than a good book?!
And, in these tricky and troubling times, there is still more good news from the festival.
Watch the Festival website, Facebook, and twitter accounts for details of these virtual Festival events as they emerge.
Last but by no means least, the most exciting news, is that on 5th May, the Festival will launch and mark the publication, by a prizewinning author, of a brand new book titled A Saint in Swindon!
It’s brilliant, topical, wise, entertaining, serious, funny, set in Swindon, and a fabulously-good read.
Aspirations of Swindon children to be displayed on poster billboard
A billboard opportunity from a mortgage company is aimed at getting Swindon’s schoolchildren to Dream Big about their future homes and careers. The campaign will display their hopes and dreams on a poster billboard.
The family-friendly business, based on both Commercial Rd and Old Town, wants parents to submit their children’s aspirations online.
William Dobbin as a footballer in front of his dream home
They’ll choose six children from all the entries to front the campaign, showing a cross-section of childhood ambition.
Photoshoot
A photoshoot will dress them for their dream job, with their dream home as a backdrop.
Those selected will tower above their friends from a three-metre tall billboard on Old Town’s Newport Street. Also, the campaign organisers will arrange for the children to spend an ‘experience’ day in their dream job. That way they can learn more about the career they want to persue.
How the billboard will look – Billboard Opportunity from Mortgage Company
David Dobbin, MD of South-West Mortgages explained: I’ve got two sons and their aspirations change as the world around them influences them. I want to showcase the great stories of some of Swindon’s children to inspire their peers to dream big.
Swindon attracted the graduate David, in 1998, by its abundance of well-paid work and affordable housing.
He gained industry experience with Portman Building Society then Legal & General, Zurich and other financial services powerhouses. He went on to establish South-West Mortgages 19 years ago. The company’s ethos is to offer house-hunters and homeowners renewing their mortgage, better access to help and advice. Thus, helping adults to fulfil their own home-life and career ambitions.
The plentiful supply of good jobs and affordable housing remain a big draw for young professionals. Compared to Bristol, Bath and Oxford, Swindon benefits from a good mix of housing stock. There’s new-builds and conversion apartments to historic railway terraces and smart townhouses. And post-war semis with good sized gardens are also a draw for young professionals.
Switch on to Swindon
Recent research commissioned by Nationwide Building Society for the place marketing board, Switch on to Swindon, found Swindon a big draw for aspirational homeowners. They’re attracted to a lively town surrounded by beautiful countryside and within easy reach of London and the South-West.
So yesterday afternoon, I spent the most delightful time at Eastcott community centre, in readiness for the unveiling of the James ‘Raggy’ Powell plaque.
Eastcott community centre is truly one of Swindon’s gems. Not only is it a place and site with tons of historical and social history, it’s a thriving and well-run community centre.
There’s an art group run by Marilyn Trew. Then there’s repair cafes, Sunday afternoon music and all the other activities you associate with a community centre. In recent years they’ve done so much fab stuff up there and by them.
They put on a heritage exhibition at the museum and art gallery. And not long back published a book: The Legacy of a Rag and Bone Man. And listeners, that rag and bone man is what yesterday’s events were all about.
As Graham says: ‘If you don’t know his story: he was nicknamed Raggy because he was a rag-and-bone man. Yet, he was good enough at it to become rich and obtain various artworks, which he was only too happy to share with the people of Swindon.’
He gave a large statue of Charlotte Corday, which still stands in the foyer of the Town Hall. And many other objects that eventually formed the basis of Swindon Museum. No wonder he was made a Freeman of the Borough.
During his lifetime this extraordinary man even gave a plot of land on which Eastcott Community Centre now stands – which is where you will find the new plaque, posthumously thanking him for his immense generosity.’
James Powell: Rag and bone man turned Alderman.
The James’ Raggy’ Powell Plaque at Eastecott Community Centre
The recycled metal mentioned on the plaque came from old fryng pans donated by Ash Mistry of Eggelicious. No finer material!
From left: Andy Binks (Swindon Society, Cllr Kevin Parry (Mayor), Caroline David-Khan, Graham Carter, Noel Beauchamp, Angela Atkinson (Born again Swindonian) and Toby Robson – he who made the plaque!
Marilyn Trew’s art groups
Work done by the art group at Eastcott community centre
Marilyn Trew chats to the Mayor
Toby Robson and the Mayor, Cllr. Kevin Parry, cut the ribbon on the plaque
Congratulations to Eastcott Community Centre on doing this. Well done guys! Great work as ever! A more fabulous and fitting to Raggy Powell it’s impossible to conceive.
Swindon and your community were so lucky to have first him, and now you.
Local author and writing mentor, Lis McDermott launches her latest book in aid of Jessie May
6th March 2020
Author and writing mentor Lis McDermott launched her latest book of poems, Blossoms Fall, at a charity event in Highworth yesterday.
Author’s Book Launch Supports Jessie May
Friends joined her at the book launch where she read some of her poetry. The event raised money for Lis’s chosen charity Jessie May, which provides ‘hospice at home’ care for terminally ill children. The charity is currently supporting 35 families across Swindon and Wiltshire.
AUTHOR LIS MCDERMOTT AT THE LAUNCH OF HER LATEST POETRY BOOK ‘BLOSSOM FALLS’ (centre). With her are Debbie Clark of Jessie May (camera left) and Lauren Webb of Bower & Bailey.
“We had a lovely evening,” Lis said. “I’d like to thank everyone who came, everyone bought a ticket to attend and also bought raffle tickets on the night. In the end we raised £325 for Jessie May.
“I’d like to thank Wrag Barn for their support by donating their venue to host my book launch. Also Bower & Bailey Solicitors for sponsoring the welcome drinks and to every business who gave raffle prizes.”
Simon Smith, Managing Partner of Bower Bailey Solicitors said, “Jessie May do sterling work assisting children and their families in Swindon and Wiltshire. We’re pleased to be able to sponsor this event in support of Jessie May.”
About Jessie May
Jessie May, Children’s Hospice at Home provides hospice at home care for terminally ill children in Bristol, Swindon, and Wiltshire. The dedicated nurses provide care to children and families during a child’s life and after their death. A four-hour family respite session with a Jessie May nurse costs £300. Moreover the nurses support bereaved families for up to five years after the death of their child.
Lis McDermott – Author’s Book Launch Supports Jessie May
This is Lis’ second poetry collection. ‘Blossom Falls’, continues to explore similar themes to her first collection ‘A Tilted View’. Lis writes about life; the unfathomable issues of racial prejudice in society; her thoughts on Brexit, and some funny takes on her view of things around her.
