by Angela | Feb 9, 2018 | Arts/Culture/Heritage, Community
9th February 2018
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The Swindon Recital Series
Not infrequently, and always on social media, is heard the cry ‘There’s no culture in Swindon’ and words to that effect. I have NEVER understood this attitude. There’s more culture and creativity in Swindon than you can shake a Doric column at. And therein perhaps lies the problem. The absence of buildings with columns on. Perhaps there exists for some a relationship between columns on buildings and culture. A bit like a horse and carriage, you can’t have one without the other. I have no idea – I merely posit this thought.
It’s not true of course – and what’s more it never has been. From the early days of the Mechanics’ Institute, Swindon’s people have pursued an interest in the arts – of all kinds. It’s all here – but you might have to look a bit. Okay – so we haven’t got Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory as in Bristol. Nor do we have a great deal of opera. But to suggest that there’s nothing in the way of culture in Swindon is risible. Worse, it’s arguably insulting to the founding fathers of New Swindon that were so very engaged in the arts.
Symphony and Chamber Music
It’s only relatively recently I learned that Swindon has a symphony orchestra. Yup. We do. And there’s this: Swindon Recital Series: professional live chamber music. Another long standing Swindon entity.
I’m not going to lie to you – I’m not sure that Chamber music is my ‘bag’. Middlebrow and proud me. Though I have heard of their patron, Dame Evelyn Glennie. She’s a solo percussionist if you didn’t know – profoundly deaf from a young age.
Yet how wonderful is it that musical performances such as these, from this chamber music group, are here – right on our doorstep if one wants them.
With support from Bower and Bailey (solicitors) these wonderful people (a registered charity) bring their talents to the people of Swindon and its environs. Lucky, lucky them.
Check out their ‘About’ page to find out more: http://www.swindonrecitalseries.org/about/
Their current newsletter found its way in to my inbox via another mailing list that I’m on so if you want to know more about them that’s a good way to go: Swindon recital January 2018 newsletter
Or contact them on:
recitals@hotmail.co.uk
Musically, Swindon Symphony Orchestra and this recital music series are not the only offerings. I’m sure listeners, you know more than me on that front. Then of course there’s the Wyvern Theatre and the Arts Centre, the poetry scene, the literature scene, museums and artists, Swindon open studios – it goes on and on and on. Much like an Aritson washing machine. So please – stop it with the ‘Swindon is a cultural desert’ stuff. Enough already.
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by Angela | Feb 7, 2018 | Community
7th February 2018
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Twigs Snowdrops and soup day 2018
A quick shout out listeners for the wonderfully alliterative Twigs community gardens annual snowdrops and soup day.
When is it happening?
Sunday 11th February 2017 11 am – 3 pm
Admission: Adults £2.00, Concessions £1.50, Children FREE
* On display will be 10,000 Snowdrops we planted around our beau ful gardens in 2016. We’ve checked on them and they’re already star ng to come up.
*There will be di erent varie es of Snowdrop on display, so see if you can spot the di erences between them.
* Find out all the things about snowdrops that you didn’t know that you wanted to know, and some of the stories associated with them.
* Also on display will be art and cra work on a Snowdrop theme.
After you’ve walked round the gardens and admired the other brave plants that share this owering me with the Snowdrops, warm up with some delicious home- made soup or some cake.
To find out about other Twigs events go here: http://www.friendsoftwigs.org.uk/events/
See a previous Twigs open day here: https://youtu.be/Jih4V0lluyE
A brief bit about Twigs: ‘TWIGS (Therapeutic Work In Gardening Swindon) came into being in November 1997. It was created by Pride of Swindon winner Anne Billingham, who realised the therapeutic benefits that working with nature could bring to those experiencing mental health problems. At first TWIGS operated from the old Swindon Borough Council (SBC) Amenity Horticulture buildings (where the Manor Garden Centre now stands) and volunteers provided gardening and craft activities for around eight people.’
Friends of Twigs: http://www.friendsoftwigs.org.uk
‘Friends of Twigs is an independent charity which gives financial and practical support to TWIGS and the Olive Tree Café, two mental health projects in Swindon. We have no administration costs.’
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by Angela | Jan 31, 2018 | Arts/Culture/Heritage, Community
31st January 2018
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Swindon Library Local Studies
Hello dear listeners. I hope you’re well.
It’s struck me that, aside from a post the other day about volunteers for the Citizen’s advice centre, I’ve been a bit lax about posting on here this month. What can I say? I’m busy! Busy with AA Editorial Services, busy with Swindon Civic Voice, busy with Swindon Hour (Twitter) and busy with a personal project of mine. And that brings me to the purpose of this post. Which is simply to give a shout-out to the lovely people running the Swindon Library Local studies section – up in the gods of the central library. And gods they are!
I’ve always known that the local studies service is a terrific one. That’s no a surprise. But I’m in there a lot at the moment for help with a book I’m writing about Swindon (due out in the summer if it all comes off) so I now have cause to experience their service myself. And it’s great!
Many moons ago, before the current library came to pass, I’m told that the stuff they have in the local collection was packed away in boxes, on high shelves that you probably needed an appt 6 months in advance to access. So how – how lucky is Swindon to have this reams and reams of stuff all about Swindon so easily to hand? And even better with friendly staff that are sooooooo knowledgable. Though they will go to lunch just as I’m rocking up. The audacity – it’s outrageous! 😉 But seriously – from this Born again Swindonian – a big thank you for all the help so far. I’ll be back though. As Arnie says. #obvs
Key Resources
The full list of resources that local studies can provide is here: https://www.swindon.gov.uk/info/20026/libraries/302/local_studies_local_history_and_genealogy
Here’s a few to whet your appetite:
- A comprehensive collection of printed historical material for the Borough of Swindon and the surrounding area.
- Books, reports, pamphlets, scrapbooks, DVDs, VHS, ephemera – covering all topics.
- We offer extensive genealogical resources, such as the GRO index of all births, marriages & deaths in England & Wales (1837-1999), the GRO Overseas Index, the International Genealogical Index (LDS) and local census records with surname & street indexes where available.
- All local parish registers and Bishops Transcripts (from 1538).
- Free access to premium websites like Ancestry and the British Newspaper Archive.
- Extensive collection of local periodicals like parish magazines, and journals.
- This includes staff newsletters for local firms like Austin Rover, British Rail, Garrard, Great Western Railway, Pressed Steel, Will’s Tobacco, and Vickers.
Sadly their opening hours have been reduced. Cut backs don’t ya know?! So this is when you’ll find them:
Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday 10.00am – 4.00pm
Saturday 10.00am – 1.30pm
Unless they’re at lunch!
The other totally fantastic thing they do is this:
Local Studies photograph collection
‘Our online photographic gallery can be found at www.flickr.com/swindonlocal
- Includes over 5,500 fascinating images and still growing.
- Most are selected from the Local Studies collection but thousands were kindly shared with us by current and former local residents and local history enthusiasts.
- Free to view and fully searchable by name, date, place, street or other keyword.
These images are only a small fraction of the main collection which can be viewed in Local Studies.’
It’s incredible!
In the ether:
E-mail: localstudies@swindon.gov.uk
Telephone: (01793) 463238
Please follow us on Twitter (@SwindonLocal) and like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/LocalStudiesSwindon
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by Angela | Jan 19, 2018 | Arts/Culture/Heritage, Community, Theatre
19th January 2018
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The Phoenix Players
Well dear listeners. Earlier this week, Swindon Old Town Rotary kindly invited me along to one of their breakfast meetings to talk to them about this here blog and related matters. They are a jolly friendly bunch of people so despite public speaking not being my favourite thing it was okay. I think. Old Town Rotary are of course the organisers of the world famous (in Swindon) charity duck race: http://swindonoldtownrotary.org/duckrace/
However! The main purpose of this post is to give a shout-out to the Phoenix players (a rotarian shoved a flyer into my hand so I thought I best had TBH 😉 ) and their forthcoming production of The Ladykillers at Swindon Arts Centre.
The Phoenix Players presents
“The Ladykillers” by Graham Linehan
A classic combination of black comedy and slapstick farce directed by Colin Wilkins.
Wednesday 24 to Saturday 27 January 2018.
At the Arts Centre, Devizes Road, Swindon at 7.30pm.
Click here to buy tickets: https://swindontheatres.co.uk/Online/tickets-phoenix-players-swindon-january-2018
About the Phoenix Players
From their website:
‘The Phoenix Players started life in 1954 but under a different name, The Poetry Circle Players. The story behind this is that way back in the past, 1946 to be precise, the first Arts Centre opened in Swindon. At that time one of the Public Library Ancillary Societies was the Poetry Circle, a group which met at the Arts Centre to read and discuss poetry and verse plays.
The group flourished and reached a point where it was decided to present these verse plays to the public, which proved to be a popular decision and in 1954 a drama section was formed. In September of that year the Poetry Circle Players presented their first production, ‘The Firstborn’ by Christopher Fry. In the early 1960’s the Poetry Circle ceased to exist. This meant that the now flourishing drama section needed a new name and so became The Phoenix Players.
It is now one of the leading drama groups in the town with a string of successes to its name. To date it has presented well over 200 productions and in September 2014 The Phoenix Players celebrated their 60th anniversary … ‘
If you’re feeling social, find them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thephoenixplayersswindon/ and on Twitter:
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by Angela | Dec 30, 2017 | Arts/Culture/Heritage, Community
Honour’s list recognition for Swindon Viewpoint’s Martin Parry
30th January 2017
Wow! This is fantastic news. Swindon Viewpoint featured in one of the early posts on this blog. I’m super thrilled to see that Martin Parry has had his work recognised in this way. An MBE for Swindon Viewpoint Man!
Last year it was my great fortune to be present in the Wyvern theatre for the screening of Railway Town and on the panel that followed it. Such a wonderful piece of work. Buy it. Watch it. Love it.
“Railway Town is my tribute to the people of Swindon who I have grown to appreciate and care greatly for.”
Buy Railway Town and Fire and Steel here: https://viewpointcommunitymedia.org.uk/shop/
The press release below tells all.
And Martin Parry is not the only one in Swindon to be recognised in this way. Shahina Johnson, CEO of Create Studios got a gong too. See here: https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2017-12-29/west-country-local-heroes-recognised-in-new-years-honours-list/
Swindon film-maker Martin Parry recognised in New Year’s Honours list
A Swindon man has received one of the country’s top awards in the 2018 New Years Honours list. The British Empire Medal, a division of the M.B.E., is granted in recognition of meritorious civil or military service worthy of recognition by the nation.
Martin Parry, one of the country’s longest-serving exponents of Community Media, has been honoured for services to the nation in the fields of Film, Media and Music.
The accolade came for work that includes rescuing and continuing to maintain Swindon Viewpoint, Britain’s longest surviving community television service, as well as for wider media archive work.
Long-time Swindon Resident
A Swindon resident since 1980, Martin grew up in Herefordshire and after school trained as a Communications Engineer.
After a period at Hereford School of Art he studied Sociology and Psychology at the University of Southampton in the late 60s. In the early 70s he lectured in Communications at a college in Hertfordshire. After that, Martin trained teachers in Media Studies for the Inner London Education Authority.
Further Qualifications
In 1974 Martin won an MA scholarship in Psychology and Sociology. This took him to Canada, where he next worked as Community Channel Producer for a regional Canadian TV station. There he developed community programming and among other projects, originating some of the world’s earliest music videos. His next work, for the National Film Board of Canada, won him an international award for history documentary.
Returning to Britain in 1979 to raise a family, Martin took up a British Film Institute funded position as filmmaker-in-residence for Swindon. Within weeks, he got involved with Swindon Viewpoint. At that time, SV was the only surviving community cable television experiment of the FIVE licensed by the government in 1973.
Viewpoint was experiencing financial difficulty and would have sunk into the annals of media history were it not for Martin’s enthusiasm, tenacity and dedication.
“I’ve always believed in the potential of everyone, not just media professionals, to come up with original creative ideas and their right to use the language and technology of communication for their own ends.”
Martin’s Early Swindon Years
During his early years in Swindon Martin conceived of and initiated, Media Arts (lately called “Create”) as a hub for both community and arts-based media practice. It became known nationally as one of the most successful media workshops of the 80s. He fund-raised and secured local authority support and was able to equip the initiative with the assets of Swindon Viewpoint. From 1991, Viewpoint was no longer able to access these resources. But Martin, with the help of his family and some of the original staff, maintained and operated Swindon Viewpoint as a public access TV service for the town.
There are now well over 2000 programmes available to view on demand on Swindon Viewpoint. The main body comprises programmes produced by Viewpoint itself, further enhanced by the collection of Western Film Archive (WFA).
Martin set up WFA in 1987, with the support of David Puttnam, to collect and preserve regional film material. Through his diligent (and voluntary) curation work, the WFA has amassed around 500 hours of film and tape in an archive. The collection spans almost 120 years of the region’s film-makers.
Freelance Film Maker
In the 1990s Martin became a freelance film-maker. But he’s continued to work on a voluntary basis for a number of national media organisations. Organisations such as the National Training Policy Committee for the Film Industry, the British Video History Trust and as a council member for the Community Media Association.
Training others
In Swindon and the local area, Martin has been responsible for the voluntary training of hundreds of local people and community groups across the town in the skills of media production.
Through grants from the National Lottery schemes and other grant-aiding bodies, Martin and his volunteers, operating under the Swindon Viewpoint banner have managed the production of hundreds of arts and music videos. And almost as many films for community organisations. He’s represented the interests of groups from refugees to railway workers.
Viewpoint continues to work at the cutting edge of social awareness communications. It has recently produced a new range of incisive films for local organisations on key social issues of our day. They include ethnic, age and gender equality, immigration, mental health and domestic violence.
Martin has plans for 2018. He’s developing a number of innovative projects designed to enable broader public access to community media resources both contemporary and historic. He also continues to work on the rich heritage of archive films. Many are as yet undigitised – and to embark on new education programmes around their use within the education system.
