The Civic Society Movement & Swindon. Okay! If you’ve been paying attention at all you’ll know by now that here in Swindon we have an organisation by the name of Swindon Civic Voice. But what you might not know – and I didn’t until relatively recently – is that the civic society movement is a national one and there’s civic voices and civic societies all over the shop.
This here is the umbrella website for the civic voice organisations up and down the land: http://www.civicvoice.org.uk: ‘Civic Voice is the national charity for the civic movement in England. We make places more attractive, enjoyable and distinctive. We promote civic pride.’
The civic movement is 167 years old and from the Swindon Civic Voice website – http://www.swindoncivicvoice.org.uk/news/ – you can download and read a ‘Brief History of the Civic Society Movement’ by Lucy E.Hewitt – in which she traces the development of ‘civic virtue’ in England.
The president of Civic Voice (national) is (or was) none other than Griff Rhys-Jones. In the forward to the aforementioned book he says:
‘… I have met Civic Societies, local societies, that are part of Civic Voice, that manage alms houses, that own and control green belt land, that look after parks, that have produced extensive reports on the transport systems of their boroughs, and investigated and reported on living conditions and plans for growth.
There is a lot more than conservation here and, yet, the preservation of heritage is at the forefront of a modern Civic Society’s concerns because it is part of the current democratic pressure for civic responsibility. In other words we are the same citizens. We are continuing the work recorded in this study. We have to do so.
The commentator I quoted at the beginning, a good Conservative, with a capital C, possibly thinks of local amenity societies as “busy bodies”. Well I say let’s get busy. He possibly thinks of them as Nimbys. Well I say let’s look out of the window and get involved in our places. It‘s thanks to the involvement of Civic Societies that the best of Britain looks the way it does and not like a “yard”.
History helps us to understand why more than ever we need to stand up and be counted today.’
Join your local Civic Voice
With so much going on in the town at the moment a strong civic society is vital to even have a hope of holding to account and challenging controversial planning proposals and decisions.
Like the ‘Mothership’, Swindon Civic Voice is a charity and needs membership subscriptions to survive. ERGO – New members are always welcome and you can find out about that here: http://www.swindoncivicvoice.org.uk/membership-2/
Swindon Civic Voice is now on the Twittersphere: @SwindonV
Hello listeners – time for some listening/watching:
Inspired by a post on Facebook by Swindon Web and starting with the video they posted, here’s 5 Swindon-related songs that feature or are related to Swindon in some way. Some of them world famous – one of them not. But all interesting for sure. Enjoy!
Tears for Fears – The Way You Are.Why watch/listen? Some ace footage of the GWR Swindon Works – still working.
2) XTC – English Roundabout.Why watch/listen? Well aside from the fact that XTC hailed from Swindon this song was allegedly inspired by Swindon’s infamous Magic Roundabout – though I’m not sure that’s true. Its other point of interest is that the album cover featured the Uffington White Horse.
https://youtu.be/k05agPAMRhE
3) XTC – The Meeting Place.Why watch/listen? At the song’s start you can briefly hear the GWR hooter.
4) Hitesh Mistry – Thunderstorm.Why watch/listen? Hitesh is a young Swindonian singer/songwriter talent. His family own and run the Eggelcious and E2 empire. And his video is shot all over Swindon so it’s good fun to see what you can spot.
And remember listeners: you saw him here first!
5) Hitesh Mistry – Lose My Mind. Why watch/Listen? See above!
The GWR Hooter Sounds Again Today has been a special day for Swindon. One that not even some pretty diabolical weather could dampen. Despite the howling wind and driving rain a large crowd stoically gathered outside Swindon’s STEAM museum for a long-awaited and much-vaunted moment.
For today, at 4.30pm outside STEAM museum, the replica hooter sounded to mark the 30th anniversary of the closure of the Swindon Works.
I very nearly didn’t bother to go and I got absolutely drenched. Oh how I suffer for this blog! 😉 But I had to be there fo the GWR Hooter Sounds Again event.
See the hooter:
The traction engineThe replica hooter on the roof of STEAM museumThe replica hooter on the roof of STEAM museum
As homeowners thinking of doing any kind of upgrade/update to our home we’re often faced with the dilemma of the potential return of investment (ROI) on our proposed home update against the initial costs.
In the eventuality of deciding to sell will our proposed shark fin sculpture embedded into the roof turn out to be an asset or a liability in terms of ROI?
While adding a decked area to our garden is unlikely to be as controversial as a shark fin in the roof the increase of decking in recent years makes the question of its ROI an interesting one.
Dead wood?
Back in the early 2000s an article in The Telegraph suggested that decking was already becoming so much dead wood. But that prediction doesn’t appear to have been borne out. People are busier than ever and low-maintenance is where it’s at.
The article states that, in 2014, Remodelling Magazine released a study ‘showing that the return on investment for a wooden deck is 87 percent. This figure surpasses all indoor renovations.’
Additionally the article argues that, when it comes to costs, decks will always be the less expensive choice. Even when using high-end materials.
Of course it can’t be escaped that the lifespan of a wooden structure is never going to be as long as that of hard landscaping. But then on the plus side the lifespan of decking can is rapidly increasing with such options as composite materials and all-weather stains. Surely that can only be a good thing when it comes to ROI?
Certainly, as this article from Moneywise points out, a well-kept and designed garden is a huge plus point in terms of growing your garden’s value. So much so that it can be a deal breaker. “In the city, if you‘ve a tiny garden with a well-crafted decking area and some seating, it will be worth more than one up the road where nothing has been done…” Maybe as much as 5-10 percent more.
Moneywise say that a terrace is high on most people’s wish list. So finding ways to step out onto a deck or patio is time and money well spent.
Swindon Decking
As the Swindon Decking website points out, a deck serves as a hub for social gatherings as well as being a low-maintenance solution for your garden.
To return to The Telegraph and its position on adding value they offer this: “Decking can add considerable value if, like a conservatory, it feels an integral and coherent part of the house. If it looks stuck-on and incongruous, it could prove a dubious asset…. Products with a long guarantee are likely to be an investment. But hang on to the certificate to show prospective buyers. Cheap, badly made decking will never add value, particularly if it has been poorly installed.”
Swindon Decking is a well-established Wiltshire-based company offering decking solutions for both domestic and corporate clients.
If you’re considering adding a decked area to your outdoor space you can visit their website or call them on 07711581665.
Back in November of 2015, BBC Wilts got in touch with me to ask if I’d like to take part in a section of their afternoon show called desert island dish. I won’t lie – I was a bit meh about it in the first instance – chiefly cos I’m no great shakes in the kitchen. I LOVE food – eating it that is. But preparing and cooking it I’m a bit less fond of. To understate it somewhat.
Any road up, to cut a very long story short, I did eventually agree to do the programme and a lovely member of BBC Wilts staff, by the name of Emma Colman, came to my home and stuck a recording device in front of me while I talked and talked. And talked some more.
I never did get round to to listening to the actual programme my bit was a part of. However, on New Years Eve, Marie Lennon did a round up of some of her fave bits of the year in that day’s show. And whadda ya know? My desert island dish was one of those select titbits. Isn’t that lovely? Well I think so anyway. But then I would eh? 🙂
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She actually said she thought mine was her favourite desert island dish of the year. And yes – I’m showing off a bit. Okay, okay. I know – no-one likes a smart arse. Hey ho. 😉
So thank you to BBC Wilts for inviting me to do it, thank you to the lovely Emma who came to record me – she was a delight, and thanks to Marie Lennon for her kind words. It’s much appreciated.
So if you fancy a listen – here it is – it’s only five minutes. I’ve no idea how much of it was originally used. This much probably:
