Exterior murals tend to be, by their very nature, transient things. They’re often commissioned to disguise something unattractive on a temporary basis. Think of the hoardings around the Mechanics’ Institute and the Kimmerfields area – and can we stop calling it that? What was wrong with Whalebridge? Or even Queenstown?
Anyway … transient or not, it remains sad that all, with this one exception, of Ken’s exterior Swindon murals disappeared. Of particular poignancy, one might argue, is that this one comprised Ken’s first mural for Swindon and the one that played a huge role in putting him in front of one Richard Branson.
Golden Lion Bridge Mural Refreshed – Ken White, in 1976, in front of the mural on an end terrace wall on the junction of Princes Street and Fleming Way. Extract shown here from my book about Ken – see bottom of page.Golden Lion Bridge Mural Refreshed by Tim Carroll
Note that the refreshed mural now has an extra figure in it: Ken himself. And that’s not the first time Ken’s found himself placed in a mural. There’s a nod to him in the Cambria Bridge mural – because he himself once had a mural there.
It’s fair to say that Tim Carroll has done a fantastic job on it. Isn’t it lovely to see it looking so vibrant once again? And big thanks to Artsite and to SBC for doing what was necessary to make this happen.
The scene
What you’re looking at on this mural, is a street scene centred on the GLB. Until its demolition in 1918, the bridge stood in Regent Street and spanned the Wilts and Berks canal. On the photograph that Ken used when painting it, there are around thirty children, in their Sunday-best clothes posing on and around the bridge.
The Golden Lion bridge itself – seen in a book in Swindon’s Local Studies
In Ken’s version he replaced some of the children with some of Swindon’s long-gone worthies – in particular Alfred Williams (see Secret Swindon) to commemorate the 1877 centenary of his birth.
Ken White signing the mural – mahl stick at work
A career launching mural
Back in 1977, chemical and pharmaceutical giant Bayer, used a picture of this mural in an advertising campaign for paint. That campaign got noticed by an employee of Richard Branson. Thus – at length – a long-standing business relationship and friendship developed.
There is of course much more to that story but … buy the bloody book!
See also – the book is chock full of great images of Ken’s work, in Swindon, other parts of the UK and abroad.
Intelligent Dialogue Wins Major Contract. Wiltshire training consultancy Intelligent Dialogue has won a major contract. It’s with UK-wide plant hire company Sunbelt Rentals UK & Ireland. It’s aimed at supporting a new leadership development programme for its depot and branch managers. One that will help them to provide exceptional customer service. It’s all part of its five-year strategy: Sunbelt 4.0.
Sunbelt Rentals, with a HQ in Warrington and over 190 depots across the country, rents and sells equipment to a wide range of sectors. They include:
Construction
Events
Government
Facilities management and film and TV.
Intelligent Dialogue, based in Royal Wootton Bassett, is working alongside Sunbelt Rentals to design and deliver this new leadership development programme. It”ll form a core element of their new management academy for operational managers. This reflects their commitment to developing their people and recognising the importance of customer experience.
Focus
The development will focus on:
Action centred leadership – the art of balancing the team, the individual and the task.
The difference between doing, managing and leading.
· How DiSC profiling can help understand preferences for managing people and teams’ management preferences.
How to give direction and delegate to people based on your preferences and theirs.
Developing an action plan for teams to motivate and improve performance.
Intelligent dialogue
Intelligent Dialogue specialises in designing and delivering transformational training programmes. All tailored to individual businesses. And focusing on areas including sales, customer service, and leadership development.
‘We’re delighted Sunbelt Rentals asked us to work with them on this vital part of their people strategy,’ said Intelligent Dialogue’s MD, Diane Banister. With that we can tailor our training to their culture and business.’
The face-to-face training, spread across the year, is for 160 managers around the country in the first instance. DiSC profiling will underpin the training. That’ll be alongside the Intelligent Dialogue BUILD leadership roadmap framework. That’s developed for fast-paced and operationally led organisations.
Jenny Parry, head of talent at Sunbelt Rentals, commented: ‘We’re delighted to have secured funding from the CITB. With it we can introduce this leadership development programme for our operational managers. We’re excited to be working with Diane and her team at Intelligent Dialogue. Together we’ll develop and deliver a course which will support our depot and branch managers. One that will improve their effectiveness in leading themselves and their teams. This programme has two aims:
To drive exceptional service for our customers
And create a culture in which our teammates feel engaged, empowered and can evolve to be their best.’
Post training
After completing the training, the managers will take away some practical tools and knowledge. That will ensure that they have the right skills, tool and capabilities to develop their teams in an effective manner. Strengthening the capabilities of the depot and branch managers will enhance the performance of everyone. And enable them to be more engaged and empowered to lead their teams. The training is being funded by the CITB – Construction Industry Training Board. It supports the development of Britain’s construction sector.
Diane said: ‘Depot and branch managers have demanding roles and daily challenges, dealing with people, machinery, unexpected scenarios. In fact, they make miracles happen on a daily basis!
‘Our training is about helping each person to understand their natural style of leadership. Where it will work for them, and where it will work against them. Our aim is to broaden their skills and approach. To get them to work with confidence and effectiveness in a wider range of situations and with a wider range of people. Our emphasis is on delivering practical applications that will help in their day-to-day work.’
Athelstan Museum Volunteer Call. The Athelstan Museum in Malmesbury is appealing for more volunteers to come forward during Volunteer Week (Monday June 2 to Sunday June 8). The museum is the central hub for local history in the town. All with exhibitions about Athelstan and Malmesbury’s history. It has on permanent display, an original watercolour of Malmesbury Abbey painted by the celebrated artist J. M. W. Turner.
It’s run through volunteer hours and support. Without the volunteers, exhibitions wouldn’t exist, and local knowledge would be lost. The team also needs volunteers to join the museum management team to help behind the scenes.
Publicity manager Sian Kuropatwa said : ‘We need volunteers to act as museum hosts. To interact with visitors and run the shop, as well as people to join the management team. That oversees the running of the museum. These volunteers ensure that our town’s history remains a living legacy relevant to the people of the town and Wiltshire today.
Being a volunteer
‘Being a volunteer is not only giving back to the community. It’s preserving history, sharing stories, making friends and combating loneliness.’
The museum has been operating for many years. And, as part of Volunteer Week 2025, they’re honouring the volunteers who keep the museum open to the public and preserve Malmesbury’s history. The theme for this year’s week is ‘volunteers make waves’ and in Malmesbury they do!
Harri Rawlings, aged 21, joined as a volunteer for The Athelstan Museum in October 2024 after graduating from university. He’s one of the museum’s youngest volunteers.
Athelstan Museum Volunteer Call – volunteer Harri Rawlings, at The Athelstan Museum, one of the museum’s youngest volunteers. Picture taken by Richard Harris.
‘I live near Malmesbury and have known about the museum since childhood. I wanted to get involved before I returned to university – so I found out the museum was volunteer run and contacted them. It fulfilled a need to give my time to something important and give back to somewhere I care about.
When I first joined, I said I liked exhibitions and research and the process of a museum acquiring artefacts. Since then, I’ve had invitations to meetings and done research for the museum as part of my volunteering. They’ve looked after me and my own interests.
‘One of the nice things about volunteering is getting to meet people from all over the world and to talk about my town. Children are the best, the history comes alive when you talk to them about it. One of my favourite pieces of Malmesbury history is the story of Hannah Twynnoy, the first person on record killed by a ‘tyger’. We have an activity throughout the museum to engage visitors. It’s such fun.
Kim
Kim Davies, aged 65, has been volunteering at the Athelstan Museum for five years.
‘I moved to Malmesbury in August 2019 after retiring from being a teacher. Before I moved, I didn’t know about the town, so I went into Malmesbury library and saw the volunteer folder. I found the museum as part of a volunteer option. I emailed and haven’t looked back since.
‘My first time volunteering, a lady visited the exhibition and listened to the voices narrating the history. She confided it was her mum on the recording and that she goes back to listen to her mum’s voice. I’ll never forget that first day.
‘I live on my own and having conversations and meeting new people is a big reason I volunteer. It also feels like giving back to a town and feeling part of a community. I’ve made many friends whilst doing this.
‘I don’t know how many people realise how much you get back yourself from volunteering. They’re a friendly group of people around the museum and it’s interesting work. Don’t feel put off if you aren’t aware of the history, you can talk to other people and can pick things up over time.’
The Athelstan Museum is volunteer run and is open six days a week for the public. If you’d like to learn more about the museum or enquire about volunteering or joining its proactive museum management team, visit https://www.athelstanmuseum.org.uk/.
The Swindon Crocodile Returns. Though known as, and loved by, generations of Swindonians as a crocodile, this exhibit is in fact, a gharial. Swindon’s gharial has an interesting backstory and you can find that here: https://swindonian.me/2021/08/14/swindons-famous-crocodile/
The Swindon Crocodile Returns – the gharial in museum and art Swindon – Photo Clare Parsons.Info board with the gharial
Every museum has an iconic exhibit that is synonomous with it. An emblem if you like. The Louvre has the Mona Lisa, the Natural History Museum has its diplodocus and Swindon Museum has its croc.
I’d argue that Swindon has three such touchstones for various generations of Swindonians – most of whom hold fond memories of one or all of the the following:
Apparently, a certain Conservative Cllr once commented on how the gharial was of no consequence, relevance or importance to Swindon. He also commented that no part of the Oasis’ architecture was important and no part of it warranted being listed. But he was wrong. About the Oasis and about the gharial. If for no other reason than the huge affection in which it’s held – it matters. Memories/associations – these things MATTER. To dismiss such things so summarily is symptomatic of recognising the cost of everything and the value of nothing – in other words – philistinism.
Thus it was not for nothing that the Save our Museum and Art Gallery campaign (following the failure of the Tory administration to reopen the place post Covid – and no I’m not letting it go) have the slogan ‘Save our Croc’ and a croc image for its campaign.
When the Labour administration resurrected the museum and art gallery last year in the civic offices, pretty much the first question on everyone’s lips was ‘is the crocodile back?’ Well, it’s taken a while, and for good reason, but she’s back now. And she looks magnificent.
Restoration and providing context
Having been around the collections for a good ninety years, the poor-old croc looked a croc – as it were. So much-needed restoration was the first thing for Museum and Art Swindon to tackle.
Then came deciding how best to display her. So recent weeks and months have involved working with schools on putting the gharial into context with colonialism, our relationship with the natural world and more – gharials are now almost extinct.
A sneak peek
As a committee member of the Friends of Museum and Art Swindon, getting a sneak peek of the newly-installed gharial was fab. I won’t lie, I wasn’t at all sure that she should be put in a case – but now I see it all – it looks terrific. The museum staff have done a great job of putting together a fitting display and exhibition for the gharial. It’s just lovely to see her home again. And – I’d forgotten how bloody big it is! It’s huuuuuuge.
And in time for half-term too. Jim Robbins, our great and glorious leader, in his speech observed that families will be visiting next week to see the Swindon croc. Well, if they can find the place they will. Signage would help no end. #JustSaying
From left to right: Heidi Alexander MP, Andrew Cross (Chair of Friends of MAS), Frances Yeo (curator), Jim Robbins (SBC leader), Neil Hopkins (deputy mayor)SBC leader, JIm Robbins with the gharial. Photo Claire Parsons
Chilvester Financial Expands with two new offices. In opening new branches in Bristol and Newbury, Wiltshire-based financial planning firm, Chilvester Financial, has expanded its reach along the M4 corridor.
This move, following the company’s relocation to larger headquarters in Chippenham two years ago, aims to better serve a growing client base.
The expansion comes after Chilvester’s 2022 acquisition of Bristol’s Sovereign Asset Management. That gave the business an existing presence in the city. The firm also supports a large client based in the Newbury and Marlborough area.
A natural next step
Chilvester’s Investment Director Sam Binstead said the new offices were a natural next step in the company’s growth strategy. They can now enhance client convenience for in-person meetings. And extend a presence both westward and eastward.
‘When we took over Sovereign we had a period of moving those clients across and settling them in with our team. But it was always part of our plan to open an office in Bristol,’ said Sam. ‘At the same time, having an office in Newbury helps expand our presence eastward. And it’s convenient for our many clients who live in the surrounding area.’
Andy Tottman, Chilvester’s Managing Director, expressed excitement about this next stage of Chilvester’s development. He noted that while central office functions remain in Chippenham, the branches will enable the team to cover a wider geographical area. In turn that has the potential to provide employment.
‘Moving to the new offices in Chippenham in 2023 supported our growth. And this remains our headquarters,’ he said. ‘But through the new branches we can cover towns and villages in a wide area. One that stretches from Bristol and out towards Reading. Over time we can grow our branch offices, taking on local people and so creating employment opportunities.’
Chilvester Financial Expands – the Chilvester team
Teamwork is the dreamwork
Chilvester Financial has a 14-strong team and last year celebrated 25 years in business. The company has a strong management team supporting Andy and Sam. The team comprises Compliance Manager Ian Stone, Head of Advice Shane Lucas and Systems & Operations Manager Jessica Tottman. Between them, they have around 100 years’ experience in the financial planning sector.
The company specialises in personal financial planning advice, tailored to the individual. The experienced planners support a wide range of people. They range from those planning for retirement, to businessowners seeking long-term financial planning, to homeowners considering equity release, to families looking to their financial future.
Chilvester’s Newbury branch is in Oxford Street, while its Bristol branch is in Prince Street. The Chippenham headquarters is in Avon Reach.
Chilvester’s Newbury branch is in Oxford Street, while its Bristol branch is in Prince Street. The Chippenham headquarters is in Avon Reach.
