6th September 2017 [jetpack_subscription_form] Hello listeners. Simply a quick share of a press release from the good people at Swindon City of Sanctuary who are a year old! Here's their Facebook page - which just happens to have me in a picture on the front. Gosh, I...
Poetry in motion: Swindon Diamonds
Idly scrolling through Facebook as you do, I came across a video. It’s made by CREATE studios and features Swindon Community poet, Tony Hillier and his poem ‘Swindon Diamonds’. I somehow managed to miss it – never mind, I’ve found it now.
The Children’s Fete 2017
9th July 2107 [jetpack_subscription_form] The Children's Fete 2017: a few photographs Hello listeners. I hope you've been enjoying the sunny weather. I certainly have. I LIVE for this time of year. It was great though that it was such a lovely day yesterday for the...
The Children’s Fete
01/07/2017 [jetpack_subscription_form] The children's Fete Saturday 8th July from 12pm to 8pm As it says on the Mechanics' Institute Trust website: 'The Children's Fete is Swindon’s oldest summer event, dating back to 1866. Organised by the Mechanics’ Institution, it...
7 reasons & 4 places to shop local
7 reasons & five places to shop local.
In the midst of the Covid19 pandemic there’s much talk fo supporting local businesses – whether they’re online or bricks and mortar. It’s a topic I’ve banged on about a lot over the years. I first put this post together in 2016.
So here are 7 reasons why you should shop locally and 5 places to do it in Swindon.
The Railway Cottage Museum Swindon
The railway worker’s cottage, in the heart of the GWR Railway Village Conservation area, is run by the Mechanics’ Institution Trust.
Railway Town Film
It’s only a few days since Martin Parry’s pièce de résistance ‘Railway Town Film’ was premiered at the Wyvern Theatre to a sell out crowd. I was privileged to be on the Q&A panel after the film – and what a great film it was. SUCH a wonderful testament to its maker and its subject matter: Swindon and its people.
It really was very moving and inspirational. It drove home just how much Swindon has to be proud of in its history and makes clear just how VERY special the Mechanics’ Institute is – make no mistake – that place is about SO much more than the building. It’s about the very heart and soul of New Swindon.
The Civic Society Movement & Swindon
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.
Surprising Swindon – Past & Present Explorers’ Guide
21 November 2015 'New Swindon' 1840 - 2015 - Swindon Civic Voice Walker's Guide Swindon - this is Swindon Though not intentionally planned that way, it turned out to be rather timely that Jess (@swindondriver) and I should go on an EXPOTITION and go exploring the New...
Made in Swindon: Celebrating 175 years
The year 2016 marks 175 years since the birth of Swindon as a railway town...Made in Swindon: Celebrating 175 years I am going to design... a Station after my own fancy; that is, with engineering roofs, etc. Isambard Kingdom Brunel And he did rather didn't he?...
Taking a trip on Dragonfly
Well listeners. This year has so far seen a few new Swindon experiences for me. One of them being the subject of this post – taking a trip on Dragonfly on the Wilts & Berks canal.
Cambria Bridge mural 2015
Cambria Bridge mural. In a neat bit of symmetry Ken White, well known for his murals both here in Swindon, London and the world, has now become the subject of a mural down on Cambria Bridge.















