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No. 78 September 1988
Circulation 10,000
Kids invade council committee

Thamesdown Council's Arts and Recreation Committee on
11th August was taken over for a few minutes by a group of
Toothill parents and children who turned out to lobby the
councillors.
Thirty-six children accompa- Parent Kim Bryant, who
nied by 14 parents packed a hoped to address the councillors,
crowded committee room in a left the meeting fuming. "1 feel
bid to persuade councillors to very angry with our treatment.
pay more attention to the need We were not aloud to speak and
for an after-school club in Tooth- it would have been better if the
ill. chairman had recognised us by
A club funded by the Man- speaking to us or the councillors
power Services Commission helping our cause. We were ig-
closed down in April after two nored and made to feel we
years operation in the old com- shouldn't have been there."
munity centre on Dunwich Toothill councillor Tony Free
Drive. According to parents it said there was a "desperate
had proved the value of super- need" for after-school provision
vised after-school activities for because of the very high num-
"We want our after-school club back - please!" Children and parents
children and was a great help to bers of under us in the area.
protest on the steps of the Thamesdown 's Civic Offices single and working parents. "It was amazing to see seven
"We need financial help from year olds confronting experi-
Big Volunteer Fair comes to the council," said parent Diane enced councillors. They were
Stuckey. "We can use Toothill speechless," said fellow council-
Link Centre at end of month Farm as a place to meet, but need lor Ricky Midwinter. "The group
First event of its kind in Thamesdown funds to pay for club leaders." will have our continued back-
The parents had received a ing.
Dozens of voluntary organisa- public more aware of the valu- letter from Director of Arts and -The proportion of 5-10 year
tions are putting themselves on able work voluntary organisa- Recreation Denys Hodson stat- olds in West Swindon is twice as
display to the public at the end tions carry out across the Bor- ing that the Council's finances large as that of Thamesdown as
of the month and they will be ough, the organisations are being did not allow for new projects in a whole. They form l3.5% of the
doing so in West Swindon. given the chance to show off their the middle of the financial year, population in West Swindon
On 27th and 28th September work and hopefully attract more but they decided to make their against 6.6% across Th-
up to 100 voluntary groups will volunteers. feelings felt to councillors any- amesdown. In the west there are
be showing off what they do in a Altogether 120 organisations way. over 2,650 in the age group;
first ever voluntary bodies fair at receive grant aid from the public The chair of the meeting Tony around 700 live in Toothill.
the Link Centre. authorities. Some get as little as Mayer said he was delighted to • A report on after-school play
The fair is a chance for officers £20, others receive up to £40,000 a see so many young people get- provision will be put to the Rec-
from grant making bodies to find year to support staff, premises ting involved in local politics, but reation sub-committee of Arts
out about the work of voluntary and activities. their cause would be considered and Recreation on 14th Septem-
groups over the last twelve The range of groups display- at a Recreation sub-committee ber, 7p.m. in the Link Centre.
months. ing their wares is very wide and meeting on 14th September at the Parents across West Swindon
In the next financial year about will include Age Concern, the Link Centre. He then moved on are invited to attend to discover
£500,000 will made available in Council for Racial Equality, the to the next business. what action is to be taken.
grants from Thamesdown Bor- Hard of Hearing Club, Ginger-
ough Council, Wiltshire County bread, Thamesdown Voluntary
Council and the Swindon Health Services Centre (TVSC), Swin- Let's Go Wildcats
Authority. don Tinnitus Group, the Rape Follow the progress of West Swindon
Meetings between grant giv- Crisis Line, the Well Women based ice hockey team Swindon
ers and receivers have taken Centre and many more. Wildcats during the 1988/89 season
place annually for many years. (Continued on page 3) with a colourful 'Cut out and Keep'
In an effort to make the general fixture list on page 12.