Page 18 - link magazine

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
18
Taking a look at Thamesdown

YOUR Council's community work team
PORTRAIT IN OIL in the west
by a professional artist
Yourself * A Relative * Weddings People involved in community groups in West Swindon may have
Children * Your House * Pets met somebody from Thamesdown Council's Community Devel-
opment Division and others will have seen a name in The Link.
Commission a genuine original oil painting However the majority of people in the area may not be aware that
to add a touch of Luxury and Elegance to there is a team of six Borough Council community workers operat-
your home. ing in West Swindon. There are also community workers in other
No sitting orposing necessary. parts of the town who with the West Swindon team work to the
Free details without obligation from
brief of the Council's Community Planning Committee. In this
THE PORTRAIT GALLERY
profile, we look at the history of the Community Development
89 Church Lane, London N2 0TH team and the work of team members.
01-444-3692

Britannia
Towing Centre

Swindon's
specialist towbar
and accessory

BELT UP IN THE BACK fitting centre. Activists in the community: From left to right Clive Parkinson, Lucia Hartley,
Laurence Yeoman, Martha Pa rry, Pam Pixton, Roger Ogle
with Swindon Seat Belt Centre
Most of Swindon's housing and presence in West Swindon since
BRITAX 2-WAY £49.50
industrial development has been the first people moved in, over 12
Unit 16, Station Industrial Estate, Sheppard Street, built since the 1950s after the years ago.
Swindon. Telephone: (0793)613147 town council decided to attract Since then the community
different industries and expand workers have been active work-
the town famous for its railway ing with people in groups all
I AFM M --
-- works. over the area as it has grown.
w — — . — w .. '. The different phases of Swin- Sometimes they have brought
don's expansion can be seen all people together to consider com-
over the town. For the last thirty munity problems, on other occa-
years 'new commu- sions they are asked
POINTS THE WAY TO QUALITY
nities' have been .The idea of 'support' to to help groups
IN CONSERVATORIES, DOORS springing up and community groups can achieve a goal.
mean a lot of things: talk-
this process is set to The range of work
AND WINDOWS continue beyond ing, exchan ging ideas, they undertake is
encouraging, saying well
the year 2,000. done, getting a newsiet- wide, for example,
Quite simply the best! Swindon's coun- ter typed, tryi ng to get an helping parents set
fol a up under 5s groups,
cil also recognised inflatable
then, and still does, playscheme, suggesting working with the
that building lots of who might m ake a grant retired to start social
houses, filling them and a great deal of run- clubs, helping resi-
with people and ex- fling aroun d helping dents' associations
pecting them to get groups of pe ople achieve demand better fa-
their objectiv es.
on with making a cilities for their
community can demand too neighbourhood, managing part
much from people who have just of the Link Centre.
set up homes and often started Defining the word 'commu-
families. nity is very difficult. It is cer-
There was a need to employ tainly over used and often mis-
community workers to spread used. In the sense that it means a
information, draw people to- body of people living in the same
gether and promote neighbour- locality, communities take many
hood cohesion. Through partici- years to feel settled; the develop-
pation, people work together to ment process however never ac-
tackle the issues affecting the tually stops.
area in which they live, when The community development
individually they would have team have been a vital part of that
little power or influence process in West Swindon.
100 High Street Thamesdown Council's Com-
Tel: (0793)870816
munity Development Division is
Cricklade or 751302 active in many neighbourhoods
across the town and has had a