Page 1 - link magazine

West Swindon's CHRISTMAS
Magazine
OFFERS
ae
THE
EXPRESS

(WO
CYCLE
SPECIALIST

96 - 99 Manchester Road, Swindon
No. 117 • December 1991 • Circulation 10,500
' (0793) 534907 & 513705

CHRISTMAS ORCCTINOS TO ALL OUR RCADCRS

Dress a tree and show how much you care Hospital
Trees are vital to life on earth and nify the hopes for loved ones in value trees and wish them to well- for west
an ancient festival is being revived times of crisis. cared for. Anybody can celebrate a
to demonstrate how much they "The revival of tree dressing is a tree, no special skills are needed. A doctor who set up practice in
should be appreciated. way of showing how much we You can do it on your own, with an West Swindon twelve months ago
Taking a lead from the charity Preparing decorations for a tree in existing group, or you can deco- has a long termdreamofopeninga
Common Ground, Thamesdown Swindon town centre,from left, Susan rate a tree in your street with your cottage hospital in the area.
Council's Community Forest team Elmes, Neil Hillier, Lorna Curtis neighbours. The idea is to partici- Dr Rodney Houseman cel-
are promoting the national multi- pate, to celebrate and to get others ebrated his first year at the Link
cultural event of Tree Dressing. to take notice of how important Surgery on Saturday 23 November
Schools, residents' associations, trees are to life." with a buffet reception in the tem-
conservation and community In West Swindon, Greendown porary building next to the Link
groups across Swindon will be and Brook Field schools were the Centre which houses his practice.
dressing trees in their areas on the first to comeforward and theSwin- In attendance were the Mayor and
weekend of 7 and 8 December, as don Choral Society will be dress- Mayoress ofThamesdownand dig-
a way of showing off how much ing a 'Tree of Notes' on the Wootton nitaries from the Swindon Health
they appreciate them. Bassett road. Authority.
Neil Hillier, a member of the Although time is short, Neil
Community Forest team, says that Hillier is interested to know of any
trees are venerated all over the groups who would like to partici-
world in different ways and the pate in the tree dressing weekend
idea of dressing a tree exists in so that he can offer useful advice
many cultures and has continued on how not to harm yourself, the
through the ages. The practice is tree or wildlife. He would also like
still carried on in a few British towns to record your decorations for a
and in America tieing yellow rib- future exhibition. Neil can be con-
bons around trees has come to sig- tacted on 493549.
Car show '92 to bring in the crowds

Parents at Greendown School are Of course not everybody is inter-
planninga majorcrowd puller next ested incars and there will bea fun
summer by organising a car fair, community group
show to raise money for stalls and lots of activities
school funds. for children. TheMayorof Thamesd own Coun. Eric
All the leading motor trad- The project is still at an Smith toasts the futurewith Dr House-
ers in the Swindon area will early stage and anybody man
be invited to set up trade in the auto trade with sug- In a short speech Dr Houseman
stands, along with car com- gestions, or other people said his first goal of setting up a
ponent suppliers and other who have ideas to make friendly, patient orientated and ef-
auto related businesses. the event go with a bang, ficient practice. But his ultimate
Specialist interests wilalso should contact the Chair goal and dream is to erect a pur-
be catered for with displays of the Parents' Council, pose built surgery, which will later
of custom cars and vintage Greendown, Grange Park extend as a cottage hospital.
vehicles. Way, Swindon Continued on page 2

Adult Education in 1992 course listing Enter our 'Curly Sue' MGM Cinema

on page 14 competition on page 15

c Have your say at the Link Centre Open Forum Christmas Church Services in the West

- details page 15 -see page 16