Page 3 - link magazine

Celebrating 20 Years 3

Congratulations on achieving two decades

By the Mayor of Swindon councillor Brian Ford

It doesn't seem like 20 years since The Link )useholds and consequently the items of news
magazine was born with a small circulation of erited wider reporting. From its humble begin-
600 in what was the new development in the ngs The Link increased to its present level of
West Swindon area. There was concern that the ound 20,000 now covering the Northern sector
people settling in the new houses would be ^velopment as well as the original Western Ex-
isolated and a community magazine seemed a insion area.
good way of keeping residents informed about One common factor has remained all that time -
local news. )ger Ogle as writer, photographer, editor, pub-
The Link may appear to newcomers to have her and general factotum! It is a great pleasure
taken its name from the Borough Council's Link have been asked to write this article to congratu-
Centre but, in fact, it existed long before that te The Link on its 20th birthday. It is an example
building came on the scene. v, all a community magazine should be.
The circulation grew in line with the expansion of West Well done everyone - the staff, the printers and all those who
Swindon. All households had a copy delivered every six weeks contribute to make The Link the indispensable reference docu-
and the magazine itself increased in size as the number of ment it is in 1999.

From paste-up to cyberspace

By Link magazine publisher Roger Ogle
An article on the front page of Link no. 3 in April 1979 pointed out that publication might not continue if more volunteers did not come
forward to help produce it. Twenty years on, with a site on the Internet, we're still here - bigger, better and more colourful than ever.
Since December 1979, the maga- By comparison to today's glossy going to the printer. For the first The Link either had to disap-
zine has changed dramatically in colourful magazine, The Link in couple of years, the volunteers pear or become more relevant to
appearance, but the aims remain the early days was a primitive pub- would staple the pages together its readership. In April 1987, I
the same - to give a voice to people lication. A group of volunteers before more helpers distributed it. relaunched it as a professionally
at a local level, to emphasise the would get together every few By January 1987, it was clear produced monthly, featuring the
positive and to celebrate the ef- weeks to bash out stories on an old that the successful newsletter could opening of Greendown School by
forts people put into developing typewriter with a fading ribbon, not be sustained any longer. Princess Anne on the front page.
their communities. then stick all the bits down before From 600 copies, it had grown to Continued on page 5
16 pages and a print run of 8,000.
But it did not appear often enough
and its content had become less
relevant to such a large popula- 'WE COME TO YOU'
tion. More importantly, the vol-
* Free collection
unteers were moving onto other
& delivery
things, and the small army of dis- *
tributors was dwindling rapidly.
charge
No job
Left: Thamesdown Council ran a com- BIKE * No job too
petition to name the new West Swin- DOCTOR small
WE ALSO SELL
don leisure centre. The Link newslet-
ter entered and was chosen to christen * New cycles
the Link Centre in April 1984. The
* Slightly marked cycles:
volunteers, pictured from left, Nick
up to 50% off
Jansen, Thamesdown Council leader, * Used cycles (with warranty)
Tony Mayer, Janice Oliver, Roger
Ogle, Eric Edwards. Sharon McColl,
Ai linNMpa^u^ front, from Old Town also suggested
the name and received a prize
Published by Copy date for Febuary
West Swindon Publications
edition: 15 January
Papermakers House, Westlea LOOSE ENDS
Published: 30 Janua ry
Swindon SN5 7BP
Copy for March: 12 Februa ry
Tel: (01793) 872282 ANNUAL SALE
Fax: (01793) 878189
"The Link was first published West
e mail: [email protected] Swindon community in December Amazing Bargains at
Internet: www.swindonlink.com 1978. It is completely independent Wonderful Prices
of Link Centre and, in fact, won a Thursday 7th — Saturday 9th Janua ry
Publisher/Editor: Roger Ogle
competition to name the leisure Open from 9am — 5pm
Advertising: Jenni Fowler centre in 1984. Distribution in No rth
Tel: (01793) 872531 Swindon commenced in January We have an excellent selection of
1994."
Editorial: Gina Dennis top quality furnishing fabrics,
Tel: (01793) 849518 Printed by Wiltshire, Bristol
which are the ends of lines. Also wallpapers.
The contents of The Link are protected by copyright. Copying of adve rtisements Giles Green, Brinkworth, Nr Chippenham, Wilts.
forbusiness use, including publication is forbidden unless adve rtisers or publishers
have sought permission. Articles and photographs require similar authority. Tel: (01666) 510685