Page 6 - link magazine

6 The Link Magazine • 1999

COOPERS CHEMIST Link Centre price increases push out
community organisations
WEST SWINDON CENTRE
Fine fragrances,
Massive rises in room hire rates at the Link Centre are driving out community groups in droves.
toiletries, ear piercing
The hourly rate for the Ike longer free. Groups with little or Link Centre Manager Alan
etc. Gradwell community suite main no funding simply cannot absorb Richards says, "we are endeavour-
hall has been increased from £3 to the rise and are being forced out. ing to be sympathetic to our cur-
APS, developing & printing
£7.50 and creche rooms are no Les Peach, treasurer of the Link rent users, but a change in grant
One free 35mm 24 exp film 45+ Club, one of the first groups in arrangements has meant we can-
with every 35mm roll the community suite when it not maintain our level of service to
Peatmoor & Sparcells
developed on the premises opened twelve years ago, said the community groups within our sub-
Community Association group is now running at a loss. sidy." He is urging groups who
Tel: 872033 First annual general meeting "Retired people cannot pay the in- are having difficulty with the in-
Tuesday 11 May, 8pm
Open 7 days a week creased fees. If we cannot find creases to write to him.
Woodlands Edge Public House With Swin-
Mon - Fri gam - 8pm, another conven-
All residents invited ient venue, we don Council fo-
Sat 9am - 6pm, Sun 10am - 3pm
For details, call Neil Cushing on 881587 will close at the cusing its funds
end of the year." on Education
The Mondays and Social Serv-
Group, which of- ices, Recreation
Abbey Aerial Services fers support to has been tasked
women with to reduce its
Getting a clear TV picture isn't difficult T mental health costsbyincreas-
_- 0 difficulties, will ing efficiency
Just call Abbey Aerials of Haydon Wick, Swindon L
now be meeting and charges.
-:• Multi-point systems in members' Link Centre
homes. This prices have been
•• Satellite installations Lost vision at Link Centre
makes it less ac- brought in line
•
s Poor reception area specialists cessible to new- with those of the
comers who used to be able to just Haydon Centre, Highworth Rec
Amplifiers
to drop in. Member Jo Tompkins and the Oasis.
All work guaranteed commented, "with the rent in- Head of Recreation Rob
• • 7 days a week creases, I think a lot of small groups Whitehouse denied that the Link
•• 100% customer satisfaction like us will be unable to continue." Centre is turning its back on the
Kerrie Stone of Women Out West commitment to local people. "It's
Call today for a free estimate on doesn't believe the price increases not that we want to lose the com-
(01793) 729794 or mobile 0402 921551 will help the centre's finances. "It munity ethos. What we need to do
seems to me that there will be a is to identify more sensitively who
drop in revenue - it's not going to our user groups are and to target
New & Used work," she said. Everyone she our subsidies more effectively= and
we need to do this fast."
knows who used to meet at the
Link has made other arrangements. When it was built, the Link Cen-
Office Furniture Branch is fuming. "They raised tre provided a visionary combina-
The WEA Swindon Women's
tion of sports and leisure, arts and
prices for courses we'd already community facilities.
committed to and without any The last few months have seen
The chair prior warning," said Branch the closure of the Arts Suite and
ro
Worker Gerry Darlington. She was critical erosion of community in-
that supports told that the Link Centre now sees terest. It may not stop there. With-
its community suite rooms as part out more investment, sooner or
the parts that of a sports and leisure facility and later it is likely that at least one of
is charging accordingly. the Swindon Council's leisure fa-
Also suffering is Link and Learn
others don't Pre-school. Having budgeted for cilities will have to close or be sold
off to a private contractor.
a fairly substantial 10% increase in
Sole stockist in Swindon
their rent, they don't know how • The community suite was named
^herap06 they are going to pay the 30% hike. after Ike Gradwell, a noted social-
ist in Swindon who worked to im-
With the now regular problem of
low numbers in the Autumn term, prove the lot of working people
this could be the final straw. during the 1930s.
In house CAD
design service available for Millennium festival awards
® all new furniture installations A small grants scheme has been launched to help community and
voluntary organisations, societies and clubs fund activities which
celebrate the Millennium. Grants of up to £5,000 will be available from
For all your office requirements: the scheme which is coordinated by the five National Lottery distribu-
tors (charities, sports, arts, heritage, millennium festival).
Choice OFFICE FURNITURE' For more information call 0870 600 200. For an application pack
telephone 0845 600 2040.
BSS House, Unit 22, Cheney Manor, Swindon
Swindon Borough Council Community & Leisure Services depart-
Open: Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5.30pm. Saturday 9am to 1pn; ment held a series of meetings at short notice for potential applicants
Tel: 01793 521212 • Fax: 01793 534410 at the end of April. Unfortunately the publicity appears to have been
limited and some groups may have missed the opportunity to attend.