Page 18 - link magazine

18
LETTER FROM WESTMINSTER
Here's to the next 25 years

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South Swindon MP Julia Drown writes
I was pleased to read in last month's Link of West Swindon's 25th anniversa ry and I wish everyone every
BELVOIR success for the next 25. There is much to celebrate in West Swindon with some great facilities at the Link
Centre and the Shaw Ridge Leisure Complex. There is the historic Lydiard Park and events at Lower
Shaw Farm to enjoy and many landmark buildings to be proud of. We have strong community groups
Call for advice on: here - two of which have recently had lottery funds.

• Letting your home The West Swindon Family and the wider community. Visitors to the town spent some
Community Project received a I've enjoyed working with a £216 million last year; six per cent
• Buy to let and let to buy grant of £99,000 to purchase its range of voluntary and other of all jobs are now related to tour-
• Rent, legal & household house to continue its work sup- groups in West Swindon on many ism - making this our second larg-
porting families. Sparcells and issues, including tackling crime est source of employment. We are
insurance services
Peatmoor Community Association and graffiti problems and we have soon likely to be the fastest grow-
• Free internet advertising also received a grant of £29,000 for these and other issues to keep ing tourist destination in Britain.
and listing in our a part-time worker to help run the working on as we look forward to I also introduced a Ten Minute
nationwide branches community facility. the next quarter of a Century. Rule Bill in Parliament to co-ordi-
The government is keen to see I highlighted the attractions of nate the street works of cable com-
• Service individually local groups supported by lottery Lydiard Park last month in a House panies and utilities. Many people
tailored to your grants, through encouraging vol- of Commons debate on the diffi- have told me of their frustration
requirements unteering and supporting 'cham- culties for tourism in the South when a company digs up a road
pions who are given funding to West caused by foot-and-mouth. one week, only to find a different
• Free information pack develop their skills for the good of Swindon is still open for tourism. one doing the same two weeks
on request later. My Bill aims to minimise the
disruption caused by constant and
Property to rent poorly co-ordinated road works.
Call for details There are now some 300 compa-
nies licensed to dig up our roads,
Tel: 01793 601631 of which we have so far seen only
20 operating locally. I question
Check out our website whether this number is sustain-
www.belvoirgroup.com able. In Swindon, one part of
Fleming Way has already been dug
E-mail:
up so many times that there is now
[email protected] no room left and there is an em-
bargo on any new works.
Swindon South candidates got into It clearly makes sense for com-
election mood on 1 April at a meeting panies to share road works. But
organised by the Swindon World De- too often they fail to co-operate
velopment Movement and Oxfam. either with each other or with the
The packed audience questioned the
0 A a local authority. The Bill requires
candidates on debt relief, corporate them to attend quarterly meetings
responsibility, climate change and the with the council to agree sched-
arms trade, as well as domestic issues ules of work. The local authority
Community such as foot and mouth, privitisation would also be able to insist that
and proportional representation.
'Vote For Me - end world poverty, companies share road works and
ducts. The first reading received
Dividend Scheme promote human rights,' from left, taking the campaign on to Minis-
all party support. I will now be
Simon Coombs (Conservative), Geoff
Brewer, Liberal Democrats, Chris
ters.
A minimum of 1% Thackery, World Development Move- If you would like to get in touch
ment, Julia DrownMP (Labour), panel
of the Society's with me on any issue then please
chairman Bill Cullen, Swindon Col- write to 13 Bath Road, Swindon,
profits are lege politics lecturer SN1 4AS, tel: Swindon 615444.
returned to
projects to benefit
the local
community ^L %ucli of J-fealth
through the
Community Shiatsu c& Qeik with Mike yeffers
Members of the Cricklade & Swindon
Railway Society receive a cheque for Dividend Scheme. Shiatsu is a traditional Japanese healing art, using the power of
£1,000 in December. touch and movement. Reiki is an ancient form of healing that
stimulates the body's own natural ability to heal itself.
If you think a project you know of could
A one hour tailor made treatment can help:
qualify for a grant of up to £1,000 back pain, migraines, whiplash injuries, IBS,
stress, insomnia and sports injuries.
call 0800 435902 fefieve the pressures of fife
for more information Caffnow and askjne how T.
El
Oxford, Swindon & Gloucester For ATouch of Health
call 01793 877634