Page 17 - link magazine

Swindon wide 1 7

Be surprised, explore and get fit

Swindon is one of the most surpris- workers walking to and from the
P W
ing places in southern England. A GWR works. See how the town c ^ ^ Es^^_P
town built on the heavy industry of has developed around the legacy `h
the railways, has been reinvented of the railway works, and contem- n
as a rapidly growing high-technol- plate the ruin of the Mechanics o
ogy and distribution centre, sur- Institute. ^^UnM F
rounded by large suburban cen- Swindon Surprise is a New Me-
tres. chanics Institute Preservation Trust
Now a new guide which com- initiative. The trust is trying to raise
bines history and cultural heritage awareness and the money to re-
has been launched to help visitors generate the building as a multi-
and townspeople to discover the use community centre. The guide
past by walking the streets. is funded with assistance from the
Swindon Surprise is illustrated Wiltshire and Swindon NHS Health
with a map of Swindon New Town Care and the work to assemble it
in 1880 and a street layout of to- was undertaken by Swindon Col-
day, with numbers locating signifi- lege HNID travel and tourism stu-
0
cant historical features in the town dents Tracey Cloutman and
centre, against a brief description. Rebecca Hall.
Discover the streets and back The guide costs £1 from Swin-
alleyways and imagine the railway don Information Centre.
Volunteers and supporters of the New Mechanics Institute Preservation
Trust launch Swindon Surprise outside the Mechanics on 5 September

School blooms with art work

Susan Carr is celebrating her first year as artist in residence at Hreod
Parkway School.
Susan from Haydon Wick has worked with children to brighten the
school buildings with inspirational art pieces during the last twelve
months. Earlier in the year she was pictured in The Link showing off
three fabric and steel banners to the German Ambassador.
The latest work by the children, unveiled at the end of last term, is a
painted window made up of 126 painted perspex panels on the theme
of All that Jazz, a jazz music event which took place in June.
"The children really enjoyed working on the pieces displayed in
public," said Susan. "They give the buildings a bright, exciting atmos-
phere which inspires them." Saturday 27th October 2001
Southfield School, Shrivenham Road,
. , tr ' Highworth, 11am to 4pm

Sponsored by
ii Oxford, Swindon & Gloucester W^

One of the nation's Community Forests
The
SM Countryside F SwinpoTi a Vale
Agency Forestry Commission of while Horse