Page 10 - link magazine

10 The Link Magazine • January 2002
Tea at No.10? Who me?
D & L Blinds
Imagine being invited to the House of Commons and then to meet the PM's wife. It just doesn't happen
Rollers • Verticals • Venetians to us mere mortals, does it? Well, actually, it does, writes Vivienne Wise, member of the Swindon Parent
Pleated Blinds • VELUX® Panel.
Conservatory Blinds I've been a member of with Cherie. We chatted with
the panel — a voluntary Cherie and even Leo Blair
QUALITY BLINDS AT
group which promotes the came along to play for a short
AFFORDABLE PRICES
parents' perspective in the while. The day culminated
Fast and reliable service planning, decision-making with our daughters helping
Evenings & weekends no problem and delivery of maternity- Cherie switch on the Down-
All blinds fitted free related services in the town ing Street Christmas tree
Choose from a wide range - for the last three years. lights in front of a jostling
of fabrics from the comfort We meet for two hours mass of photographers.
every six weeks during So, if you are about to be-
of your own home
term-time and a creche and come a parent, or already
Contact Paul on 01793 619428 travelling expenses are have young children and
FREE QUOTES NO OBLIGATION provided. fancy doing something a lit-
In October, Baroness Four mums on the parent panel, from left, Vivienne tle bit different for a few
Sally Morgan, the Minis- Wise and Lucie, Ruth Barrett, Nicki Sinclair with hours - while enjoying a short
Oliver, Amanda Heard with Lucy and Georgia
ter for Women, visited break from your off-spring -
Swindon as part of a fact-finding abandoned my weekly visit to then the Parent Panel could be just
mission for a report looking at ways Sainsbury's and headed for Lon- what you're looking for.
to improve the accessibility of don with my daughter Lucie and We also attend maternity serv-
health and education services for Amanda Heard and her daugh- ice meetings and provide user in-
women. Parent Panel members ters, Lucy and Georgia. put to a variety of projects, rang-
were invited to participate in a We joined Ministers, MPs and ing from the updating of a hospital
discussion group with her and as a about 30 women from around the questionnaire for new mums, to
result of this meeting, two of us country who had also contributed the provision of feedback on new
were invited to attend the launch to the report, for lunch at the House information leaflets for mothers
of the 'Better Services — Better of Commons followed by a quick about routine antenatal screening.
Working Lives' report at the House dash up to the Gallery to watch If you want to find out more,
of Commons. parliament in session, before be- please contact Ruth Barrett on
So on Monday 10 December I ing whisked off to No. 10 for tea 886394 for further information.

Character parts at Greenmeadow

Youngsters at Greenmeadow
COOPERS School ended a week at the end
of November focused on books
CHEMIST by dressing up as their favourite
story character.
WEST SWINDON CENTRE
Volunteers dropped into
Fine fragrances, toiletries, school to read to the children
ear piercing etc. and professional story teller Josie
APS, developing & printing Felce fascinated each class with
multi-cultural tales accompanied
One free 35mm 24 exp film
by a Welsh harp.
with every 35mm roll
Left, some of the most interesting
developed on the premises characters with headteacher Diane
Tel: 872033 Pritchard playing Miss Hooch op-
posite one of the many Harry Pot-
Open 7 days a week ter's who flew into school on 30
Mon - Fri 9am - 8pm, November.
Sat 9am - 6pm, Sun 10am - 3pm
Down under talk
Children's author
David Caddy from
PHOENIX SURGERY Western Australia
spent a day talking to
Incorporating The Link Surgery children at Freshbrook
School about his sto-
Dunwich Drive,Toothill Village Centre ries and reading ex-
cerpts from his books,
Dr Peter Swinyard about snakes slithering
out of toilets and giant
Dr Robert Forrester spiders appearing from
nowhere.
A readathon took
Sent' f.5 West and CeKtvaL S itt t4ow place through the week
to raise money for the
New patients welcome Malcolm Sergeant
children's cancer fund
(01793) 600440 and the Roal Dahl
Foundation.