Page 40 - link magazine

40 The Link Magazine • March 2003
Reporting from afar in Armenia
To set the scene for the first UK Holocaust Memorial Day in 2000, Having graduated from Cambridge University with a Masters in
Rhoda Manook from Toothill wrote in The Link about the first Electronic Engineering, Rhoda is now in Armenia working in three
modern genocide, when Turkey ethnically cleansed a huge Arme- jobs as a volunteer with the Armenian Volunteer Corps (AVC) - with
nian population in 1917. 13 others (www.armenianvolunteer.org) which she describes.
I'm now living in a country where the tempera- My other big aim is to become fluent in the
ture reached minus 30 degrees Celsius this winter Rhoda in Armenia, in front language. So far I have managed to be inter-
and 40 degrees Celsius this past summer. of Mount Ararat over the viewed for Radio Free Europe Armenia, all spo-
border in Turkey
The AVC has provided me with an excellent ken in Armenian, although, I suspect, a lot of
opportunity to experience life in Armenia, as well editing occurred before it was aired.
as being involved in helping shape a relatively - I have been, and am, very privileged to be able
new, but historically ancient, country, something to work with some excellent people within Ar-
which I have been dreaming about for the last _ ♦ — • menia and to understand what it means to live in
three years. a country where you don't know where the next
My primary job is as the administrator of one of month's income will come from, where every-
the best chamber choirs in Armenia 'Hover' (www.hoverchoir.org ). thing is new, where life is harsh, but real and alive and changing all the
In contrast to this I work with H2Economy (www.h2economy.com ), time - something which the Armenian race has had to cope with for
which is developing fuel cell technology and finally, I'm involved with generations.
Arlex International on one of their sideline projects organizing their Of course, not everything is plain sailing. Culturally there is a lot to
Christmas wishlist, for people wishing to donate to worthwhile organi- learn, the after-effects of rule by the former USSR are not easily
sations in Armenia, at Christmas time ( www.arlex.am/wishlist.htm). forgotten, nor should they be.
The variety is quite astonishing, and apart from the quantity, it is so As a person with Armenian heritage I feel it is my responsibility to
enjoyable that it doesri t seem like'work.' Life here is definitely not nine help, in a tiny way, to grow this small nation, and in turn, help in
to five. creating a better history for Armenians.

Teachers go into Africa to see Peatmoor funded classroom completed
Four teachers and two governors from Peatmoor School return at the beginning of March from a week long return visit to Dihlabeng
Christian School in South Africa with which it has formed a link.
They will take part in school life, Swindon Family Church have -
teach classes and collect art and raised over £3,000 for the extra r'- O a e t 1 ti
b
craft teaching resources to be used facilities and in early February Ghr i s art
when they return. They will also organised a quiz night which ;
see the computer internet link in raised £345. 0
action, paid for by fundraising at Quiz participants, from left, Karen
Peatmoor, and hope to see a new Prescott, Sharon Edmundson, Gerry
classroom completed. Thornton, Karen Vicat, Rachel h(o
Parents and supporters from Britton, Kirsty Williams, Anthonii 11 t7
Hodges, Julia Hooker

Why does Swindon continue to ignore skateboarders?
Shaun Zerebecki expresses the frustrations of hundreds of young people across the borough
The West Swindon SK8 project was set up by youth workers from the West Area Team last summer. They
run a mobile bus called Mobie; we used to go as a place to hang out on Monday nights. We were all really
SOLUTION into skating at the time and they asked us where we skated. When we told them we had to go out of town,
to places like Chippenham or Bristol, they realised that Swindon Borough Council were neglecting the
Maintenance free fact that their town had nowhere for the large group of people with an interesting in skating.
UPVC fascia boards After that initial . - problems of the surface
cladding & guttering disussion, and with sup- . and moving and storing
port and funding from dif- the ramps, as well as the
Expertly fitted at DIY prices
ferent areas of the council, . skaters opinions.
T111?1: SURVEY we built ramps and boxes The report proved be-
to set up a temporary skate yond a doubt that a per-
NO DEPOSIT
park on the Link Centre manent facility is needed,
basketball court. that campaigners' state-
Work it out for yourself
This small scale park p ments that a park would
20' fascia board fitted £ 60 was designed for a trial mean less hassle for pe-
20' fascia & gutter fitted £135 run period, to show coun- destrians and a safer en-
20' fascia, soffit & gutter £205 cillors the popularity o vironment for skaters
20' fascia & soffit £130
skateboarding, and the a were true.
(prices correct at time of publication)
numberofpeopleinSwin- . The project ran its
don that would use a per- course, and now the ques-
manent park if one was tion of a permanent skate
built. It ran for 6 months, park is in the hands of the
with a large number of council. Skaters across
skaters attending when the ramps, attending the sessions, and Swindon hope their councillors
t'_ weather was good enough to bring finally on the last session of the will follow the lead of smaller and
the equipment out. However, the project, the West Area Team larger towns and do something for
ramps were wooden and the sur- thought it was a good idea that I young people.

For a free quote face was not very suitable for skat- should write the report for them, Copies of the SK8 report are
ing on. At the end of the summer during my work experience. available from the West youth of-
the project had to stop. The final report has been sent to fice on 465406.
As I had been involved with the members of Swindon Borough Express your viewpoint at
SK8 project from the first ideas on Council, with details on the www.geocities.com/
e-mail: [email protected]
the Mobie, throughout building the number of people attending, the swindoncommunitysk8project /