Page 41 - link magazine

The Link Magazine • February 2006 41
80 day reading adventure underway
Children from a school in Bristol made a day trip to Swindon to launch the Great Reading Adventure in early January.
The project, which has run an- Verne's classic Around the World in Wallace and Gromit on the cover, discuss the book. For details call
nually in Bristol for four years, 80 Days. and an adapted children's version John Wignall on 463233.
aims to get over 100,000 people Swindon's libraries has 620 cop- to lend. Local schools are also getting
across the South West reading Jules ies of a special edition featuring Librarian Rebecca Bolton said involved by reading the specially
the bookhad been issued over 1,000 adapted edition. In February
Charlie Rose from times in the first three weeks of the Robert Le Kyng School will be
the Hannah More 80 day project. spending a day at a storytelling
Primary School,
Bristol with The Central Library Readers' event at Steam based on the ad-
characters from Group is holding a special open ventures of the main character
the book were meeting on 22 February, 7pm to Phileas Fogg.
welcomed to
Swindon by head Search your background
of library services Following the popularity of the BBC TV programme Who do you
David Allen and think you are? Swindon Library Service is running practical work-
library operations shops on discovering family history and genealogy on the internet.
manager Alyson
They take place on the mornings Monday 20 March, Wroughton;
Jordan
of: Wednesday 15 February, West Tuesday 4 April, Highworth
Swindon; A session at £5 can be booked at
any Swindon library.
Workshops on using the web to
Back to nature 1: Priory Vale people need to protect special area search local history are planned
In a few months the rare green winged orchid Orchis Morin will make its annual appearance at the for later in the year
Haydon Meadow Site of Special Scientific Interest, but the habitat which allows this unusual plant to Making way for new stock
flourish is under threat from the people who have moved into Priory Vale. Grand Book Sale
The field off Garsington Drive Priory Vale residents Stephanie "Priory Vale has something very Moredon & Rodbourne Cheney
has only been used as a cow pas- and Paul Exell have taken a par- special which everybody must try Library. Church Walk North
ture for hundreds of years which ticular interest in the area and are and protect." Fri 24 February 10am to 5pm
has allowed the plant to establish appealing for people respect it. The North Swindon Develop- Sat 25 February 10am to 1 pm
itself. But it is nearly surrounded "It's very important to keep off ment Company should soon be
by housing and there is great the land," said Stephanie. "It's not putting up dog proof fencing and
chance of this unusual environ- just any old field for dogs to foul, signs explaining how sensitive the
ment being damaged. or a place to play golf or football, site is to mis-use. Garage for rent in Grange Park
For details call 0781 847 2337
Back to nature 2: Better for birds and bees March tree plant
A group committed to improving an unusual wildlife habitat in West for Shaw Forest
Swindon is appealing for volunteers to help maintain an important
woodland. After the complete washout in
Peatmoor Copse is a remnant of The volunteers meet on the first November, another tree plant is
the ancient Braydon Forest, once a Sunday of the month, 10am to 1pm. planned by the Great Western r seao
royal hunting ground. Over the New members arewelcometojoin Community Forest team for Sun- 1 CO -
last 18 years as houses were occu- in and discover an unusual area of day 19 March, thanks to Nation-
pied around it, volunteers have West Swindon. The next meeting wide Building Society and Intel.
brought the woodland back to life is 5 February. Children can take Organisation of the day has been
through coppicing the trees, part but must be accompanied by changed for this event. There will
This old management technique an adult. Full training is given. be 500 trees to plant, but these
has encouraged a wide variety of There are no toilets on site and the need to be booked on the day at
bird, mammal and insect life to area is unsuitable for wheelchairs. Peatmoor Community Primary
return and increased the life span For directions to the copse, call School, before taking a free mini-
of the trees. Roger Ogle on 608840. bus the short distance to the Shaw
Forest.
More details will be published
Back to nature 3: New life for riverbank
in the March Link.
On a freezing grey January day a group of volunteers donned safety
helmets and warm clothes for the next stage in an ambitious makeover
for the Rivermead area, close to Westlea.
Like a period building having Active Swindon, a project funded
its original features restored, this by the Home Office.
stretch of the River Ray is gradu- "Although clearing trees can
ally being stripped of the mis- look brutal, it's often an essential
guided 'improvements' of the last part of bringing wildlife back to an • CARPETS • WOOD • LAMINATE
century. The result of the restora- area," said WWTs Neil Pullen. "In
tion,whichisbeingsteeredbyWilt- this case, we're creating transi- • VINYL - UNDERLAY • ACCESSORIES
shire Wildlife Trust will be a rich tional habitats on the edge of the l^ gil .licks, no sales, no promotions
wildlife area, with a full spectrum woodland, which are better for
of habitats from wildflower birds such as the woodpeckers JUST THE RIGHT PRICE AND THE TRUE VALUE
meadow through scrubland to whose loud tapping can be heard FROM THE START
woodland, here regularly."
An overcrowded and spindly More volunteers are needed to HOME SELECTION SERVICE
woodland is being thinned and the join a working group which Personal estimating service - no obligation or charge
trees along the riverbank and on a meets on Thursdays. Anyone can Fitting service by qualified & professional fitters
meadow have been cut down, go along; full training is provided. 01793 480777 or 07834 685871
WWT volunteers have been doing For details about taking part give
6 Wood Street, Old Town, Swindon SNi 4AB
the work since October as part of Neil a call on 5264481.