Page 8 - link magazine

8 The virtual Link Magazine now online @ www.swindonlink.com
Links together help Freshbrook pupil regain mobility
y
Staff at the Link Centre had been "Naomi is delighted ple in our community would do
trying to trace the owner of a and the whole ill . ; such a terrible thing to their local
child's wheelchair dumped out- school is over the school. There are Freshbrook resi-
side the building in September moon. We wheeled dents who know who did this and
but had no clues until they read the chair into assem- we're asking them to report the
last month's Link. bly and there was an culprits.
The chair had been missing since almighty cheer. It's "The police are going to come in
a serious break-in at Freshbrook great that the chil- and talk to the children about this
Primary School in August, just be- dren have their pri- because they were horrified by the
fore term started. It's used daily by orities right; they attack on their school. They want
8 year old Naomi Little, who has were much more to see the perpetrators caught and
physical disabilities which has concerned about the dealt with."
meant several operations already theft of the wheel- Naomi's classmate Connor Boyd
with more to come. chair than the stolen said, "all our school was shocked
She said that for three weeks she laptops."
that the school was broken into
was unable to do everything she " We'd like to and there was so much damage. It
normally does. "I managed to get thank the staff at was terrible that they took the
round school alright, but I missed Link Centre and the wheelchair. Why did they do it?"
my wheelchair in the playground young people who
Naomi uuitli Freshbrook School class-
because I get tired if I walk too far." found it. But we're mates acid lieadtencher Jan Milsoni
Headteacher Jan Milsom said, still furious thatpeo-
Youth club under threat from vandal attacks
A Toothill youth club has again been attacked by vandals and the volunteer organisers are seriously considering whether its worth carrying on.
In the September Link Mavis units, emptied cupboards and nies like Motorola, BP
ReedofToothillJuniorYouthClub smeared cans of beans and sau- and Cap Gemini.
expressed dismay that their base sages on the floor. "But how can we
at Toothill Farm social hall had "After securing the use of the carry on if we get these ^ d . r
been attacked and a garden play- farm from Swindon CCouncilafter break-ins every few ^ ^_
_
house damaged. months of uncertainty last year, weeks? It's just wan-
On 8 October the hall and the we've really been making progress ton vandalism.
adjacent farm house, which is cur- with the club," said Mavis. "The "All the volunteers
rently empty, were broken into, range of activities for local young give their time to the
Vandals indiscriminately smashed people is growing and we've been community for noth- 1 am
re really
windows, ulleddoorsoffkitchenpulled attractin lots help fromromcom a- ing and they're '^ ^$ ►
attracting
disheartened about ^^►r,
this. I don't know how r
much we can take."
iT ► I ► I Mavis Reed surveying
the darns e
Police get ahead in crime busting
Police in Swindon are the first in the county to use small hands free
cameras in an effort to tackle anti-social behaviour, incidents of
alcohol related crime and disorder.
Officers are now going out on
late evening patrol across the town
nearing 'head-cams,' a light-
weight camera worn at eye level at
the side of the head, linked to a
small screen and video recorder
worn on the belt.
The camera is clearly visible and
people will know they are likely to
be filmed on the street. Recordings
can also be downloaded onto a
compu ter and each frame is tamper
proof watermarked so that foot-
age can be used as evidence in
court.
West Swindon team sergeant
Nick John said, "head-cams have
produced positive results in other
parts of the country in dealing with
incidents of anti-social behaviour,
alcohol-related crime and disor- I lead cam models, Sergeant Nick John
and PCSO Amanda Luker
der in public places.
"We want to show incidents cap- He added that the equipment
tured on camera to perpetrators so will not be used for covert pur-
they can see the impact of their poses by plain clothes officers.
actions. Where appropriate, we Funding for the new equipment
intend to show parents what their has been provided by the Swindon
children have been involved in." Community Safety Partnership.