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13th Oct from 20th Oct. Book The Scarlet and The Black by Stendhal.

Swindon Wide
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Tenth year for reading group
The Swindon Artswords Reading Group began its tenth season of stimulating books and discussion on literary subjects in September, and new
members are always welcome.
The group, which meets monthly Variety is the key factor in select- Rushdie, whose work I’ve avoided discussion – it’s the new rock n’
at Lower Shaw Farm, has been ing books for the group, and the more for the past 25 years, yet the writing roll.”
organized and run by Swindon the books burst with ideas the better. is stunning.” For further details, contact Matt:
Council’s Literature Development September’s title was ‘Midnight’s Everyone gets the chance to say [email protected]
Worker Matt Holland since 1999. Children’ by Salman Rushdie. what they think of the book before • Other reading groups:
“The Artwords Reading Group On 13 October, ‘The Scarlet and general discussion commences – North Swindon Library. For details,
prides itself on choosing challeng- the Black’ by French 19th Century which can get very lively at times. contact Gwyneth Dilly on 707120.
ing books, having lively discussion, novelist Stendhal will be dissected. “It’s fascinating to hear different • West Swindon Library. Next meet-
and giving a warm welcome to all- Later in the year the group will opinions of the books,” said Matt. ing, 15 October, 11am. Contact
comers,” said Matt. “Over the last be tackling ‘I served the King of “The literature comes to life in the Tracey Dowling on 465554.
ten years we’ve discussed recent England’ by Bohumil Hrabal, and the
Booker prize winners such as ‘The Selected Short Stories of Katherine
Gathering’ by Anne Enright, world Mansfield. Council to take urgent remedial
classics like ‘The Age of Innocence’ “Since joining the reading group
by Edith Wharton, modern writers a couple of years ago I have ‘dis- action on heritage building
such as Don Delillo and Cormac covered’ so many writers that I had
McCarthy, and international authors previously known nothing about,” Daniel Rose, chairman of long running preservation organisation The New
like Peter Carey, Kiran Desai, and said group member Juliet Platt. Mechanics’ Trust, has welcomed Swindon Council’s move to serve an
Xiaolu Guo.” “My current favourite is Salman urgent works notice on the current owner of the deteriorating Mechanics’
Institute on Emlyn Square – even though it comes 7 years late.
November writing workshop
To celebrate the success of its first year, and in anticipation of the upcoming
2010 Highworth Year of Culture, the Highworth Scribblers' writing group,
is hosting its first creative writing workshop on 7 November.
Swindon-based creative writing tutor and memoir specialist Jill Sharp
will facilitate the day in the Highworth Council offices from 10am to 4pm.
Places cost £15 per person, including light refreshments.
The subject of the workshop will be ‘beginnings, middles and ends,’
including an exercise to plot a group novel. If you're struggling to write a
compelling opening to your story, find it sagging as it goes along, or just
cannot hit on how to finish with impact, this workshop is for you.
Places are limited. For details call Juliet Platt on 727994.

Regeneration is going nowhere until this is sorted out says Trust
Since he took ownership in 2001, relationship with the council on this
Matthew Singh, has made several issue,” said Daniel. “It has never
unsuccessful planning applications been our policy as a Trust to expect
to convert the institute into a com- the council to fund any restoration
mercial venture with a large hotel at work on the Institute, even though
the centre of his project. However the council’s argument has often
the Trust resolutely argued that such been that tax-payers’ money cannot
permission would have contravened be used for the building.”
the Grade II* listed building status South Swindon MP Anne Snel-
and English Heritage stepped in to grove has spoken about the Me-
remind Swindon Council’s planning chanics’ Institute in Parliament,
committee of its responsibilities on and was due to meet the board of
a number of occasions. New Mechanics’ Trustees in late
The Grade II* status puts the Me- September.
chanics’ into the top five per cent of “The Mechanics’ Institute rep-
listed buildings in the country and it resents such an important part of
was the Trust itself in the late 1980s Swindon’s story,” said Daniel. “The
which persuaded English Heritage cultural activities that used to take
to upgrade the listing in recognition place there are things that the town
of the cultural history of the building still needs today. I don’t see how we
funded by railways workers in the can move forward as a town until
19th Century. this issue is dealt with.”
Now, after years of increasing Coun Phil Young, cabinet member
deterioration and a marked reluc- for regeneration, said, “the council’s
tance by the council to take on the commitment is to make the building
owner, it has served notice on Mr safe. Negotiations with the owner for
Singh that it will take remedial action the required works to be undertaken
to stabilise the derelict structure and have not been successful, so we are
charge him for the work. left with little choice other than to
“We have always sought to es- serve the urgent works notice to put
tablish a positive and constructive in place the necessary protection.”

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