Page 31 - link magazine

Swindon Wide

Come fly with Poetry Swindon Swindon, meeting readers, having a
fun time and the feedback on social Classical Guitar
Poetry column by Poetry Swindon’s way to meet up is in the Sun Inn at media is wonderfully positive. We Lessons
Maurice Spillane Coate. We have an open mic session will have an article on the festival by qualified teacher
there on Sunday, 21 August at 8pm. programme next month.
Most people stop Every month we have poetry This column feels like the start of DBS checked
reading poems when workshops as well as readings in something special and reminds me Over 30 years of experience
they leave school. At care homes and at events. This year of a poem by Guillaume Apollinare:
best, they look one we started workshops for A’ Level
up for funerals and students which were a lot of fun Come to the edge, he said.
weddings, but that’s about it. and very encouraging for poetry. They said: We are afraid.
And yet, in a small way, poetry is Do you know that Swindon has Come to the edge, he said.
alive and well in Swindon and just one of the biggest poetry festivals They came.
bursting to get out there into the in the UK? The festival has been He pushed . . . and they flew.
community. Poetry Swindon is in growing over the past few years and
the vanguard to engage with people has a reputation for friendliness. So come fly with us and see what Call Jan
who want to know more. A great Visiting poets love coming to we do at www.poetryswindon.org 0750 1066 717

Sink or swim for the Health Hydro

Milton Road Baths in the early 20th century (courtesy of The Swindon Society)
which was also the site of medical
History column by Graham Carter
of Swindon Heritage magazine consulting rooms, the town’s
main dispensary and was part of
We are currently working on our the blueprint for the formation
15th edition of Swindon Heritage, of the NHS in 1948, has had the
due out in September, and if there distinction of always housing Head
is one thing we can be sure of, it is services that reflected its history.
we will never run out of content as So it is easy to argue it is as
our town is steeped in rich heritage. important as any other historic Rush
One key story in Swindon’s history building in Swindon, with only one
that we haven’t covered before exception: the Mechanics’ Institute.
is the baths in Milton Road, now And it is no wonder that heritage 73 Basepoint, Rivermead Drive
known as the Health Hydro, and we volunteers are considering lobbying By Sue Westlea, West Swindon
will be putting that right. for the current Grade II Listing of ◆ Your local family hairdresser
Tel: 01793 602552
And it will be a timely article the Health Hydro to be upgraded to ◆ 25% discount for Seniors
indeed because it is in the news - Grade II*, bringing it in line with the
but sadly for all the wrong reasons. Mechanics’, and hopefully affording Call now for an appointment
Open Tuesday to Saturday.
When it was opened by the GWR’s it greater protection. on 01793 871120 Late night Wednesday & Thursday
Medical Fund Society in 1892, few It’s also no surprise that a petition
working class people in Britain had calling for the reopening of the or 07967 363322 Free parking Head Rush Hair
easy access to hot washing baths, training pool (bit.ly/healthhydro) is HOME VISITS AVAILABLE www.headrushsalon.co.uk
let alone the swimming baths and growing and will shortly force the
even Turkish and Russian baths that councill to debate the issue.
the building provided for Swindon There are certainly plenty of
railwaymen and their families. unanswered questions, with
Today, with the indefinite closure Greenwich Leisure Ltd (GLL), who
of the training pool in lieu of run the council-owned building on
repairs, the contrast could hardly a five-year lease, under growing
be greater, with the town now pressure, especially after the
seriously lacking in pools, especially company’s representative failed to
when set against ambitious turn up when the Health Hydro was
government targets to ensure all recently on the agenda of a meeting
children can swim by the time they of the council’s Heritage Board.
leave junior school. It is too early to say (as some
And those concerned with are suggesting) that the building
protecting our heritage are just as could become ‘another Mechanics’,
concerned about the deteriorating but the current poor health of the
building as swimmers. Unlike Health Hydro means it is unclear
most surviving historic buildings whether this historic building is
in Swindon, the Health Hydro, destined to sink or swim.
swindonlink.com n August 2016 31

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