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Community News

The Spirit of Swindon and rising to one of the biggest challenges facing the UK

By Tom Wilkes of higher. It has narrowed a little There is no quick fix to address
Spirit of Swindon since then but the more affluent economic inequality and dealing
First the bad news: the gap have, on average, seven times that with its impact. Its causes and
between the richest and the of the less wealthy. In Japan and solutions are complex and debated.
poorest in a country damages the Scandinavian countries it is Yet that does not mean there
everyone. around four times. In the UK we is nothing we can do. Over the
It is not just those at the bottom, have now levels of inequality of coming months Spirit of Swindon
the gap damages those at the wealth not experienced for 100 will look at some of the issues,
top, too. People living in countries years and the gap has particularly sharing stories, and giving every
which are less equal in economic widened over the last four decades. Link reader an opportunity to
terms do worse across a range of Income and economic inequality become involved in being part of a
social and health-related issues is present in every town and change most of us want to see. Wilkinson & Kate Pickett is
than countries which are similar impacts every single person. This will start from having very significant. Go to www.bit.
but more equal. Rates of divorce, The good news for us in Swindon confidence as people who live in ly/2fFp9jo or www.bit.ly/1EOmngh
mental illness, alcohol and drug is that we look better placed than Swindon that we can bring about for info.
addiction, life expectancy and most to do something about it. change – not by complaining and There are people in Swindon
crime are all increased. The poorest One reason for this is our strong blaming, but recognising everyone who are choosing between eating
may suffer the most but economic economic base. We have relatively has a part to play. Is that true of a meal and having the central
inequality also afflicts the affluent. high levels of employment and you? Our individual part may be heating on – fuel or food. Buying
Everybody is affected either a broad range of businesses, relatively small but together the something to contribute to the
directly or indirectly. including major companies and impact could be significant. This is collection for a foodbank at your
So what about the UK? In a organisations. not about party politics or grand local supermarket might be that
world ranking of developed nations The second reason is the strength strategy – it is about seeing what ‘one thing’ which helps them.
where do we stand in terms of the of our community networks and emerges when we each realise that You may well have better ideas.
gap between the richest and the the spirit it embodies. Across changing the future starts small Please email them to publisher@
poorest in society? Uncomfortably Swindon there is a multitude of and starts with me. swindonlink.com with ‘Spirit of
for us it turns out that the UK is groups supporting and serving Each month there will be one Swindon’ as the subject.
among the most unequal developed their local communities; there is thing you could do to make a Spirit of Swindon has emerged
countries. When the gap between a long tradition of looking out for difference with some possibilities. from a gathering of people who
the 20 per cent poorest and 20 per one another and those who are We start here with the ‘one want to raise consciousness of the
cent most wealthy were compared facing difficulties. It is the spirit of thing’ of finding out more about impact of economic inequality and
in 2011 we were the third worst; being good neighbours – including the impact of inequality. A book help Swindon offer a lead to other
only Portugal and the USA ranked people we have never met. called The Spirit Level by Richard towns and cities in the UK.
Council consults on bus corridors for Wichelstowe
Following the initial round of December at the StoweAway
consultation held in late September Community Centre, Staldon
and early October, Swindon Road, East Wichel, SN1 7AG
Borough Council’s Transport • 3pm – 6pm on Friday 2
Planning team will be holding its December in the Coffee Shop
next phase of public consultation of the Co-op, High Street/
in early December to support the Newport Street, Old Town,
delivery of a bus corridor between SN1 3EG
Wichelstowe and the town centre. • 11am - 1.30pm and 3pm –
Proposals have been developed 7pm on Monday 5 December
based on the comments from the in the café-bar of Swindon
first round of consultation. There Arts Centre, Devizes Road, Old
are three preliminary options for Town, SN1 4BJ
Old Town and two for Mannington • 3pm - 7pm on Tuesday 6
roundabout/Wootton Bassett Road. December in the bar of Delta
There will be a series of informal Tennis Centre, Welton Road,
drop-in consultation events to Westlea, SN5 7XF
discuss the proposals at the The plans will also be able to be
following times and venues: viewed online at:
• 3pm – 7pm on Thursday 1 www.swindontravelchoices.co.uk

One of the current routes to Wichelstowe via Hibberds Yard
swindonlink.com n December 2016 5

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