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Swindon Wide

Swindon shines at successful poetry festival ‘I have been attending festivals festival with a down-to-earth
Poetry column by Poetry Swindon’s normally go to a poetry reading – as a poet for over 25 years, and celebration:
Maurice Spillane and they loved it and I love that. this was surely the best I have
There were over 100 at the seen, in terms of spirit, friendliness, The kite’s caught the wind, I’m
Swindon can be proud Childrens’ Day alone and that was audience engagement, and hanging on,
of itself after ten days special. Swindon could yet be the general sense of a poetry friendly
of The Swindon Poetry epicentre for the revival of poetry environment.’ top of the cliff, just one more time.
Festival. in the UK. All the visitors and poets said on
We had six days of The final four days were in the social media and email that it was Come back to bed she whispers in
poetry around the community – Richard Jefferies Museum where the friendliest festival in the UK, rhyme,
Central Library, Savernake Street we had the “Tent-Palace of the a reputation that Swindon well
Social Hall, Community Centre, Delicious Air” as Jefferies himself deserves. come back to bed, there’s always
Museum of Computing, Arts Centre, described the sky. The tent was To end on a high note how about more time.
Sun Inn at Coate and Lower Shaw humming with workshops, and these lovely lines from visiting
Farm. readings and music. poet, Cliff Yates, from his poem For the full programme of events
Every evening we had local people One of the big London publishers, ‘One More Time’. It captures the during the festival visit:
join us, many of whom would not Todd Swift, emailed me with this: high that we felt after a successful www.poetryswindon.org

The history column by Graham Carter of Swindon Heritage
Help commemorate Swindon’s

Diana with a blue plaque

Swindon has plaques, some might
even be painted blue, but until
this year the town did not have a
scheme to install the traditional,
standardised blue plaques
commonly used in other towns and
cities to mark historic sites.
This changed in early 2016 when
Swindon Heritage launched its blue
plaques project and paid for the
first of what they hoped would be
many across the town.
The honour of being the first
went to Edith New, the Swindon-
born suffragette who was at the Strandz
forefront of the campaign for votes
for women. The plaque was unveiled Unit 72 Pembroke Centre
at her birthplace in North Street, Cheney Manor, Swindon SN2 2PQ
Old Town. Road, but it is long gone and none
Then, in September, there was of our sources could pin down Mobile
a double unveiling of plaques where in the street it had been.
dedicated to brothers Harold and “So we had to do some detailed
Norman (‘John’) Starr, pilots who research to prove the correct Hairdresser
were both killed in the Second address.”
World War, at their birthplace - the There was a reason for choosing Sheralee, Emi and Julie
former Regent Hotel, now the site Diana Dors for plaque number four. Tel: 01793 616668 Mobile: 07970 079681
of the Savoy in Regent Street. Noel added: “We want to
These plaques, which cost more celebrate the impact on Swindon Open Tuesday to Saturday Home: 01793 323400
than £300 each to cast and install, and the world that a range of Late nights • Free parking
were financed by crowdfunding. people have had; we also thought Cash or cheque only
Now Swindon Heritage are it was important to reclaim our
seeking support for a fourth plaque, international star, as ‘Our Diana’.”
dedicated to actress and movie The response to the latest appeal
star Diana Dors, born in Swindon has been excellent, and Noel is on
in 1931. track to meet his target of unveiling
Project manager Noel Beauchamp it before Christmas.
explained that before a funding But he is keeping the location
appeal can be launched the close to his chest, as well as the
permission of the property owners identity of the person who has been
is needed. “Our experience so far lined up to unveil it. So watch this
is homeowners are enthusiastic space for details, as well as news of
and proud to have one on their future plaques, in 2017.
wall,” he said. “There was an To contribute to the Diana Dors
added complication with Diana plaque appeal, go to:
Dors as nobody was quite sure www.crowdfunder.co.uk/diana-dors
where exactly a plaque should be See how to subscribe to Swindon
mounted. We know she was born Heritage or buy individual copies, at
in the Haven Nursing Home in Kent www.swindonheritage.com
swindonlink.com n November 2016 31

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