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Community News

We’ve got to clean up our act Director: James Phipps

By Group Editor Jamie Hill
We had a message in this month Group Editor: Jamie Hill
in reaction to our Positive Swindon Chief Reporter: Ben Fitzgerald
feature in our March edition. ADVERTISING Associate: Roger Ogle
The email from Glenda Prothero Call 01793 781502 or Reporter: Mike Barham
reads: “Reading the editor’s header email: [email protected]
in the Link he talks of what makes Sales Admin: Sue Roberts
Swindon great. How can we spread will be taken over by the new and Closing date for May adverts Sales: Dave Stewart & Rosy Presley
and editorial: 12 April
this idea when it is becoming a existing parish councils is street May edition published:
dump? There is litter everywhere cleaning as the borough tries to 28 April Photography: Richard Wintle &
with areas looking like dumps. offset yet more costs to afford the Rachel Davis - www.calyxpix.com
The public are to blame of course increasing social care burden.
but it us being left to clean up. Let us all hope that the parish Positive Media Group Limited, Unit 3, Arclite House, Century Road, Swindon SN5 5YN
Visitors must be appalled and won’t councils are up to this difficult T: 01793 744677 E: [email protected]
want to come again. Pride - not at challenge. We know that some Our Statistics
present. Sad.” like Haydon Wick have the Est. Readership of 100,000 in print & c.20,000 monthly online visitors.
I’ve got to say that I completely experience already to take on these Swindon’s largest free publication. Advertising starts from just £57.
agree with Glenda. responsibilities and hopefully the The contents of The Link are protected by copyright. Use of advertisements in printed or electronic form is forbidden unless
an advertiser or publisher has sought permission. Articles and photographs require similar authority.
There’s nothing that annoys me newly formed parishes will follow Positive Media Group Limited cannot be held responsible for goods or services or the copyright of content supplied by our advertisers.
more than seeing people chuck suit and make this a priority.
stuff away willy nilly and although We are all responsible people Reg. in England & Wales. No: 4513027, at Arclite House, Hillmead, Swindon SN5 5YN. Printed by pcp Telford
there is a lot to be proud of in the though and it is us that need
town if people continue to treat it to ensure we keep our town
with such contempt it’s hard for us tidy. There are already lots of
to have real pride. community groups who go
It only takes a few seconds to put out of their way to clean up
your litter in a bin and we’re all neighbourhoods and they should be
responsible for this. praised but let’s have some pride
Another worrying aspect of this is and tidy up after ourselves.
that one of the responsibilities that [email protected]
The Spirit of Swindon: Levelling the playing field

By Sue Pycroft on behalf of Spirit of residents in employment, against 74
Swindon per cent nationally.
One of the key factors in reducing But we haven’t got it right yet.
inequality in a society is access In 2015/16, 54 per cent of our 16
to education. The Equality Trust, a year olds who attended Swindon
charity that works to improve the schools gained five A*-C GCSEs with
quality of life by reducing economic English and Maths, compared to
inequality, states: “Everybody agrees a national average of 57 per cent.
that education is important and Clearly, that needs to improve. This
that education benefits societies difference persists in our adult
as well as individuals. People with residents. Nationally, 74 per cent
more education earn more, pay of 16-64 year olds have GCSE level
more taxes, are more productive, qualifications, but in Swindon we
and happier. Well educated people lag behind at 69 per cent. And approach is supporting all young can sponsor this important work;
contribute more to society; they’re while 37 per cent of UK residents people and their families to explore work with schools to bring to life
also more likely to volunteer and have university level qualifications, the lifelong benefits that higher the ‘world of work’; build young
to vote.” only 29 per cent of Swindon qualifications can bring. Routes to people’s employability skills by
So how is Swindon doing in terms residents have achieved that level. higher level skills and degrees have offering experience of work;
of educating its young people, to We can, and must, do better. never been easier whether young or benefit from young people’s
help them achieve their goals and The good news is that practical people choose go to University or skills by training them as an
enable them to give back to the steps are being taken to raise the achieve a degree apprenticeship apprentice. For information email:
community they live in? bar, and we can all play a part in whilst in work. Swindon Challenge [email protected]
In many ways, Swindon is doing that. It is recognised that one of is enabling a national education We all want our children to have
well, despite the recent public the significant issues relating to expert, Marc Rowland, to work full, rewarding and happy lives.
criticism. Overall, the numbers education is lack of aspiration – in partnership with Swindon We need to help our young people
of young people participating among some students, parents, and secondary schools. The schools to aim higher, for themselves and
in education, employment and employers. A new initiative, called will collaborate to identify and ultimately for what they will put
training is high, with the number Swindon Challenge, is being applied implement what works well to back into society. We should never
of 18 to 24 year olds seeking work to every child in every school. raise aspirations including support think that a good education is “for
lower than the national average. Swindon Challenge is a partnership for vulnerable pupils. Swindon someone else”. It should be “for me
The town’s strong, diverse economy with schools, local businesses, Challenge is aspirational for all and mine, too”.
offers young people employment further education colleges and young people no matter what their Spirit of Swindon has emerged
opportunities in a range of Oxford Brookes University. It starting point. So what can we all from a gathering of people who
industries including advanced will build on the town’s existing do to support this? want to raise consciousness of the
engineering, financial services, strengths to improve education Employers and parents can get impact of economic inequality and
science and technology, and digital. and employment outcomes for in touch with Swindon Challenge help Swindon offer a lead to other
Overall, we have 78 per cent of everyone. This collaborative to find out more about how you towns and cities in the UK.
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