Page 25 - link magazine

Swindon Wide

A centre of excellence in the early days of West Swindon

From The Archives with Link money for an adventure playground.
founding publisher Roger Ogle Teacher of the deaf Libbie
Libbie Sheppard and Terry Waters Sheppard and her husband lived at
describe a project for the deaf and the centre for about three years,
hearing in West Swindon from supported by Terry Waters, and a
1973 to 1989. programme of day and weekend
In the early 1970s, the Breakthrough events was developed to provide
Trust (Deaf-Hearing Integration) opportunities for deaf and hearing
Charity, leased Roughmoor children and families. Projects
Farmhouse to the north of Shaw. included children’s activities, sports
Thamesdown Council had weekends, social development and
bought the land to the west of integration, mother and children The Roughmoor Centre, looking east, in about 1979.
Swindon for future development groups and art weekends.
and Breakthrough was offered The centre was so popular that buildings to create a community was heavily booked for many varied
the building and the surrounding Terry and his wife Ethel decided hall. They were in parts and deaf projects, and by national deaf
farmyard on a short term lease to to move from Southampton to and hearing volunteers visited organisations for their meetings in
provide a much-needed local base. Swindon with their two young every weekend for over a year to a quiet and safe rural environment.
The charity renamed the children to help run the project. help with the assembly, guided by a By the mid-1980s the
farmhouse, accessed from the back The farmhouse was sparse but volunteer architect who made sure development of West Swindon,
road from Nine Elms to Common comfortable, but proper facilities that all the tasks were understood which had started in 1974, was
Platt, the Roughmoor Centre. were needed and more fundraising by deaf and hearing alike. Marks moving into its later phases and
Breakthrough’s philosophy was to met the costs of installing central & Spencer provided furniture for houses at Nine Elms and Peatmoor
integrate deaf and hearing people heating, materials for 24 bunk the hall and Swindon Community were being occupied. By that time
by encouraging communication, beds for the six bedrooms, made Service Workers (offenders) helped Roughmoor Centre was accessed
through practical projects, to by volunteers, adequate cooking in painting, decorating and clearing via Swinley Drive, next to the
improve deaf awareness. facilities to replace the old the rough areas. Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Hall,
Thamesdown Voluntary Service farmhouse Aga, carpets, and a new The Jubilee Hall, as it became and in 1989 the centre closed.
Council (TVSC) was especially septic tank as mains provision was known, was officially opened by The buildings and the play area
supportive in the early days and. still several years away. Joel Joffe – now Lord Joffe CBE – were soon razed to the ground
people in the town donated coal for As more people started to come who was chairman of Allied Dunbar when The council sold the site for
the fires, furniture, office equipment from Swindon and the rest of the (now Zurich) at the time. He also 12 executive houses. But planners
and paint to renovate the rooms. country, as well as Europe, more arranged a grant to cover the salary retained the sense of the history of
Swindon Town Football Club even space was needed. Hills Waste for one of the four workers. the area by naming the new cul-
played a charity match and raised donated three old prefabricated From 1975 onwards the centre de-sac Roughmoor Farm Close.

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