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Community News

Celebrating Positive Swindon
By Group Editor Jamie Hill Swindon
In every corner of Swindon there
Positive
are selfless people helping others.
These are the people who go out Director: James Phipps ADVERTISING
of their way with no benefit for Executive Chairman: Julian Barlow Call 01793 781502 or
themselves. They volunteer their Group Editor: Jamie Hill email: [email protected]
time and their energy to make Chief Reporter: Ben Fitzgerald
Swindon a better place. Associate: Roger Ogle Closing date for April adverts
and editorial: 8 March
They are the altruistic carers and Reporter: Mike Barham April edition published:
givers that glue our communities Sales: Dave Stewart & Rosy Presley 24 March
together. marketing campaign which was Photography: Richard Wintle & Rachel
This month we aim to celebrate launched with much fanfare a Davis - www.calyxpix.com
these people and groups with our few weeks ago. This campaign Positive Media Group Limited, Unit 3, Arclite House, Century Road, Swindon SN5 5YN
Positive Swindon feature which has seen community and business T: 01793 744677 E: [email protected]
starts on page 13. leaders come together to promote Our Statistics
As part of this we look at the all that is good about Swindon to Est. Readership of 100,000 in print & c.20,000 monthly online visitors.
Pride of Swindon awards, which not only attract businesses to the Swindon’s largest free publication. Advertising starts from just £57.
has become a mainstay in the town but to also make us residents The contents of The Link are protected by copyright. Use of advertisements in printed or electronic form is forbidden unless
Swindon cultural calendar. remember all that makes Swindon an advertiser or publisher has sought permission. Articles and photographs require similar authority.
This year it takes place at Steam great. Positive Media Group Limited cannot be held responsible for goods or services or the copyright of content supplied by our advertisers.
Museum on Thursday March 16 Another aspect we celebrate is all Reg. in England & Wales. No: 4513027, at Arclite House, Hillmead, Swindon SN5 5YN. Printed by pcp Telford
and it is an awards ceremony we the volunteer groups in the town
are happy to sponsor. - they are the hidden army that
Every year it is always a surprise deserve our praise.
how many entries there are for We take our remit as the
the awards. It’s amazing just how ‘positive’ news force seriously at
many people are out there who The Link. Our job is to highlight all
selflessly help other people. the great things going on in the
We also look at the newly town and long may it continue.
unveiled Switch On To Swindon [email protected]
The Spirit of Swindon: The gap between greater wealth and better health

By Tom Wilkes on behalf of Spirit lower in Swindon than nationally
of Swindon at 2.3 per 1000 live births but the
“Pain is a gift to draw attention to a overall mortality rate for children is 1184
problem we have failed to notice.” higher - 14.6 per 100 000 children
This quote from the US pastor TD compared with 11.9 nationally. Alcohol related
Jakes was the postscript to last Alcohol or drug misuse by parents Hospital admissions
month’s Spirit of Swindon article seriously impacts their children but in 2013/2014
looking at the impact of income also affects the wider community,
inequality on the health of a nation. another reminder that inequality is a
In that article we drew attention problem for us all. In 2013/14 there
to the nine year difference in were 1,184 hospital admissions
life expectancy between two related to alcohol; the admission
neighbourhoods in our town and rate for males was lower than
some uncomfortable realities about average for England but for females
our weight and physical activity. it was higher. the pain for the USA is inequality. to support young people struggling
You might expect that people It is a sobering reality that mental He described the American dream with their sense of wellbeing, or
who live in wealthier countries, on health is the largest single cause of as having turned into a nightmare befriending elderly neighbours
average, would enjoy better health disability and represents 28% of the because people have not been and helping them get to hospital
and longer life expectancy than disease burden in the UK. included in the strategy for success. appointments? Let us know what
those who live in poorer countries. According to the National Jakes speaks of anarchy erupting you have been doing by email to
Yet that is not the case. The data Wellbeing Survey, people who live in when someone in power forgets [email protected] with
show that what most impacts the Swindon feel slightly less satisfied someone who is not. The divisions Spirit of Swindon as the subject.
health of a nation is the difference than the national population but in US society are becoming For more information on health
in levels of income within a country. on average we feel happier, and less more and more apparent, but issues visit www.swindonjsna.co.uk,
Those with the greatest gap in anxious. This sense of wellbeing the divisions in other countries, and make your voice heard on
income between the 20% richest had slipped back a little in 2012/13 including the UK, are also harder health issues which have a greater
and poorest have more health- while the South West in general to ignore. Not all of our health- impact on the poorer through
related problems than more equal had improved. Overall there was related issues in the UK will be www.healthwatch.co.uk. Lastly,
societies. Worryingly, the UK is no significant difference between clearly linked to inequality, but don’t forget Stewart Lansley’s talk
among the more unequal. men and women. Of real concern many seem to be. Can Swindon at Gorse Hill Baptist Church at 7pm
Addiction to drugs or alcohol, nationally is the rising number of be in the vanguard nationally on Thursday 30 March.
mental health problems, and young people with mental health in naming and finding ways to Spirit of Swindon has emerged
infant or child mortality rates are issues. Living in the most socio- address this? from a gathering of people who
significant issues related to levels economically deprived areas of What one thing might you do want to raise consciousness of the
of income inequality. It is good to the town was associated with the which shows you have noticed the impact of economic inequality and
know that the number of children lowest sense of wellbeing. pain and want to do something help Swindon offer a lead to other
dying in infancy is statistically For TD Jakes, the problem causing about it? How about volunteering towns and cities in the UK.
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