Archive
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It's back
JUNE 24: Swindon once hosted a marathon which attracted top runners and raised money for good causes. Now, the athletic tradition looks set to be revived thanks to a new fundraising initiative backed by the town's business community, writes Bhavani Vadde
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£1,200 gives charity drive a head start
SWINDON CARES has been given a £1,200 boost even before the serious fundraising has started. The initiative aims to raise £10,000 for three local charities during Swindon Cares week - seven dedicated days of moneymaking activities, which starts on Saturday
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Radio presenters wear teddies to work and not much else
Ref. 25675-29JULY 15: RADIO presenters Howard Taylor and Heidi Humphrey didn't have to worry about what to wear to work yesterday. That's because they broadcast the GWR FM's breakfast show while in the nude. They were honouring a promise to bare all if
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Perrin fightback
CORSHAM'S Steve Perrin led Wiltshire's fightback on the second day of their Minor Counties Championship match against Oxfordshire at the South Wilts club, Salisbury yesterday. The Forest Green Rovers goalkeeper struck an unbeaten 117 as the home side
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Results
Division One: Westinghouse 169-7 (C Ferris 71no) (21), Potterne 118ao (S Coombes 5-36) (5); Calne 211-8 (L Sheppard 74, D Shuker 51no) 10), Beanacre 215-9 (R Howard 108no) (20); Biddestone 218-6 (D Perry 66, J Mason 65) (20), Burbage & ER 129-8 (G
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Just think of snow in winter
THE national amnesia over the seasons and the climate seems to have struck again, with the heat taking us by surprise. Or perhaps it's because our climate is so changeable that we are shocked when it veers to an extreme. For the record, it sometimes gets
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Saint's Alive!
BRIAN HOWARD was poised to agree a move to the County Ground today after the club's chief executive assured Andy King that the money is in place to finance the deal. The Town boss has been very impressed with the 20-year-old during his trial spell at
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Doomed airbase under discussion
DOOMED airbase RAF Lyneham will be discussed in the House of Commons tonight (Tuesday) amid concern about possible future uses of the site. James Gray, MP for North Wiltshire, called for the adjournment debate. It comes in the wake of him demanding answers
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It's a whitewash for Westlecot
WESTLECOT have qualified for the last 16 of the English Bowling Association National Top Team competition. In the area final they whitewashed Berkshire champions Suttons (Reading) 5-0. It was a fine victory as the Sutton side contained six Berkshire Middleton
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Yeovil held by the Bluebirds
CHIPPENHAM boss Tommy Saunders unleashed former Swindon Town defender Gareth Hall as his side drew 0-0 in a pre-season friendly with Football League new boys Yeovil Town last night. Hall will stay with the Bluebirds throughout the summer campaign before
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Be accessible or face trouble
Confusion over the Disability Discrimination Act's requirements, which come into force in October 2004, mean many local businesses could face additional costs and discrimination cases for failing to carry out the necessary physical alterations to their
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Doomed airbase under discussion
DOOMED airbase RAF Lyneham will be discussed in the House of Commons tonight (Tuesday) amid concern about possible future uses of the site. James Gray, MP for North Wiltshire, called for the adjournment debate. It comes in the wake of him demanding answers
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South Marston notches up 130 years
Ref. 25680-06ONE OF the oldest schools in Swindon is celebrating its 130th birthday. Teachers, parents and children at South Marston Primary School took advantage of the sunshine to hold a day of fun and games to mark the date. The school was opened in
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Teenager's life sentence cut after appeal hearing
A TEENAGER sentenced to life after setting her flat on fire in a suicide bid has walked free after judges instead imposed a community penalty. Claire Carter, 19, was jailed for life at Swindon Crown Court in January. Judge John McNaught said she must
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Council reviews its school meals deal
SWINDON Council is reviewing the way it provides school meals because the service is currently proving too costly to run. The review follows a decision to close Covingham Park Junior School's kitchen because only 10 of the school's 240 pupils ate hot
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Get a grip George, don't waste a life
Ref. 25688-18THE mother of a schoolgirl who received messages of support from George Best while waiting for a life-saving liver transplant, says he should "get a grip" and stop drinking. While recovering from his own liver transplant last year, former
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Tan-tastic!
Ref. 25683-40THE people of Swindon are making the most of the soaring summer temperatures. As the mercury soared to 32.5C - or a scorching 90F - in the shade, parents with young children made a bee-line for the outdoor pool at Coate Water to cool down
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Longleaze: Best in the west
LONGLEAZE School did their district proud as they lifted the Western Counties Youth Games TAG rugby title at Millfield on Saturday. The Wootton Bassett school followed up their victory at the midweek Wootton Bassett Tag Festival, taking the honours despite
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The award winners
CRICKLADE Youth Football Club is celebrating after being awarded the FA Charter Standard. The end of season presentation evening at Cricklade Town Hall on Saturday saw the club receive the accolade from Wiltshire County FA members Barrie Stevens and Keith
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Six are hit on high street
FOUR pensioners on a coaching holiday and two pedestrians were injured after a runaway car ploughed into them in Marlborough High Street. The accident happened when a Suzuki Grand Vitara 4X4 careered off the road and mounted the pavement opposite the
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RIAT organisers send message of sympathy
THE organisers of the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford have expressed their sympathies to the families of two aircrew who lost their lives at another airshow. The historic Fairey Firefly aircraft was operated by the Royal Navy Historic Flight
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Drinker is jailed for pub landlord attack
Ref. 25677-71A BARRED drinker who tracked down a Gorse Hill landlord before punching him unconscious has been jailed for nine months. But John Honeyman, who runs the Swiss Chalet pub in Chapel Street, says he now wants to forget about the incident and
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Engineer wins bid for compensation
Ref. 25654-09A WOOTTON Bassett man has been awarded £6,000 after working with asbestos for more than 30 years without any protection. Michael McCarthy, 59, of Laburnam Drive, was employed as a plumbing and heating engineer with Birming-ham-based AR Hancox
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Mayor enjoys the food of love from young musicians
Ref. 25665-08Mayor Derek Benfield joined a group of young musicians as they rehearsed for a Shakespeare in the Park event. The Swindon Young Musicians are providing a lively repertoire of music at the event before the main showpieces of Shakespeare's
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Wacky ways of raising cash
JULY 7: Swindon Cares is aiming to raise a minimum of £10,000 for the NSPCC, Age Concern and the Swindon Cancer Appeal. BHAVANI VADDE reports on next week's fundraising. WITHIN two weeks of being launched, an appeal has inspired people to think of weird
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Pulling together to raise charity cash
JULY 11: BREWERY boss James Arkell has met charity workers who will benefit from the mammoth Swindon Cares fundraising drive. Mr Arkell, who is spearheading Swindon Cares, met representatives from the NSPCC, Age Concern and the Swindon Cancer Appeal,
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Leaders crash to Beanacre
DIVISION ONE Beanacre sprang a second shock in two weeks as they finally moved off the foot of the table following their narrow victory at league leaders Calne. Batting first, Calne scored 211-8 with Lee Sheppard (74) and Dan Shuker 51 not out. In response
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Aussie Rules!
LECHLADE'S Australian all-rounder Nick Smith was in record-breaking form in Saturday's Wiltshire League Division Two match at Minety. He returned bowling figures of 10-48 to become only the second player to take all 10 wickets in the league's history,
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Two sides of addicted soccer hero
OF the many people who are disappointed that George Best has turned back to drink after a liver transplant made necessary by his alcoholism, few can be more disappointed than schoolgirl Katy Dean, who is waiting for her own transplant. While recovering
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Swindon slump to a 4-1 defeat
Parkstone turned the tables on Swindon after last year's defeat of the East Dorset club, winning 4-1. The Swindon pair of John Airey and Ian Megaw could not make any headway against the experience of Terry Wood, the A class captain of Parkstone and Mike
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Alder King land major contract
COMMERCIAL property agents Alder King are celebrating after winning a major contract. Nationwide Building Society, which has its headquarters in Pipers Way, Old Town, has outsourced the management of its entire portfolio of high street retail and office
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Plastic fantastic for firm's recycling idea
Employees at Linpac Environmental, on the Leafield Industrial Estate in Corsham are celebrating after winning one of the UK's top environmental Oscars at the British Plastics Industry Awards. Linpac won the Best Environmental Initiative trophy for its
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Engineer wins bid for compensation
Ref. 25654-09A WOOTTON Bassett man has been awarded £6,000 after working with asbestos for more than 30 years without any protection. Michael McCarthy, 59, of Laburnam Drive, was employed as a plumbing and heating engineer with Birming-ham-based AR Hancox
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Get a grip George
Ref. 25688-18THE mother of a schoolgirl who received messages of support from George Best while waiting for a life-saving liver transplant, says he should "get a grip" and stop drinking. While recovering from his own liver transplant last year, former
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Festival fun is set to get under way
TOWN centre shoppers will witness an explosion of colourful entertainment as the Swindon Summer Festival kicks off tomorrow (Wednesday). There will be around 30 different acts, providing around 80 performances during the festival, with performances every
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Queueing up for a new life
Ref. 25622-49Queues of immigrant workers outside employment agencies have grown in recently. That's because foreign workers are stepping in to fill gaps in the labour market especially people from the Indian holiday destination of Goa. Bhavani Vadde spoke
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Man exposed himself to woman in recreation area
POLICE are searching for a man who indecently exposed himself in a recreation area in Gorse Hill. A 28-year-old woman was walking across an area known locally as the Venny, between Cricklade Road and Pinehurst Road, when the man, who was naked except
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Six are hit on high street
FOUR pensioners on a coaching holiday and two pedestrians were injured after a runaway car ploughed into them in Marlborough High Street. The accident happened when a Suzuki Grand Vitara 4X4 careered off the road and mounted the pavement opposite the
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Town squad look to get into gear!
SWINDON'S Under 16s are gearing up for the coming season if they can find a team sponsor that is. As under 15s, the fast improving squad finished runners-up and took the fair play trophy at the Newbury 10s tournament last season, and are now keen to secure
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Marine open at home
SWINDON Supermarine will begin their third season in the Dr Martens Western Division with a home clash against Gresley on August 16. Ray Baverstock's side, who have twice escaped from relegation on the final day of the season, can ease the pressure early
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Radio presenters wear teddies to work and not much else
Ref. 25675-29SWINDON CARES: RADIO presenters Howard Taylor and Heidi Humphrey didn't have to worry about what to wear to work yesterday. That's because they broadcast the GWR FM's breakfast show while in the nude. They were honouring a promise to bare
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Walking bus cutting down school traffic
Ref. 25687-32AN INFANT school has come up with a novel way of cutting down traffic outside its gates. As part of its bid to earn the Healthy Schools Award, Even Swindon Infant School has launched a walking bus. Children in a walking bus are escorted by
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Doomed airbase under discussion
DOOMED airbase RAF Lyneham will be discussed in the House of Commons tonight amid concern about possible future uses of the site. James Gray, MP for North Wiltshire, called for the adjournment debate. It comes in the wake of him demanding answers about
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Perfect weather to hold a garden party
Ref. 25663-37SWINDON CANCER APPEAL:THE skies could not have been bluer or less cloudy when scores of people gathered for a garden party. The green lawn of Valerie Nix's Lawn garden was the perfect setting for the party in aid of the Swindon Cancer Appeal
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Double fun at reunion
Ref. 25676-59Like two peas in a pod, the identical faces of the Harris twins smile out from their school photo. Now almost 70 years later, people are still hard pushed to tell them apart. But Vera and Kathleen, whose married surnames are Mabberley and
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Drive for a new minibus pays dividends
Ref. 25658-12AGE Concern in Purton has taken delivery of a new minibus after raising £29,000. The new 14-seat Renault Master was handed over to Age Concern at a special ceremony at Purton's Red House Social Club. The money was raised through Age Concern
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Parking cost at railway station should be cut
After reading the article regarding Parking Plea Over 999 Fears, I would like to make the following comments. There is a substantial amount of parking next to Chippenham train station and the adjacent Olympiad car park, but the reason the majority of
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Campaign to banish ageism in workplace
SUE Barrow is correct in saying that discrimination on grounds of chronological age is alive in Swindon (EA, July 8). We have found plenty of examples not least in public services. In employment it is still legal and, although the government is consulting
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Don't blame the 4x4's for damage
AS someone who has enjoyed the Ridgeway for many years, I would like to make several points. I and my family have walked, mountain-biked and driven this ancient track. Over the last 40 years or so, several things have become obvious to us. 1. The damage
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Cat owners should take responsibility
IN response to the outcry my letter received from all the cat lovers, I must say not one of them has written anything constructive. Not one person has actually read my letter correctly. I did not say I hated cats. I said that owners should be accountable
