Archive
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Dunford secures Chippenham role
CHIPPENHAM have appointed stalwart scrum-half Tim Dunford as their manager of rugby. But they have also lost key back row man Ian McNerlin, who has joined nearby Corsham. Veteran Dunford succeeds Jerry Field, who stepped down because of work commitments
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How to avoid being hit by crime
HOUSEHOLDERS in Swindon can get advice on how to avoid becoming a victim of crime from a new booklet. The booklet, launched this week by Wiltshire police, gives tips on issues such as home security, Neighbourhood Watch and CCTV equipment. It also includes
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Old telephones can be recycled
PHONE users can recycle their old models at a designated site at the Barnfield Road depot. Independent research suggests there are some 92,400 unused mobile phones in homes across the borough. These phones are made up of 13 kg of silver and 2.8 kg of
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Celebrity mum of the year backs scheme to assist adoption
Melinda Messenger is backing a scheme to help children awaiting adoption. The Swindon television presenter and celebrity mum of the year will join children from Wootton Bassett's Noremarsh Junior School for the launch of Don't Rule Yourself Out, at Lydiard
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MP at meeting on disability
MICHAEL Wills, MP for North Swindon is to face questions about disability issues in Swindon at a meeting on Friday. He will meet users and staff of Living Options, a community group supporting people with disabilities, at the Shaftesbury Centre in Percy
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Heat is on to stay warm
conserving heat around the home is not something that springs to mind in the heatwave, but many residents may be unaware they are eligible for an insulation grant from Swindon Council. Homeowners who have children under four-years-old qualify for a 100
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Motorists get good news on insurance
SWINDON is the third cheapest place in the country to buy car insurance according to new research. Studies by car insurance Internet site Confused.com say that drivers in the area will be able to benefit from falling insurance premiums over the next quarter
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Currying flavour!
Ref. 25695-95A TINY takeaway in Purton is this year's winner of Swindon's annual curry competition. The Spice Express beat off tough competition from the three other finalists during a cook off at Swindon College. The other finalists were the Lalbagh
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Ridgeway school: £2.5m needed
SCHOOLS IN DISREPAIR:THE TEMPERATURE is rapidly rising at Ridgeway School thanks to a warren of temporary classrooms. In every period more than 130 children have their lessons in these mobile classrooms, which become swelteringly hot in the summer and
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Let us choose
I AM horrified that this Government can be considering forcibly medicating us by putting fluoride in our drinking water. We fought against this in the sixties and with very good reason. Anyone who wishes to use fluoride can take pills or use fluoride
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Church row is storm in a chalice
Is the ongoing debate on attitudes to homosexuality within the Anglican Church really a profound ethical dilemma of national importance? After all, who really cares? Less than five per cent of the UK population are typically found in Church of England
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Cultural life is more than pubs
It was curious to see Councillor Tomlinson's holiday photos given such prominent display in the Adver (EA July 11). But more interesting was what the article told readers about the Lead Member for Culture's ideas of culture. Much play was made of the
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The future of Barbury Castle needs securing
THERE has been concern about the future of Barbury Castle for some while and there is a widely held view that Swindon Borough council are not aware of the importance of this historic site. There have not been any environmental wardens there since this
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Festival ruined by the discos
AS a long standing resident of Chickerell Road I am always in favour of utilising this open area between the Walcot and Park North estates. It needs to be used for everyone's benefit. However, I can not understand why the Caribbean Festival organisers
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Lydney batsman too strong for Box
Box suffered a 49-run defeat at Lydney in Glos/Wilts Division Two. The visitor's seam bowlers were unable to make any inroads as the Lydney openers John Kerr (46) and Wayne Whitson (64) got the home side off to a good start. The introduction of spin not
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Baden power too much as Comptons scout title
The top-of-the-table clash between Nationwide and Comptons saw the latter steal a march in the Swindon Midweek League Division One title race. On a good batting surface, Comptons took advantage of some indifferent bowling and fielding to register 152-
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Gloucestershire aim for purr-fect tonic!
THINGS are looking pretty good for Gloucestershire as we head into an important month ahead. Mood in the camp is good after the win at Derbyshire, which keeps us nicely placed for a promotion challenge, and as long as Atomic Kitten don't prove too much
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Time for a joint village effort
IF children want something badly enough there is nothing wrong with asking them to do something towards providing it. Collecting 300 signatures on a petition for a skateboard park, as youngsters at Shrivenham did, is quite a pretty good effort. And the
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Ambulances need to meet time targets
SWINDON and Marlborough NHS Trust, which operates our main hospital, has just been awarded two stars out of a possible three by Government inspectors, the same as it was last year. So there is still room for improvement. But the rating is a credit to
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I'm all yours
RHYS EVANS is eager to come 'home' and the Swindonian's desire to play for Town has seen both West Ham United and Bolton Wanderers thwarted in their efforts to sign him. The England Under 21 international met chief executive Mark Devlin for talks yesterday
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Chance to lift results
BUSINESSES in south Wiltshire now have a unique chance to improve their performance through their staff, thanks to a new service. Business Link Berkshire and Wiltshire launched the Workforce Development Advisory Service last month and wants as many firms
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Mortgage research
RESEARCH by Sainsbury's Bank has shown that between now and Sept-ember 615,000 people moving house will be taking out mortgages worth about £61 billion. One in five people will choose a flexible mortgage. Lucy Hunter, mortgages product manager for Sainsbury's
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Amtrak's hat-trick
AMTRAK Express Parcels, which has a depot at South Portway Business Centre, Old Sarum, has clinched a hat-trick of new contracts. The company has been chosen by Virgin Wines Online to provide nationwide parcel delivery services. And almost immediately
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Parties help capture professional images
PHOTOGRAPHER Julie Kaye has developed a great idea for parents who have thought about having their child's photo taken professionally but have never got round to it or thought it would be too expensive. Ms Kaye, of Redlynch, says the latest trend is to
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Seminar focuses on e-mail
THE next seminar to be hosted by Cravenplan Computers at its Swallowcliffe headquarters is entitled surviving email. The one-hour free seminar, to be held next Tuesday at 1pm, will give tips and hints on how to get the best from email while avoiding the
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July 31 deadline looms for self-assessment
TAXPAYERS could face hefty charges if they fail to meet the self-assessment deadline on July 31, warns the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. Most affected are those who were due to make a final tax payment in January for the 2001/2 tax year
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Ramps aid access at holiday centre
SANDY Balls Holiday Centre near Fordingbridge is investing nearly £100,000 to ensure that visitors with disabilities have full access to their facilities. The investment will take place over the next two years with about £60,000 being spent during this
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What a beach it is for the bosses
AN INCREASING number of sun-seeking executives are taking their laptop computers on holiday to catch up on work and keep in touch with the office. Those are the findings of the Swindon-based British Computer Society the representative body for the United
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Saw show twice
AS a birthday treat on July 2 I went with my husband, daughter and a friend to see South Pacific at the Arts Centre. It was most enjoyable. In fact I enjoyed it so much I went again to the matinee. Well done to everyone connected with this excellent production
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Shock zero score for ambulancemen
WILTSHIRE Ambulance Service has had its official rating cut from two stars out of three to zero amid consistent failure to meet targets for reaching the most serious emergencies. But Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust, which runs Great Western Hospital
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Wroughton infant school: needs £300,000 worth of work
SCHOOLS IN DISREPAIR: WROUGHTON Infant School is a throwback to the old days of education. Not because its pupils learn by chanting their times tables or because cheeky pupils find themselves being hit with a cane. But because every time one of its pupils
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Drove primary: work totals £50,000
SCHOOLS IN DISREPAIR: THE ROOF of the toilets serving Drove Primary's reception caved in at the end of January and they are still closed. Headteacher Nick Capstick says he does not expect them to be fixed until Christmas at the earliest. Yet unbelievably
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Even Swindon Infant School: needs work totalling £80,000
SCHOOLS IN DISREPAIR: EVEN Swindon Infant School is housed in a Victorian building dating back more than a hundred years. Opened in 1880, it is one of the oldest schools in the town. It could possibly merge with Even Swindon Junior School, which moved
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In a state of disrepair
Ref. 25430-57SCHOOLS IN DISREPAIR: Swindon schools' summer holiday is starting with a shadow hanging over it in the form of £51m worth of work needed in the borough. JAMES WATSON reports IN LESS than a week's time children will be enjoying their summer
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Joy for MP Julia and husband Bill
SOUTH Swindon MP Julia Drown and husband Bill Child have announced the birth of a healthy baby daughter. The couple, who live in Bath Road, were today relaxing after the homebirth. Ms Drown, 40, already has a son, Harvey Dexter, 3, but the couple's first
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Adrian is Innes the money as South Cerney go up
SOUTH Cerney AC put up a great performance in the Division Three National on the River Trent as they won promotion, writes GODFREY HARGREAVES. They move up for the second consecutive year after finishing seventh out of the 41 teams. What was also great
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Marlborough cup test for Supermarine
MARLBOROUGH will host Supermarine in the first round of this season's Dorset & Wilts 1st XV Vase. Cricklade are also in first-round action, and are due to host Wheatsheaf, with a November 15 home tie against last season's beaten semi-finallists Swindon
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Swindon shock leaders Winget
SWINDON pulled out all the stops to smash top-of-the-table Winget by 53 runs and gain 20 priceless points. Skipper Will Nichols won the toss and had no hesitation in opting to bat against the league leaders. Openers Brett Sydney-Smith and Darren Beasant
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Toomey knock fires Bassett
Opener Sean Toomey led the way for Wootton Bassett Under 13s as they halted Purton's climb in the North Wilts Junior League. Playing at home, Toomey fell just three short of a half-century, Sean McNish weighing in with 23 and Aaron Stevens 20 as Bassett
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It's a cruise for Wiltshire
WILTSHIRE cruised to a six-wicket victory over Oxfordshire in their latest Minor County Championship match played at Salisbury. Set 136 to win they knocked off the runs for the loss of only four wickets with over 30 overs to spare. Baqar Rizvi followed
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Personal injury new focus
SOLICITORS Pye-Smiths of Salisbury have promoted David Healy to head of their new personal injury department. He has been with the firm eight years and has moved to his new role after being head of the civil litigation department. The new department,
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Human resource law examined
EMPLOYMENT law firm Peninsula hosted a seminar at the Red House, in Cholderton, last week to help businesses better understand the issues surrounding human resources red tape. Speaking at the seminar was one of Peninsula's specialists, with experience
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Suntan clinic ends queues
A NEW way of getting a suntan has been introduced to Salisbury. Maxitan, which is based in Endless Street, enables customers to enjoy a tanning session without having to book in advance. The idea comes from Salisbury businessman Chris Bartley. He said
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PR firm launched
A NEW public relations consultancy has been launched in Ringwood. McKenna Townsend Public Relations has been founded by Matthew McKenna, chairman of the Wessex Institute of Public Relations, and Sarah Townsend. The new consultancy will be working with
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Beware back taxes
MANY small family businesses in Salisbury could be charged back-tax and penalties costing thousands of pounds because the Inland Revenue is changing the way it applies the rules to such companies. Andrew Lines, tax director at accountants Smith &
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It's intolerance
I HAVE no need for I G Reeves' sympathy regarding their misconception that I need drugs to enjoy my life. I never have, and never will use drugs. My only vice is the occasional pint of Guinness. I merely pointed out that the magic mushrooms in question
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A touch of prickly heat
Ref. 25697-11As the mercury continues to rise everyone from children to hedgehogs are being affected by the heat- wave. Some 750 youngsters from St Joseph's School, Queen's Drive, in Swindon, were challenged by the heat as well as each other at their
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Hot weather takes its toll
Ref. 25705-55SWELTERING conditions contributed to this car fire. Firefighters from Swin-don were called to Upham Road where the driver of the Vauxhall Astra had pulled in off the road. Eyewitnesses said the woman driver leapt out of the Vauxhall Astra
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Shock zero score for ambulancemen
WILTSHIRE Ambulance Service has had its official rating cut from two stars out of three to zero amid consistent failure to meet targets for reaching the most serious emergencies. But Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust, which runs Great Western Hospital
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Ring of steel
Ref. 25704-05Armed police are patrolling a Swindon hotel, as speculation mounts over which VIPs will be staying there in the run up to the weekend's International Air Tattoo. A RING of steel has been put up around a Swindon hotel in anticipation of the
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Football briefs
The Spitfires Fun Day and Tournament takes place this weekend weekend at South Marston Rec. The Fun Day starts at 11am on Saturday and is aimed at providing coaching, games and competitions for under 12 girls, with an under 12 tournament on same afternoon
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Advice services to get £137,615 funding for the next three years
SWINDON Mayor Derek Benfield held a celebratory reception after a cash bid secured funding for the Safer Swindon Shop and Consumer Advice Service for the next three years. The two services, which run in Havelock Street, have received £137,615 from the
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On their bikes for grand pub crawl
Ref. 25706-12SWINDON CARES: CYCLISTS took part in a pub-crawl on wheels as part of Swindon Cares week. Swindon Cares aims to raise £10,000 for three local charities during seven dedicated days of moneymaking activities, which ends on Saturday. To support
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It's end of trail for young scramblers
Ref. 25671-53A TEENAGER who was caught by police illegally using scrubland as a scrambling course has described the law as silly. Dean O'Sullivan, 16, and his biker mates have transformed a section of the fields backing on to the River Ray nature trail
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Reluctant nod for a skateboard park
Ref. 25190-07A PARISH council is to ask local children to raise money for a new skateboard park despite having more than £100,000 in the bank. Shrivenham Parish councillors have voted to back the principle of a skatepark in the village following a campaign
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Gran Hazel, 59, takes part in 10,000ft jump
The grandmother of a girl who died from cancer completed a 10,000 ft parachute jump for charity. Hazel Cherry, 59, whose three-year-old granddaughter Abby died last July, was one of eight daredevils, including Abby's mum Helen Smith, raising money for
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Pupils way of saying welcome
Ref. 25636-31CHILDREN at Covingham Park Infants' School were inspired by great artists to create decorated tiles. Kandinsky's Concentric Circles and Van Gogh's Sunflowers were two of the masters whose work was used to motivate the pupils. A total of 180
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A helping hand for young mums to be
A COURSE to help pregnant young women cope with motherhood is set to return to Swindon. The Young Mums To Be course, run by U-Too Training, aims to provide information and support to new parents aged between 16 and 21. Following its success last year,
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Judges free man jailed for child porn
A SWINDON man who downloaded child pornography by mistake walked free after judges overturned his three-month jail sentence and accepted he was not a paedophile. Michael Saunders, 37, of William Street, pleaded guilty at Middlesex Guildhall Crown Court
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Experience how the Luminarium can light up your life
Ref. 25703-84A STRANGE temple-like structure has been inflated in Faringdon Road Park in time for today's launch of the Swindon Summer Festival. Called the Luminarium, the construction is around 40 metres long and 10 metres tall. The structure is designed
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The day they thought she'd never reach
Ref. 25700-9Megan O'Mahoney was born 16 weeks premature and was predicted to have around 30 per cent chance of surviving. Now the bright four-year-old is looking forward to her first day at school at Liden Primary School in Septem-ber. Her parents Paula
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Shield is awarded to cyclists
Ref. 25637-6SWINDON CANCER APPEAL: The largest team to complete the Macmillan Bike Ride was awarded a commemorative shield. The Cricketers pub team, from Emlyn Square, comprised 10 cyclists for the ride, which raised more than £500 for the Swindon Cancer
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Potter books set to sell for £25,000
Ref. 25699-72A SET of signed first editions of the first four Harry Potter books is expected to sell for up to £25,000 at a Swindon auction. The sale at Dominic Winter Book Auctions in Maxwell Street comes in the wake of the fifth volume in JK Rowling's
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Wanborough primary: £100,000-150,000 needed
SCHOOLS IN DISREPAIR: ACCORDING to Government inspectors Ofsted, Wanborough Primary is one of the best schools in Swindon. Continually ranked highly in the school league tables, it seems the model of successful village primary. But visit the school and
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Still no beds
IN response to your very interesting article by Ben Fitzgerald (EA July 10) regarding the story (Ambulance running late) I think this may not be such a bad thing given that when you do reach our new state of the art hospital there don't seem to be beds
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Honda needs to work with union and ACAS
YOUR story "Union wins 3.7 per cent rise for Honda workers" (Evening Advertiser June 19, 2003) accurately reflected the outcome of the binding arbitration determined by ACAS following presentations by both Honda and Amicus. The arbitrator Dr David Simpson
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Paving still uneven
I HAVE sympathy for Mrs Folland and hope she will recover for the wedding. I also hope that she will get more consideration from the council than I did. I fell due to an uneven paving slab resulting in a smashed shoulder and had to have an artificial
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Death penalty does not deter murderers
MR SCOTT (letters, June 26) writing in favour of the death penalty claims that it is an effective deterrent to murder. However, the fact is that the death penalty is not an effective deterrent. A United Nations report published in 2002, found that there
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Tykes up first
BATH will face former coach Jon Callard in a tricky opener to their Zurich Premiership campaign in September. The Recreation Ground side, who avoided relegation by the skin of the ir teeth last season, learned they must travel to face Leeds Tykes on September
