I'm so proud of how our Swindon community has come together to support Ukraine over the past year, so it was great to be back at the Town Gardens last Thursday on Ukraine Independence Day. I have worked closely with the Swindon Welcomes Ukraine team, so it was good to meet Vice-Chair Kris Talikowski to discuss the incredible progress the group has made since the beginning of the illegal war in Ukraine.
Swindon Welcomes Ukraine was formed when the hosts got together in Swindon to welcome the new Ukrainian community. Kris explained that some of the Ukrainians who started to come over were natural leaders, so they were invited to join the group before they started looking at the most pressing needs and the projects that needed the most attention.
English classes were offered to those who came over, along with free bikes to help with mobility. Every week, a get-together is held at the Pattern Church in Penzance Drive, close to the Outlet Village, where the group are really starting to build the foundations of what has become a really strong Ukrainian community right here in Swindon.
Last year on Independence Day, Swindon Welcomes Ukraine Chair Sofia Voloyvk left for her huge charity walk to Ben Nevis in Scotland. This Ukrainian Independence Day, a Ukrainian Festival was organised by the group to bring the Swindon and Ukrainian communities together, to showcase some of the amazing things that Ukrainian culture is all about.
It has been my pleasure to work closely with the group since its inception and even welcome them to Parliament for a tour. The Ukrainian community are making a huge contribution here in Swindon, and it was great to celebrate the independence of a sovereign state in the heart of Europe, as well as reminding people about the appalling war that is going on right now. Here in Swindon, we show real solidarity with our Ukrainian friends, and we must continue to support them.
I was also very pleased to be back at Oakfield in Park North last Wednesday, on a beautiful summer’s day, to celebrate the development that Nationwide has brought forward. There are over two hundred homes new homes in Marlowe Avenue, which have been built in close consultation with the local community and are now starting to sell.
There has been strong support for the brownfield development, and I have been delighted to work with Nationwide on disability issues and getting this development right. It was great to join the local community and celebrate not just the new homes, but the open space that is now available for our children and young people to enjoy.
The Letby case that many of us will have been following has been truly horrific, to the extent that no words can adequately describe the breadth and depth of her crimes. Letby’s refusal to come into the dock to face the families of her victims as their impact statements were read out has been a final insult that added to the already heinous injury and loss, she caused to so many. There have been several similar cases where this has happened recently, and this must end.
The sentencing process is vitally important, as it is the moment of public accountability for those responsible for committing crimes. It is time for criminals to face the consequences of their behaviour, and I am fully supportive of the government making urgent revisions to our laws to prevent this distressing situation from continuing.
My local charity of the week is Thamesdown Hydrotherapy Pool. Located in Jefferies Avenue in Swindon, this excellent charity has been providing hydrotherapy for the people of Swindon and Wiltshire since 1979. The approachable, enthusiastic team at the pool are dedicated to helping users enjoy the many benefits of hydrotherapy and the pool averages around 700 visitors every week. For further information about this wonderful local charity and to learn how you can support their work, please visit the website here https://www.thamesdownhydrotherapypool.com/index.html
