It was great to be back at Central Library in Swindon Town Centre on Sunday to find out more about the free virtual reality experiences on offer to local residents as part of StoryTrails.
As part of the National Unboxed Festival, Swindon Libraries is one of only fifteen UK library services chosen to host StoryTrails, which uses cutting-edge technology to take people on a local story journey. Guided tours were also available around the town over the Bank Holiday Weekend. This was a great way to experience and enjoy our town’s history and I am delighted to hear that following the event, StoryTrails very generously gifted Swindon Libraries some of the technology, so that this exciting work can continue within the local community. Further news about this will be available over the next few weeks.
Another local event to look forward to here in Swindon is the Community Heritage Festival, which will take place at Central Community Centre, located in the heart of Swindon’s Railway Village, on Saturday 10th September between 10am and 4pm. This promises to be a day packed with fun for the whole family, bringing together diverse Swindon heritages including English, Bangladeshi, South African, Nepalese, Indian, Polish, and many more. Why not go along and experience and share in both the history and future of our town?
Many local residents have been in touch with me to share their concerns and worries about the current energy issues. The Government is currently working on the necessary measures to be taken to build on the £37b support package they are already rolling out, and, with a new PM in place next week, we will see more action being taken to deal with a very serious situation that faces all of us.
I am pleased that Swindon’s new state-of-the-art £21million Government funded Institute of Technology will be opening soon at New College Swindon’s North Star Complex. Alongside North Swindon MP, Justin Tomlinson, I campaigned hard for a new Institute of Technology to be built here in the town, and I was delighted when Swindon was awarded funding to build one of the first twelve Institutes of Technology in the country.
The new Institute of Technology builds on both mine and Justin Tomlinson MP’s pledge to help more people here in the town into higher wage and higher skilled jobs, and this state-of-the-art training facility will deliver higher level technical education and training across a range of STEM occupations and industries.
Working adults will be offered free digital skills courses delivered by the IoT in STEM sectors including engineering, digital, and construction. Here in Swindon, sought-after STEM courses on offer will include Cyber Security, Cloud Management, Agile Methodology, DEVOp, and Data Analysis.
I would like to thank New College, Swindon Borough Council, The Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Project, Oxford Brookes University, Cirencester College, the University of Gloucestershire, Excalibur Communications, Nationwide, Create Studios, Catalent, Recycling Technologies, and Render, who have all been involved in working on the new Institute of Technology.
On 8th October there will be an open day at the Swindon Institute of Technology with tours. Further details about this and the IoT can be found by visiting www.sawiot.ac.uk
Finally, my Local Charity Of The Week is Voluntary Action Swindon – a brilliant local charity that supports other charities and brings together the voluntary sector here in the town, harnessing the generosity and enterprise of the many volunteers we are extremely fortunate to have here in Swindon.
Voluntary Action Swindon has recently opened Café Mobility, a facility right in the middle of Swindon, just off Regent Street and next door to Shop Mobility. Why not pop down and enjoy the range of teas, coffees, and other refreshments on offer at Café Mobility and also support this brilliant local charity at the same time? More information about VAS can be found by visiting Home – Voluntary Action Swindon (vas-swindon.org)
