It was a lovely September day for the Nepalese Association of Wiltshire’s annual Cultural Day at Faringdon Road Park in Swindon’s Railway Village on Saturday. It was great to be with Nepalese Association of Wiltshire Chair Gyan Gurung, and his Worship The Mayor of Swindon, to open proceedings and to celebrate our growing Nepalese community here in Swindon. I was also delighted to meet with the Gurka Welfare Trust and to support local fundraising efforts. As a former Chair of the Gurka Welfare APPG, I continue to have a big interest in this issue.
On Sunday, it was great to be in Old Town’s Wood Street, right outside my office, for the Sausage and Ale Trail. I am pleased to see this event back after Covid, as it is a hugely popular event, which is well supported by the local community, as well as local businesses in Old Town.
Later on Sunday afternoon, I was delighted to be back at the Ellendune Centre in Wroughton, to help celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Swindon Society - a dedicated group of local historians whose research is helping to tell the amazing story of our town through words and pictures. It was good to spend time with some old friends and to see even more images from Swindon’s illustrious past.
Finally, on Sunday evening, I was back at The Deanery Academy where I enjoyed a fabulous Swindon Swing Birds Big Band Concert, alongside a big crowd in the wonderful auditorium. I am proud to have secured the funding for The Deanery Academy Free School, as it is proving not only to be a much-needed secondary school but also to be a real community asset. The concert was raising funds for Swindon Neuro Centre and The Vixens Netball Club, a team for people with learning disabilities. With thanks to the Swing Birds for a truly magnificent performance, and my old friend Gordon Timms for his wonderful fundraising efforts!
At a time when our country is facing unprecedented challenges, in the aftermath of Covid and Putin’s war on Ukraine, the new Conservative Party Leader, Liz Truss, has now become Prime Minister. With her new cabinet in place, our new Prime Minister can begin to work immediately for the British people on urgent issues including energy bills to help families through the winter and tackling the root cause of the energy crisis, as well as growing the economy. The Government must work even harder to deliver for the British people over the next two years, to get us all through the tough times ahead and unleash the full potential of our great country.
Finally, my local charity of the week is The Shop in Cavendish Square, an independent local charity, which has been open for almost twenty-four years. The shop serves the local community in Park South and beyond by selling affordable clothing and household items, as well as being a hub of information, guiding people to other local charities that might be able to help, as well as supporting new groups and ventures by promoting them and offering support where possible.
The Shop regularly facilitates Councillors' drop-in sessions, as well as short courses that empower the local community. Over the summer holidays, The Shop has funded Woodland Activity days with over 80 children, including teenagers, making the most of the outside, making new friends, and having a great time. It is hoped that these sessions will continue over the next few months, either after school or on Saturday mornings.
I have recently donated six laptops through my Laptops for Local Schools and Charities Scheme to The Shop. These have been reconditioned and programmed by local business, Excalibur, and are ready for local residents to use for booking appointments online or contacting the council. The shop can also provide tuition to use the laptops if needed through the Digital Inclusion Team at Swindon Borough Council.
The shop is very fortunate to have over thirty regular volunteers to who they provide training and support, which helps them feel empowered. As some of the volunteers have become confident, they have gone on to secure paid work, which is a wonderful achievement.
The shop has vacancies for more volunteers, and anyone who would like to commit to as little as two hours a week is welcome to get in touch. They are also always grateful for donations of clothing and household items from local residents.
For further information about this wonderful local charity, please call 01793 529938 or email [email protected].
