community

The Over 60s Afternoon Tea on Saturday was hugely appreciated by all who attended.
The Over 60s Afternoon Tea on Saturday was hugely appreciated by all who attended. 480 488 Liz Matthews

We welcomed over 25 residents to our pop-up tearoom set up with our beautiful China tea sets and delicious afternoon treats. Parish Councillors Rebecca Ross, Paul Park and Adam John along with the Community Development Team were on hand to wait on our guests and ensure they had a lovely time. The tea had a lively friendly atmosphere with many of our guests’ meeting others for the first time.  Thank you to Asda for their donation of refreshments, and to one of our lovely Volunteers who is always happy to help.

If you’d like to find out more about these types of events in your parish, please contact Sean on: communityandyouth@haydonwick.gov.uk or call 01793 722446

  • Laura Cutter

Over 60s Christmas Lunch
Over 60s Christmas Lunch 640 480 Laura Cutter
And last but not least… the last Christmas Activity in our jam packed December calendar took place yesterday afternoon… an Over 60s Christmas Meal at the Kembrey Inn.
As part of its aim to reduce loneliness and isolation, the Council contributed £10.00 per person towards the meal and collected the residents via its community minibus. This event was so important, as for some, this will be the only shared meal they will have this Christmas.
There were 28 people that were joined by our fabulous Administrator Darry and Volunteer Bus Drivers Mike, Vic, Darren and Ian. The Volunteer Bus Drivers really cherished having the time to sit and talk to the residents that they only see in passing every week.

And that’s a wrap…! A massive well done and thank you to the Councillors, Staff and army of Volunteers that have made special Christmas memories for so many residents within our lovely community. From Christmas Competitions, Christmas Parcels, Christmas Meals, Christmas Parties, Live Nativity Scenes and Christmas Style Cafe’s – they’ve really pulled out all the stops this year.

  • Laura Cutter

Parish Council’s Donation to Swindon Foodbank
Parish Council’s Donation to Swindon Foodbank 602 451 Laura Cutter

“We hope our donation can help to make a real difference to someone’s Christmas”

For the third year running Haydon Wick Parish Council has donated £200 to the Swindon Food Collective instead of sending corporate Christmas Cards. The funds, Haydon Wick Councillors decided, were needed for a much greater cause.

Chairman of the Council, Councillor Vinay Manro said that “we’ll still be sending our festive greetings, but via email again this, so no one misses out. It seemed the most sensible thing to do again this year. We’ll divert the £200 funds we’ve previously spent on printing and posting corporate cards, to the local community instead. We hope our donation can help to make a real difference to someone’s Christmas”.

Swindon Food Collective is an independent food bank in Swindon. They currently feed nearly 10,000 people per year, one third of these are children. They have seen demand for their assistance increase across the borough, with one zone particularly being the Haydon Wick and surrounding SN25 area.

The Parish Council hopes their donation will go some way to helping with the preparation of food boxes for individuals, couples and families.  Anyone in need can ask for a referral. Referrals can be obtained via children’s schools, health visitors and midwives, professional carer agencies, social workers, Nelson Trust, Salvation Army, Threshold, Turning Point, Probation, Citizens Advice or the SBC Emergency Fund or Livewell Hub. These can either be in the form of a text referral form the agency of choice or a paper voucher which can be taken to any of the eight distribution centres.

Swindon Foodbank Collective told us: “Our workload has increased significantly since 2020 from feeding 6,000 to now almost 11,000 people and we have expanded our services from 8 distribution centres to 12 over the past couple of years.

We are now giving out in excess of 122 tonnes of stock a year which provides IRO 98,000 meals.

However, the cost of living crisis has meant that people can’t be as generous as they used to be.  Donations of food etc., are coming in at about 92 tonnes a year and so the charity has had to buy extra stock of non-perishable food, toiletries and household products to meet the increased demand. We are very grateful to Haydon Wick Parish Council for their continued support.”

To find out more about Swindon Food Collective visit www.swindonfoodcollective.org/.

  • Laura Cutter

Memory Cafe Christmas Nativity Scene 2023
Memory Cafe Christmas Nativity Scene 2023 291 302 Laura Cutter

Christmas 2023 came early for guests of the Parish Council’s Memory Café as they were welcomed to this special Christmas Café this morning with a live Nativity scene provided by Chloe’s Mobile Farm. The farm animals included Hattie the Cow, Ronnie & Reggie the Sheep, Tom Thumb the Shetland Pony and Norris the Donkey. The guests enjoyed brushing and stroking the animals and asking the farmers questions about their upkeep.

Guests were then warmed up with Christmas style café, a room decorated with a tree and festive fireplace scene, a table full of Christmas goodies and warm refreshments. Councillors and volunteers were on hand to host the guests and ensure they were comfortable for the morning’s merriment.

The Café included a very special Christmas raffle with homemade prizes including a fabulous wreath donated by one of the Council’s volunteers, cute little crochet snowmen containing a surprise chocolate orange and lots more goodies donated by the Council’s Councillors, Staff and Volunteers.

The merriment continued with Father Christmas playing some cheerful Christmas carols and then handing out the Christmas presents to the guests.

Councillor Rebecca Ross, Chair of the Community Development Committee said:

“This event was a very rewarding way to end the year. It was heartwarming to see the guests having such a good time and to see the connections that have formed through regularly visiting the Memory Café. My thanks to the team for their dedication and innovation which make our Memory Cafés accessible, fun and friendly for all to enjoy. My thoughts remain with the four families of the Café who sadly lost their loved ones this year and face their first Christmas without them.”

The Parish Council’s Memory Café was started in 2021 and since then it has gone on to win three community awards and become an established community café in the parish.  The café is only possible with a team of loyal and hard-working volunteers, expertly overseen by the Council’s Memory Café Co-Ordinator.

The Café runs on the second and fourth Wednesday of every month at Haydon Wick Bowls Club. Booking in advance are preferred to helping with catering and planning activities. For more information, contact the Memory Café Co-Ordinator on memorycafe@haydonwick.gov.uk or call 01793 722446.

  • Laura Cutter

Christmas Parcel Scheme 2023
Christmas Parcel Scheme 2023 800 800 Laura Cutter

“This year has shown a real sense of togetherness, and the Council is proud to host regular events which have been proven to have had a positive impact on the wellbeing and happiness of many residents. These include the Haven, the Memory Café and the Welcome Spaces initiatives.”

Haydon Wick Parish Council successfully delivered the traditional Christmas Parcel Scheme again this year, spreading festive cheer and goodwill to those residents in need across the Parish.

Councillors, Staff and Volunteers worked hard to pack and deliver the parcels on Friday 15th and Saturday 16th December 2023. The project successfully delivered 135 parcels to residents who are over 70 and live alone in the parish. The parcel included some festive food, toiletries and a selection of other useful food to be consumed this winter.

The Christmas Parcel project typically begins in September, when the Staff are tasked with contacting local suppliers for sponsorship and donations, administering the parcel applications and collecting all the produce, organising 15 delivery rounds and co ordinating the volunteers.

The Council is very grateful for the generosity of the volunteers and local groups who came together to help and would like to pass thanks on to Morrisons, Aldi, the Redeemed Christian Church of God and N&B Foods for their ongoing support over the past three years and the Swindon Food Collective for their contribution to this wonderful and humbling project.

Chairman of the Council, Councillor Vinay Manro said:

“This year has shown a real sense of togetherness, and the Council is proud to host regular events which have proven to have had a positive impact on the wellbeing and happiness of many residents. These include the Haven, the Memory Café and the Welcome Spaces initiatives.

This annual Christmas Parcel project is more than just delivering a parcel, the residents really look forward to this every year and it’s a good way of checking in on some of our most vulnerable. It gives us the opportunity to have a chat and invite residents along to events that they may not be aware of and reassuring them that the Council is available should they need support. This really is a rewarding project for all that are fortunate to participate and is possibly one of the most important community dates in the Council’s calendar.”.

The Council would also like to congratulate Callie, aged 11, from a local primary school for her creation of a ‘Mary & Joseph’ design Christmas card. The card will be placed inside the parcels this year, from all the children that live or go to school in the parish of Haydon Wick. Callie won a selection of merchandise showcasing her design from her own packs of Christmas cards to give out to her family and friends, a tote bag and a t-shirt.

This project is always a fantastic and rewarding way to end the year. The Parish Council wishes all readers a very Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.

  • Caroline Hunt

Award Winning Sensory Garden
Award Winning Sensory Garden 765 717 Caroline Hunt

“The Parish Council is very proud of its Memory Café and in scoring a hat trick of awards in the last couple of year, those being the Community First “Most Innovative New Project” award, the Haydon Wick Heroes “Best Community Group” award and now this latest award “Growing Together Award for Community Gardening””.

Haydon Wick Parish Council is delighted to announce that its Memory Café has won another award. This time, the award focuses on the outdoor Sensory Garden, created within the Council’s Leisure Garden Site.  This very special certificate was awarded from the BBC One Show and Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) in the category of the “Growing Together Award for Community Gardening“. The award is an attribute to the fantastic creativity and attention to detail from the Council’s very talented Memory Café Co Ordinator and innovative Parks & Open Spaces Team, who collectively worked together and their hard work has certainly paid off.

The idea behind the Sensory Garden is to offer a safe, calm and relaxing space to the residents of the Memory Café and their companions, to enable them to sit and relax outdoors, listen to the birds, amongst the carefully chosen scented plants, flowers and climbers which include honeysuckle, roses and clematis. The Sensory Garden will enable the residents of the Memory Café living with dementia and their companions to come sit and enjoy a safe environment to chat with others, potter, hand weed and plant. The specially designed raised beds make it easier to access the plants and save any unnecessary bending and lifting.

The success of the Sensory Garden has been complimented by several plot holders of the Leisure Garden site donating upcycled components including old sleepers, a timber shed, a compost bin and fruit trees. There has also been a lot of generosity from several local businesses with donations of wooden pallets, paving slabs, bulbs and decorative stones.

A small group of Memory Café residents who love gardening but are now unable to work on their own gardens, have got together in maintaining this special place. The garden has continued to encourage friendships to form, and those more isolated residents have had the opportunity to meet with others in a safe space. The Sensory Garden encourage conversations, triggers memories of the past and makes memories in the present. The benefits of having access to a safe outdoor space will have a positive impact on all those who visit.

The Parish Council is very proud of its Memory Café and in scoring a hat trick of awards in the last couple of year, those being the Community First “Most Innovative New Project” award, the Haydon Wick Heroes “Best Community Group” award and now this latest award “Growing Together Award for Community Gardening”.

 

 

  • Georgina Morgan-Denn

Trent Road Play Area Refurbishment
Trent Road Play Area Refurbishment 512 512 Georgina Morgan-Denn

“Parish Council works with local accessible play area charities and school pupils to update the fifth play area within three years to incorporate accessible play”.

As aligned within the Council’s Community Led Plan and aim to make play areas accessible for all, the Parish Council allocated £70,000.00 from earmarked reserves during budget setting for 2023/2024 for the refurbishment and enhancement of a local play area Trent Road Play Area, in Greenmeadow, Haydon Wick. The Parish Council sets aside budget for refurbishing the play areas on an annual basis as it has 23 play areas to maintain to a high standard for the community to enjoy. Last year saw the enhancements of Luna Close Play Area in Oakhurst and Gaynor Close Play Area in Abbey Meads being fitted with accessible play area equipment and interactive sensory panels and the wet pour safety resurfacing of Voyager Drive Play Area.

The specification for Trent Road Play Areas was to tailor the needs of children with various disabilities including the provision of a basket swing, an accessible roundabout and numerous play panels. As much of the equipment at Trent Road Play Area is in repairable and reasonable condition, the play area was set to receive an enhancement instead of a full refurbishment and therefore the specification was for a few new pieces of equipment and a cosmetic enhancement. Benjamin’s Smile Charity, Mums on a Mission Charity and Greenmeadow Primary School tasked with reviewing the tender bids received from various play area companies and coming up with a list of which items they would like to be included within the Trent Road Play Area during a school lesson on disabilities and how small adjustments to every day life can make a huge difference to those with disabilities and their families. Greenmeadow Primary School is considering fundraising to sponsor a piece of equipment in the autumn term and sponsorship raised will be match funded by the Parish Council and used towards the unit.

The Parish Council is passionate about eventually making all 23 play areas in which it is responsible for, accessible for all children of varying ages and disabilities. The refurbishment of five of these within the last three years is significant progress.

Four tender bids were received from different companies and scrutinized by the Play Area Working Party and the winning bid was submitted to the Full Council for approval.

Benjamin’s Smile, Mums on a Mission and Greenmeadow Primary School were very impressed with the designs for Trent Road Play Area, and everyone collectively agreed an overarching winner.

Wicksteed won the tender, for its innovative designs, utilising the budget and giving maximum play value within the space due for enhancement and the provision of several accessible friendly panels. The working party, Committee, Councillors and Officers agreed that the design was very eye catching, easy to maintain and that the design captured over and above what the original wish list was for a very competitive price. The Parish Council will be protecting the new assets with the provision of CCTV to ensure that the equipment is looked after well for years to come and to ensure that individuals and families using the play areas feel safe.

Councillor Richard Hailstone, Chairman of the Parks & Open Spaces Committee said:

“I am really pleased to report that we have been able to refresh Trent Road Play Area this year and develop the site for the local grass roots football club, AFC Haydon Vale, which occupy the site frequently. I will look forward to seeing Trent Road Play Area open with its new look in a few weeks’ time. Thank you to the local charities for feeding back on the designs and for the pupils of Greenmeadow Primary School for giving the thumbs up on the current designs and giving us plenty of ideas for future play area developments. Wicksteed was the supplier of the current play area equipment, which has served purpose for the last 30 years with minimal repairs and maintenance, the current equipment will continue to be used and be repainted to match the freshness of the upcoming refurbishment. Our focus has been making sure there is something for everyone with refreshed equipment that can meet most accessibility requirements, so that these can be enjoyed generations to come. It is anticipated that the refurbishment will be completed by the late summer/early autumn and will be opened by pupils of Greenmeadow Primary School”.

Pupils of Greenmeadow Primary school gave some heartwarming comments which really does showcase the importance of accessible play:

“I could go on the roundabout with my sister who is in a wheelchair”.

“That seesaw design is brilliant if you aren’t able to move like me”.

“Some people are deaf and can’t hear like us so having sign language for us to learn is really cool”.

“I love how colourful the play area is”.

Never miss an update by keeping up to date with all the latest Haydon Wick Parish Council news and events by subscribing to our monthly email bulletin. To do this visit: https://haydonwick.gov.uk/latest-news/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Georgina Morgan-Denn

Successful Murder Mystery & Curry night helps to reduce loneliness and isolation in the parish
Successful Murder Mystery & Curry night helps to reduce loneliness and isolation in the parish 800 800 Georgina Morgan-Denn

“The room was buzzing with the sound happiness, laughter and people enjoying the lovely meal…”

On Friday 22nd September, the Council hosted a Murder Mystery & Curry night at the Haydon Wick Working Men’s Club. This follows on from a series of quiz nights and supper evenings that have taken place throughout the year in line with the Council’s commitment to reduce loneliness and isolation in the parish.

Tickets were a sell out and at 7pm the room filled with attendees, in groups and alone, joining together to enjoy an evening of murder so gruesome. Purton Amateur Dramatic Society performed their latest ‘Christina’ murder mystery act, which left people in the interval wondering who did the terrible deed.

Chennai Dosa arrived to serve their wonderful Indian street food to all attendees and actors and the room was buzzing with the sound happiness, laughter and people enjoying the lovely meal.

The raffle was drawn in the interval, and this saw lots of lovely prizes donated. Our lucky winners walked away with bottles of wine, sweetly scented candles, sweets and most importantly, chocolates! In total the raffle raised £103 for the Council’s chosen charities, BEST – Be A Better You and The Kelly Foundation.

As the rest of the evening unfolded, the audience were left with clues to try and decipher who they felt was the guilty party or parties. The actors and actresses distributed themselves amongst the audience, looking at the reasoning behind the team’s decisions.  The winning team ‘Too Much Prosecco’ won prizes for their creative detective skills. The Council received some positive feedback about the event:

“It was lovely to come out on a Friday evening and do something totally different”.

“Wow the curry was delicious, thanks for a great evening”.

“I can’t wait for what the next event might be”.

Help the Parish Council choose next year’s Community Choices

In 2020 the Council launched its Community Choices initiative. This is where Haydon Wick residents provide ideas and suggestions for what to spend the Community Choices budget on. The community then vote, and the most popular choice(s) are delivered by the Parish Council in that financial year. For the past two years the community has voted for a programme of events to help reduce loneliness and isolation.

Residents are now being asked to submit suggestions of projects, activities, or events for 2024/25. To find out more about Community Choices project contact the Council’s Community Development Officer or visit the Council’s website: cdofficer@haydonwick.gov.uk / https://haydonwick.gov.uk/community-choices/.

Never miss an update by keeping up to date with all the latest Haydon Wick Parish Council news and events by subscribing to our monthly email bulletin. To do this visit: https://haydonwick.gov.uk/latest-news/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Georgina Morgan-Denn

Haydon Wick Haven
Haydon Wick Haven 800 800 Georgina Morgan-Denn

“The café is part of the Council’s commitment to reduce loneliness and isolation in the parish.”

 

The Haydon Wick Haven was set up earlier this year continuing from the ‘Warm Spaces’ initiative as part of the Council’s commitment to reduce loneliness and isolation in the parish. The Haven accepts all residents to a warm and welcoming space for refreshments and to enjoy some quiet time or have a chat and meet new people.

Since the Haven began the numbers have increased from around six people to now when it attracts more than twenty regular attendees. The sessions are held fortnightly on Mondays from 11.00am – 1.00pm and they are really making a difference to all who attend with new friendships forming. This shows the project is working and helping the most isolated residents in the parish enjoy some company.

Over the past few sessions, attendees have enjoyed a trip to Hillers at Lechlade, visited the Council’s Sensory Garden at the Goodearl Leisure Garden site, or stayed inside to take part in some seated exercises, have an entertaining game bingo or take part in exciting quizzes.

On Monday 13th September, Madame Mayor of Swindon Councillor Barbara Parry visited the Haven and joined in with the fun. The Haven’s wonderful attendees appreciated asking Madame Mayor lots of questions about her role in Swindon and the process she went through to become Mayor.

Some of the feedback from attendees is:

“What a lovely lady our Mayor is, I felt really privileged to meet her and share our morning with her”.

“I had a wonderful time and loved meeting Madam Mayor”.

“I enjoyed the Haven as I always do, and it was even more special because we got to meet our Mayor”.

“I look forward to every Haven.  It brightens my day and I go home feeling so much better”.

Councillor Rebecca Ross, Chair of Community Development attends all the Haven sessions and shared how she proud she was about the service:

“It is wonderful to see how the Haven Café has grown. It can be very difficult for people who are alone, but there is no better cure for loneliness than making new friends. Just chatting with other people can have a huge positive impact on a person’s mood. The Haven offers lots of fun and laughter, with a variety of games and activities on offer each week, plenty of tea and biscuits, and the chance to go on some great trips. We would especially like to thank the Madam Mayor of Swindon Councillor Barbara Parry for her visit, we greatly appreciate her taking the time to visit us.”

Never miss an update by keeping up to date with all the latest Haydon Wick Parish Council news and events by subscribing to our monthly email bulletin. To do this visit: https://haydonwick.gov.uk/latest-news/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Georgina Morgan-Denn

The Council’s newest venture, the ‘Haydon Wick Haven’ enjoyed a typically British Cream Tea, to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III.
The Council’s newest venture, the ‘Haydon Wick Haven’ enjoyed a typically British Cream Tea, to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III. 800 800 Georgina Morgan-Denn

Following on from the Council’s previous Warm Spaces initiative, which was introduced at the beginning of the winter months as a safe and warm place for residents to come amidst the cost of living rises, it transpired that those attending would benefit from an interactive, drop-in style, informative café and thus the Haydon Wick Haven was created.

The sessions are designed to offer a warm and welcoming environment which allows residents to enjoy some refreshments, have a friendly chat, meet new people and discuss any local issues with their local council. Since the beginning of the Haven, suggestions have seen the attendees take part in board games, puzzles and crafts.

With the upcoming celebrations beginning to take place to commemorate the momentous occasion of the Coronation of King Charles III, the Haven wanted to join in the fun. Attendees were welcomed to a royal themed room, vintage china and freshly prepared scones with jam, cream and strawberries.

All attendees thoroughly enjoyed their treat and reminiscing about the Royal Family over the years, as well as decorating their own Coronation mug and suncatcher. Some of the wonderful feedback that the Council received after this session included; “How lucky we are to have the opportunity to enjoy this in good company, rather than being sat within our own four walls”, “What a fabulous way to mark the Coronation” and “I am not attending any celebrations for the Coronation, so it has been lovely to come here and be amongst new friends”.

Listening to the conversations that occur during the sessions is a very heart-warming experience and shows just how beneficial and important small gatherings like these can be for individuals to improve feelings of loneliness and isolation.

The Parish Council is pleased to be able to offer its community bus to bring attendees living within the Parish to and from the Haven. If you or someone you know would like to attend, please contact the organiser, Darry, on admin@haydonwick.gov.uk or 01793 722446.

To see the upcoming dates of the Haydon Wick Haven and other events, visit the Council’s event calendar or social media (@HaydonWickCouncil).

Alternatively, you can now click here to subscribe to see the Council’s monthly news and upcoming events.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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About Us

We are the Parish Council that wants to lead and develop our local community. We are self-aware and are committed to focussing on the urban issues that are important to the entire community.

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Haydon Wick Parish Council
Thames Avenue
Haydon Wick
Swindon
SN25 1QQ
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Our thanks to Mark Weaving, Phil Jefferies, Rimpy and Shohini Dutta Kanungo for many of the photographs used across the website

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