The Ink

In today's Ink Barrie Hudson reports on a visit by Cllr Matty Courtliff, Swindon Borough Council's Cabinet Member for Housing and Property, to some of the dedicated personnel who work ceaselessly to help local people who are either homeless or facing homelessness.

Some 200 households per month call upon their vital services.

In this edition of The Ink we also deliver an update on the future of the proposed new Swindon entertainment venue in the town centre, with council leader Cllr Gary Sumner calling for a practical approach to finances.

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Swindon's beacons of help and hope for people facing homelessness Homeless people and those facing homelessness are urged to use readily available specialist services

Today is The Ink monthly food & drink focus.

Beer aficionado Ed Dyer makes a compelling case for the promotion and expansion of beer tourism

With many a town and city steeped in brewing history and in many cases still retaining historic breweries, he believes that with the right promotion there is no reason why tourist trails the length and breadth of the country cannot capitalise - not least because visitors can sample the delicious product as part of the experience.

There are also potential beneficial knock-on effects for sectors ranging from hotels to restaurants.

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Is Beer Tourism Britain’s Next Great Opportunity? The Ink Food & Drink Focus

In today's Ink, Barrie Hudson reports on the inaugural Swindon-wide History Festival, which was launched with a 'meet the authors' event at the Central Library.

The festival is a celebration of Swindon's extensive and fascinating heritage and features something - or more likely several somethings - for anybody with an interest in that heritage.

Today's Ink also features the latest column by Kate Rowland of Swindon and Wiltshire-based Society Without Abuse, who reminds us that domestic abuse is not 'somebody else's problem' but one which we can all to something to help tackle.

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Swindon-wide History Festival celebrates all that makes us what we are The history of Swindon is fascinating, and anything promoting the enjoyment and study of it deserves everybody’s support

In today's Ink, Jamie Hill wonders whether far-right hate mobs will soon become a thing of the past, what with plenty of effective measures being taken to tackle the very issues on which they thrive.

He also wonders whether the recent media expose of a certain political leader over what many a commentator has described as blatant grifting will be another nail in the coffin of the movement.

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Are we seeing the last gasps of the far right hate mobs? A column by Jamie Hill

In today's Ink Jamie Hill writes about much-loved live music extravaganza The Swindon Shuffle, which is about to present its 20th feast of local talent.

Jamie also laments the lack of attention given to the event, which is a long-term fundraiser for Prospect Hospice, by the town's cultural powers-that-be.

This edition of The Ink also includes the latest column by The Autistic Journalist Tyler Ody, who writes about a trip to London to see ABBA Voyage

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A showcase of the town’s amazing talent - 20 years of The Swindon Shuffle As the live music festival comes of age we ask the powers-that-be to finally stop ignoring it

In today's Ink Business Focus, Fiona Scott delivers some sound advice on the potential dangers to business people of indiscretion when talking to clients by phone in public places.

Fiona's recent experiences range from hearing a person on a train discussing highly-sensitive topics about a client to a man berating a subordinate and coming across as highly unprofessional to all those who unfortunate enough to be within earshot.

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Why Swindon business people should remember that public places have ears... Ink Business Focus with Fiona Scott

In today's Ink, Barrie Hudson reports on a planning bid by Swindon Borough Council to turn a Wichelstowe property it has acquired into a much-needed children's home.

Anybody who doubts that need should bear in mind that as of July this year no less than 357 children were in the council's care, and that places at local children's homes are so scarce that many have to be housed 20 miles or more away.

We also report on a new tranche of funding secured by Swindon homelessness charity Threshold, which will allow it to deliver a collaborative programme supporting people affected by homelessness to overcome barriers, build confidence and move towards independent living.

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Planned new Swindon children's home would go toward righting a years-long injustice Our most vulnerable children should not have to be sent to distant and unfamiliar places for their basic needs and moral rights to be met

Today's Ink is the weekly Barrie Hudson Column - a sideways swipe at the goings-on happening around us.

He even manages to spell some words right.

In this edition, Barrie suggests that a recent call for the public to avoid feeding pigeons in the town centre, while entirely justified, should perhaps have been put on the back burner in favour of tackling certain more pressing issues there.

He also has a charming idea for a sequel to a current ad by the Let's Save Water campaign, in which the endearing children expand their focus from ordinary people wasting a few litres here and there to obscenely wealthy ones wasting billions.

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Cleaning up Swindon: probably better to leave the pigeons and tackle less endearing problems first Barrie Hudson reckons the excellent town centre clean-up should give pigeons the swerve

In today's Ink we report the latest of the ongoing efforts to tackle antisocial behaviour in Swindon's town centre.

New cameras in major car parks not only monitor what is going on but can also issue a verbal warning to people loitering or misbehaving.

We also report on the departure from Reform UK of Swindon Borough Council member Lawrence Davies, who faces a string of motoring charges. He says he will now serve as an independent councillor.

He has accused his erstwhile party of airing the existence of those charges as an act of vengeance, although the party insists his departure came in the wake of his being suspended over them.

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High-tech crackdown driving antisocial behaviour from Swindon’s town centre Expanding number of car park cameras - and making them talk - in bid to deter those who make life miserable for ordinary people

Today's Ink is our monthly culture column with Rhona Jack.

Rhona highlights a wealth of things to experience, whether in and around Swindon or much further afield.

They range from the opening of new West Swindon display space featuring a superb exhibition of Outsider Art to a chance to see remarkable works by MC Escher.

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David Hockney: I missed it at The Serpentine - lesson learned! The monthly Ink Culture Column with Rhona Jack