SWINDON THEN, WHEN AND NOW

I was going to do the Flower Friday challenge and was spoilt for choice because we have had lots of flowers from various friends but when Mr HCB dropped me off early this morning to visit Mum’s bank, I saw this mural on the wall and decided on this instead. 

Whilst taking the shot, a young man passed me and smiled - probably wondering why an “old lady” was taking such a photograph - so I told him about Blip, as YOU I do!! 

We then meandered into the town chatting - he told me his name was Ali, he was from Somalia, where there is still a lot of fighting, and had been in Swindon for eight years. He said on the whole people were friendlier in London than they were in Swindon but he told me I was very friendly thanked me for speaking to him and wished me well for 2020. What a lovely chance encounter - and all because I was out blipping! 

I was assisted in the bank by a lovely young lady from Bangladesh, who after expressing her condolences about Mum, told me that her Dad died eighteen months ago and every time she dealt with someone who had also been bereaved, it brought all the memories back for her.  She was extremely helpful and the business was sorted in about half an hour so after ringing my sister, who happened to be in town, she and her daughter and I all went for coffee, cake and a chat. 

To give you some information about the mural, Artsite, a group founded in 1999, to develop affordable studio space, was working to improve the look of the buildings in Theatre Square and having received funding from the Parish Council commissioned Billy Beaumont to design and install a mural for the side wall of one of the buildings.  Suggestions were invited for places, people and business that would represent the past, present and future of Swindon town and when these had been received, Billy incorporated them into the mural.

Many adults and children helped with the painting of the mural, before it was put into place and then it was framed to protect it from the weather.  I have spotted Diana Dors, who was born in Swindon, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Chief Engineer of the Great Western Railway and I recognise several buildings on the mural too.  I also think Concorde is on there - Mr. HCB doesn't think so because the plane is bright red, but I wonder if the green and yellow helicopter is the Wiltshire Air Ambulance?  Who knows, but it is definitely a community mural, which was completed and put in place in July of this year and launched by Swindon artist, Ken White, who is next to Brunel.  If you want to see more, have look here.

“Few people go to art exhibitions;
     the power of Street Art 
          is that it goes to people’s daily life
               to be seen.”
Anon


P.S.  I will get back to commenting before too long - thank you for your encouragement and patience, which is much appreciated.