Christmas has come early!

At the beginning of this week we learnt that Carolyn had been successful in obtaining a grant from Swindon Borough Council for the Silver Arts Award. We have been trying to find a source of funds for several months without success so it was with great excitement, and some relief, that we heard the news. Lisa and I went to see Shahina and Barry at Create Studios in the Wyvern Theatre on Thursday to work out the next steps. It looks as if Den, Steven and Mark will be able to pursue their separate interests in music and lyrics, and Lisa and Brett will be able to develop their photographic skills. One of Lisa's photographs already appears in the current edition of the Arts Council's Silver Arts Award booklet so it's particularly appropriate that she can now try to gain that Award. April is thinking about whether she would like to take part, and I still have to contact JJ, Marcus and Charlotte to see if they are interested.

Jackie won't be able to act as our Arts Award adviser because she is so busy with her PhD work, which she is doing in addition to all her usual projects. But she says she'd love to come and do a one-off workshop and use that to address parts of the award if we plan it out with the adviser in advance. So all we have to do now is to find an Arts Award adviser in Swindon.

One last thing - Steven has given me a photo of himself with Jamie. I've put it with the rest of the updated photos in my post of 16th June.