Firms could help old golf course

I often pass the now redundant par three golf course at Cheney Manor and weep to think how many happy days my wife and myself spent hacking our way around that lovely little course.

I realise that money is tight but think the course could be revamped, made more attractive and used more at no cost to the council or taxpayer.

If the course was upgraded and advertised more, and made more interesting to accomplished golfers as well as we hackers, I am sure it could become self supporting and even profitable.

The whole scheme could be paid for by persuading local companies to sponsor a hole (for example, B&Q paying £10,000 per year to have an advertising board at a green).

Nine holes at £10,000 per hole (or shared sponsorship for smaller companies), with green fees say £10 per round perhaps later, even a small tea room, I am convinced the course would be self supporting and the money collected pay for the maintenance.

I know this sounds a little daunting, but properly organised, this course could become a green haven with proper planting (flower meadow, new trees improved stream etc) and attract wildlife as well as golfers.

It surely is worth thinking about and good for the area as well as the environment

Colin Dobie

By email

Final warning on climate change crisis

The International Panel on Climate Change of leading scientists, has issued a final warning that it is now or never; to take drastic action to avert irrevocable damage to the world.

If present trends of carbon and other emissions continue at the present rate, average temperatures will go way above 1.5 degrees of pre-industrial level, (they are already at 1.2 and rising dangerously.)

The UN Secretary-General has issued a clarion call to massively fast-track climate efforts by every country and every sector and every timeframe on all fronts - everything, everywhere, and all at once.

In light of this grave situation, it is the duty of all Swindon Borough councillors and prospective councillors to enact policies to meet this crisis.

Present plans for a massive increase in developments in both town centre and outer areas the huge road building programme that is planned should be drastically curtailed or cancelled.

The adverse effects of the vast quantities of concrete, Steel glass, and other materials needed for this expansion go completely against previous statements made by SBC about the climate emergency and will dwarf whatever rather feeble policies they have at present on climate mitigation.

Bill Hughes

Goddard Avenue

Old Town

Egg mystery solved

After reading your article about the lady who had her eggs stolen from her doorstep without the box, I realised this answered a conundrum I’d had for a year.

Last June I found 2 fresh hens eggs buried in my garden complete with lion marks stamped on them.

I knew they’d probably been put there by foxes as I’ve heard of this before, but I couldn’t think where they’d have got stamped eggs from … now I know!

Heidi Smith

Royal Wootton Bassett

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