August has been a month of events, action, and community engagement across Haydon Wick Parish and beyond.
Community Events & Wellbeing
Leanne attended the Bournemouth Day Trip, organised with Barnes Coaches, which provided residents with an affordable day by the coast. She also joined the Vintage Swing Tea Dance in Redhouse, enjoyed by residents of all ages, and attended parish community events including the Haven Coffee Morning and the Memory Café, supporting vulnerable residents.
Nature & Environment
At the Community Development Committee, Leanne proposed enhancing Mouldon Hill with QR-coded nature trails. She also co-led the WildWick Photography Walk at Seven Fields with Jacqueline Ireland, encouraging residents to engage with biodiversity.
She continued promoting pollinator conservation, highlighting her allotment as a BeeWalk transect and publishing guidance to encourage residents to take part in citizen science projects.
Allotments & Green Space
Nationally, Leanne launched a petition opposing the sell-off of protected allotments, calling for reform of Section 8 and recognition of allotments as vital green infrastructure. Locally, she urged Swindon Borough Council to secure allotments permanently in the Local Plan.
She also joined fellow councillors at Thyme Close Play Park, supporting the community-led transformation funded through Community Choices.
Heritage & Community Pride
Leanne is leading preparations for this year’s Remembrance displays, including lamp post poppies and letterbox toppers created by local craft groups.
Local Economy & Business Engagement
Leanne supported discussions and an outline proposal put forward by Vinay Manro for a monthly Orbital Market, designed to promote small local businesses and strengthen the local economy. She also welcomed positive feedback on the community bus service, which continues to provide sustainable local transport.
Leanne visited Amazon’s fulfilment centre, learning more about their community involvement and operations.
Civic Engagement
She took part in canvassing sessions in Stratton and Priory Vale, listening to residents’ concerns and following up with parish action on issues such as overgrown shrubs, unsafe fencing, and street cleaning. She also discussed residents’ concerns about e-bikes, encouraging them to report problems to the police.
Resident Concerns
This month Leanne has raised a number of local issues on behalf of residents. These included reporting damaged play equipment, highlighting overgrown hedges that were obstructing footpaths, and ensuring faulty street lighting was passed to the relevant team for repair. Each concern was logged promptly and monitored for progress, reflecting her commitment to making sure resident voices lead to action.
Families & Young People
Leanne attended the Draycott Sports summer camp alongside Vinay Manro, including sessions supported by the Holiday Activities Fund. This gave them the chance to see how the top-up funding helps children access activities. They also joined the young carers camp, listening to the children’s views and seeing the positive impact of giving them time with their peers.
She also joined the Disney & Pixar Scarecrow Trail in Redhouse and Oakhurst with her children, celebrating this creative family tradition.
Looking Ahead
In the coming weeks, Leanne will continue leading work on the Remembrance displays, pressing for permanent allotment protection, and supporting parish events that strengthen community spirit.
Read the full team update here:
📑 August 2025 Priory Vale Community Update
Throughout August, your Priory Vale team — Alex Hughes, Vinay Manro and Leanne Stevenson — remained active, visible, and focused on the issues that matter. From community events to highways concerns, they have continued to represent residents, protect green spaces, and strengthen local engagement.
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