Real champion of the people

I HAVE been asked to write a few words on behalf of the Broad Street Area Community Council concerning our long-time chairman and friend Les Horn who sadly passed away last week.

Les was a champion of the common person, very loyal and protective to his friends and especially to his beloved family, who were constantly at the heart of his life.

Over the last 60 years many in Swindon have benefited from his strength of character and doggedness. Never giving up on a problem big or small or turning his back on someone in need, his door was always open at work and home.
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If Les didn't have the answer you could bet that he knew someone who did and he was blessed with a special gift of persuading' people to take the right action.

Never afraid to say what he thought was right, or afraid to say sorry if he was wrong, the community council and the area and people it covered benefited by an immeasurable amount when he retired from a lifetime of Union work within the council, leaving him free to give his full commitment to the area he had lived in since moving here from Yorkshire during the 1940s.

There can be no doubt that Yorkshire's loss was certainly Swindon's gain and anybody who ever met Les, and it was many, will never be able to forget him. He was a truly remarkable, influential and irreplaceable man, his memory will live on and he will be greatly missed by all at the Community Council and everyone else that knew him.

K Leakey.

Secretary BSACC.

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SWINDON ADVERTISER - LES HORN TRIBUTE

Tributes paid to Les the campaigner

By Matt Jackson

LES Horn, a tireless community campaigner and one of the town's most colourful political characters, has died, aged 85.

Friends and colleagues have expressed their sadness over the loss of Mr Horn, who was taken to Great Western Hospital last Monday with kidney problems.

He died on Saturday morning, and since then those who knew of his dedication to the people of Central ward and Broad Street Area Community Council have paid tribute.
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Former mayor Mike Bawden first met Les in 1970 during the dirty workers' strike, when the sewage works in Barnfield Road ground to a halt.

They negotiated from different sides of the political spectrum while workers and the council argued over pay and working hours.

"It was a time of crisis in 1970, the lack of work at the sewage works meant the River Thames was being polluted," he said.

"Les was the senior shop steward for the National Union Of Public Employees and I had to meet with him at all times of day and night to try and resolve the dispute.

"What became clear very quickly was that we were strong political opponents, not least when stink bombs were thrown into a council meeting about the row.

"But we formed a very strong personal friendship which carried on for more than 35 years.

"Les was very straight with people he dealt with.

"If he didn't agree with you he would fight tooth and nail to obstruct your plans, but if he thought it was the right thing to do it would be done with no fuss at all.

"He cared deeply for the Broadgreen area of Swindon and was always there at council meetings to make sure that his ward got a fair hearing."

John and Beryl Phillips worked with Les for years on Broad Street Area Community Council.

Beryl will remember the work Les did to tackle prostitution in the area.

She said: "He was a great, straight-talking Yorkshireman and he took that into the work he did.

"If he thought there was a problem or something that needed to be done he would get to work straight away.

"He campaigned to keep green space around the County Ground during discussions about the stadium redevelopment, and played a major role in the Streets For Living campaign."

Derique Montaut knew Les from his regular attendance at council meetings.

The Labour ward councillor for the central area recognised his commitment.

He said: "Even if it was a minor meeting he would be there with the same enthusiasm.

"He was a deeply committed old Labour figure and the town is poorer for his passing.

"There have not been many people like Les and he will be sorely missed."

Karen Leakey worked with Les until the end of last month, staging a cohesion event on April 28 through the Broad Street Area Community Council.

Karen said: "It has been a privilege and honour to have worked with Les and he has inspired me to continue with his work."

Les Horn

I have been asked to write a few words on behalf of the Broad Street Area Community Council concerning our long time Chairman and friend Les Horn who sadly passed away last week.

Les was a champion of the common person, very loyal and protective to his friends and especially to his beloved family, who were constantly at the heart of his life.

Having spent his formative years growing up in a mining and textile area near Huddersfield, his childhood was never easy and the miners strike of 1926 that involved his Father, taught him at a very young age the harshness and inequalities that exist in life and showing him how people can look out for each other and share what they have got to benefit others. These experiences moved him to spend his own life championing the rights of other people.

In his memoirs, Les wrote that: "I was born into a way of life of sharing and giving help when one can without looking for reward, I have found that one gets more pleasure from giving than taking and if many others would share this practice the world would be a much better place to live"

Over the last 60 years many in Swindon have benefited from his strength of character and doggedness, never giving up on a problem big or small or turning his back on someone in need, his door was always open at work and home.

If Les didn’t have the answer you could bet that he knew someone who did and he was blessed with a special gift of ‘persuading’ people to take the right action.

Never afraid to say what he thought was right, or afraid to say sorry if he was wrong, the Community Council and the area and people it covered benefited by an immeasurable amount when he retired from a lifetime of Union work within the Council, leaving him free to give his full commitment to the area he had lived in since moving here from Yorkshire during the 1940’s.

There can be no doubt that Yorkshire’s loss was certainly Swindon’s gain and anybody who ever met Les, and it was many, will ever be able to forget him. He was a truly remarkable, influential and irreplaceable man, his memory will live on and he will be greatly missed by all at the Community Council and everyone else that knew him.

Very Sad News

Some very sad news for our community - Les Horn passed away in the early hours of this morning.
Les will sadly be missed by everyone and has left a big hole.

Will post a tribute to Les at a later date.

Amazing people of Broadgreen

Grace Walker aged 89 years of Salisbury Street held a Giant Tea Party on Friday in aid of the Blue Cross Animal Shelter in Burford.

Grace is a big cat lover and felt this was a cause close to her heart. Grace spent many hours finding donations and writing letters. A raffle was held, with fun and games for children, tea and cakes were also served and people paid a donation. Grace also sold many items – most with an animal theme. The weather stayed good and the Town Crier, as well as the Neighbourhood Police Team and many residents turned up.

By the end of the day Grace raised over £400.00 – amazing.