Continuing our spotlight on local people as part of the Westbury & Me photography project led by artist, Penney Ellis.
Commissioned by Wiltshire Council, the project teaches people how to take better photographs and with their improved skills, they photographed someone they consider to have made a contribution to community life.
The people they identify will also be asked to complete a set of phrases to reveal a bit about themselves. This will form the content of a set of posters featuring Westbury people. The ‘Westbury & Me’ photographs are then made into posters, which will go up in places such as the library, the community centres and town hall, schools and a selection of shops and pubs.
There was an opportunity to see an exhibition of the images capturing unique and quirky features of Westbury, taken by local people under the guidance of Penney, at Westbury Street Fayre on Saturday 12th July.
Penney said, “Lots of people at the fayre commented on seeing the Westbury & Me interviews in the White Horse News and they really seem to be enjoying them. A number of people got chatting to Debbie Cole about some of her comments in her interview. Her comment on not liking tattoos on women got lots of attention!”
If you would like to nominate a Westbury resident, please contact Penney Ellis 07896 315778.
Jason Curtis, Debbie Cole, Ellie-J Webb, Lynette Weekly and Robert Spackman have already been featured in past issues of White Horse News, Liz Argent and Giovanni Monica are featured here.
To find out more please visit Westbury and me at www.photo-sensitive.co.uk
Giovanni Monica
Giovanni has lived and worked in Westbury for more than 30 years providing a barber and hairdressing service at Giovanni’s in Maristow Street.
He is married and has three children.
The house I grew up in … seemed very good at the time.
When I was a child I wanted to be … Michaelangelo.
You may not know it but I’m very good at … being a tea boy.
You may not know it but I’m very bad at ... time keeping.
It might be fashionable but I don’t like ... the phrase ‘it does what it says on the tin’.
The thing that makes me laugh ... people in close conversation.
The living person I admire … is the Queen.
I admire her because ... she is more trustworthy than God.
When I have time to myself I … love to watch television.
My proudest achievement … being a dad.
If I could change one thing about myself ... I would be less afraid.
It changed my life … Halloumi Greek cheese and smoked tofu to maintain my vegetarianism.
My most treasured possession … My special putty knife and my mobile phone for texting.
I wish I had never given up … giving up.
My happiest memory … Winning the Lottery Jackpot (I haven’t, but believe that such thoughts will help with cosmic ordering and make it happen).
My favourite bit of Westbury … Any view of the White Horse.
Westbury would be the perfect place to live … if all ‘improvements’ over the last 30 years had not happened.
If the iconic Westbury Horse galloped away, I would like to see it replaced by … another white horse!
Interview and photograph by Mark Foster
Liz Argent
Liz grew up in Westbury and recently moved back to the town. A retired teacher, she taught German and French at a secondary school near Swindon.
In 2013 Liz compiled the book, ‘Westbury Through Time’, comparing past views of the town with how it is today. She is secretary of the Westbury Heritage Society and a member of the Family History Society.
She swims at Westbury Pool once a week and has recently started walking with the West Wilts rambling group.
The house I grew up in ... had a big garden and backed onto fields.
When I was a child I wanted to be … First a nurse, then a teacher, typical for a little girl then.
You may not know this but I am very good at … making bread – with a bread machine!
You may not know this but I am very bad at … growing old gracefully!
It might be fashionable but I don’t like … TV ‘talent’ shows.
The thing that makes me laugh … There’s no one thing, I like to see the humour in everyday life.
The living person I admire … is the Queen.
I admire her because … she has kept going for a remarkable length of time and has been a great symbol of our country.
When I have time to myself I … potter in my garden.
My proudest achievement … Getting my degree.
If I could change one thing about myself … I’d be taller.
It changed my life … When I moved back to Westbury and got involved in local life.
My most treasured possession … My collection of books. I still have many from my childhood, university and beyond. Everything from Enid Blyton to dictionaries and travel and nature guides.
I wish I had never given up ... learning to play the piano, when I was about seven, I just wouldn’t practice.
My happiest memory … Moving into my first house and planning how it would be.
My favourite bit of Westbury … The walk around the area of Wellhead at any time of year.
Westbury would be the perfect place to live if … Some of its residents could see how scruffy the town becomes when they drop litter on the streets or leave it in the grass verges. There are plenty of bins they could use.
If the iconic Westbury Horse galloped away, I would like to see it replaced by … a sheep, to represent the wool industry which was so important to the prosperity of the town for so many years.
