Wednesday 1st
New Year’s Day at Swindon and Cricklade Railway
Swindon and Cricklade Railway, 11am-3pm
Enjoy a family-friendly trip to Swindon and Cricklade Railway for a great steam train ride to help kick start your 2020!
Saturday 4th
Healthy Living Fest
Swindon Central Library, 11am-3:30pm
This event will be free to the public, however there will be stalls available to purchase food and goods on the day.
Saturday 4th
Veganism, Sex and Politics: Tales of Danger and Pleasure
Swindon Central Library, 4:30pm
To conclude our first healthy living fest, we are pleased to introduce our guest speaker C. Lou Hamilton and her recent release Veganism, Sex and Politics. Tickets are £4 and are available from Central Library.
Sunday 5th
Swindon Scalextric Swapmeet
Oasis Leisure Centre, 10:30am-3:30pm
60+ tables bulging with Scalextric past and present. From the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s that our visitors cherish from their childhood, through to modern releases and current catalogue at bargain prices. The event is the ideal place to come and explore if Father Christmas has left a new Scalextric set or Mum and Dad have fetched their old set down from the loft. Various circuits to race on organized by Swindon Four Lane Blacktop. Entry £2.50 adults, accompanied under 16 year olds free.
Monday 6th
Memory Box Reading Group
Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre, 2-3:30pm
Do you enjoy history and listening to stories? Our group is meeting on the first and third Monday afternoon of every month to listen to an extract from one of the amazing collection of books in our Local Studies Library. We will take time to share memories and thoughts, and also have a chat over refreshments! If you would enjoy some friendly company in a relaxed environment, this is for you. All welcome! Free entry, parking right outside and refreshments, supported by Hob Nob Press. Read - Reminisce – Enjoy.
Wednesday 8th
Coeliac UK Coffee Social
McCtaffs Cake and Tea Room, Brunel Centre, 2:30-4pm
Free informal meet up at McCtaffs Cake and Tearoom on the first floor of the Brunel Centre in Swindon. If you are free, we would love you to just drop in. You don’t need to be a member or even have a formal diagnosis, and family and friends are very welcome. So come along if you have any questions about gluten free living or just for a chat and a slice of cake.
Wednesday 8th
Swindon Society Talk
Goddard Park School, Welcombe Avenue, Park North, 7:30pm
January’s presentation will be ‘George E. Hobbs – Poet, Preacher and Polymath’ by Graham Carter and Noel Ponting. The meetings take the form of image presentations by members or visiting speakers. Members’ entry fee is 50p, visitors £3 and this includes light refreshments.
Wednesday 8th
Swindon Film Society – Shoplifters
Swindon Arts Centre, 7:45pm
A Japanese family living on inadequate incomes avail themselves of the fruits of shoplifting to make ends meet. Their routine is about to change from care-free to something more dramatic, however, when they take in a child they find outside in the cold. Crime/Drama, certificate 15, 121 minutes. Tickets £9, available from www.swindontheatres.co.uk.
Thursday 9th
Royal Wootton Bassett Cinema – Judy
Sixth Form Building, Royal Wootton Bassett Academy, 7pm
Winter 1968 and showbiz legend Judy Garland (Renee Zellwegger) arrives in swinging London to perform a five week sold-out run at The Talk of the Town. It is 30 years since she shot to global stardom in The Wizard of Oz, but if her voice has weakened, its dramatic intensity has only grown. As she prepares for the show, battles with management, charms musicians and reminisces with friends and adoring fans, her wit and warmth shine through. Even her dreams of love seem undimmed as she embarks on a whirlwind romance with Mickey Deans, her soon-to-be fifth husband. Biography/Drama/History, Certificate 12A, 118 minutes. Tickets £5 (cash only please). Bottled drinks and sweets available for purchase.
Thursday 9th
Wiltshire Family History Society Swindon Branch Meeting
Gorse Hill Community Centre, 7:30pm
Jerry King’s topic will be ‘What Was New in 2019’. Meetings are held on the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 7:30pm. Stuck on a problem? Don’t know where to find information? Need advice? Our resident experts are there to help you. For further details of the Swindon meetings, or general queries, contact Branch Secretary Yvonne Neal on 01793 822310 or nealy1@virginmedia.com.
Saturday 11th
Meet the Railway Workers
STEAM Museum, 10am-4pm
Whatever your age, our friendly team of volunteers will add to the STEAM experience as you tour the Museum. They will welcome you aboard three famous locomotives: No. 4073 Caerphilly Castle, No. 3717 City of Truro, and No. 6000 King George V! You'll even get to find out how the controls worked on the great engines! Expect to hear some fascinating anecdotes of what it was like to be a GWR engine driver, fireman or labourer; or an engineer, craftsman or office worker at one of the 'Shops' inside GWR's Swindon Works. This great experience is free with standard admission and to STEAM Season Ticket holders.
Saturday 11th
Grow Your Own Potato Day and Seed Fair
Gorse Hill Community Centre, 10am-1:30pm
Swindon Allotments and Leisure Gardens are hosting its annual seed potato day and seed fair. 60 plus varieties of seed potato for sale, plus onion and shallot sets, planting garlic and a comprehensive range of heritage seeds. Plus a selection of fruit trees, soft fruit bushes, kitchen garden plants and much more. Tea, coffee and cakes available.
Sunday 12th
Winter Tree Identification
Coate Water Park, 10am-12:30pm
Learn how to identify our most common tree species living here at Coate Water and beyond. Carrying this out in the depths of Winter we will look at the finer identification detail such as buds, bark and form. Meet at Coate Water Ranger Centre. Please wear clothes to suit the weather and stout shoes. You may also wish to bring a notepad and any tree identification books you may have. Suitable for dogs. Event leaders are Ross Shepherd and Michael Lilley. Book in advance on 01793 490150 or email swindonrangers@swindon.gov.uk. This is a free event.
Wednesday 15th
Chiseldon Local History Group Talk
Church Hall, Butts Road, Chiseldon, 7:30pm
Gordon Shaw will present ‘Old Town Market Square; Boot Makers and Masons’. Market Square is part of the town’s Medieval layout (having a market cross there in 1662). It has been part of the Conservation Area since 1969. It is now a car park overlooked by 18th century buildings, some formerly warehouses now houses, and by the former Town Hall and Corn Exchange (Locarno). Gordon will tell us all about what life was like in the area during its heyday. Imagine the hustle and bustle of people going about their daily business, trading and bartering the goods of the day. Visitors are welcome, £3 per meeting or you can join for £10. For more information contact info@chiseldonlhg.org.uk
Wednesday 15th
Coeliac UK Evening Social
The Dockle Farmhouse, 2 Bridge End Road, 7:30-10pm
Free evening meet up at The Dockle Farmhouse in Stratton. We shall be there from 7:30-10pm so pop in during that time to ask questions or just have a chat. Look for our orange t-shirts. All are welcome, you don’t need to be a member or have a formal diagnosis and family and friends are welcome.
Thursday 16th
Cricklade WI Meeting
Cricklade Town Hall Annexe, 7:30pm
Cricklade WI invite you to an evening where Sheila Lloyd-Graham will take you down memory lane to tell you about ‘Vintage Clothes 1920-1950’. All ladies are welcome.
Friday 17th
Swindon Stargazers Talk
Liddington Village Hall, Church Road, Liddington, 7:30-9:30pm
January’s talk will be ‘Imagining Planetary Nebula’ by Ian Smith. In addition to monthly talks, the club offers the opportunity to go out on clear evenings with experienced amateurs to view the night sky, and as club members even borrow club telescopes. Alternatively bring along your own telescope and get help setting it up and getting the most out of it. The club meets on the third Friday of the month at Liddington Village Hall. See the club website for more information, including directions to the venue: www.swindonstargazers.com
Saturday 18th
Abseil for Brighter Futures
Great Western Hospital, 10am-4pm
Do you dare take on the 90ft drop at the Great Western Hospital! Why not do something amazing for your local hospital supporting our children’s ward. Together with the Swindon Children’s Cancer and Leukemia charity CALM, Brighter Futures is hosting a charity abseil. The abseil costs £20 per person and we ask that each participant raises a minimum of £80 of fundraising. The more money you are able to raise, the more we can offer our children on the ward. You don’t just have to do this on your own, if you have a group of friends, colleagues or family interested, why not get together and take on the challenge as a team! Book your place and select the time you wish to abseil. Age and weight restrictions apply, for info go to www.brighterfuturesgwh.nhs.uk.
Monday 20th
Memory Box Reading Group
Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre, 2-3:30pm
Do you enjoy history and listening to stories? Our group is meeting on the first and third Monday afternoon of every month to listen to an extract from one of the amazing collection of books in our Local Studies Library. We will take time to share memories and thoughts, and also have a chat over refreshments! If you would enjoy some friendly company in a relaxed environment, this is for you. All welcome! Free entry, parking right outside and refreshments, supported by Hob Nob Press. Read - Reminisce – Enjoy.
Monday 20th
Getting the Builders In
Swindon Borough Council Civic Offices, Euclid Street, 3-4:30pm
Building a house extension can be a stressful experience. We would like to make the process easier with a free workshop for residents. The ‘Getting the Builders In’ workshop aims to steer you around the pitfalls of extending your home. Council planning and building control experts will be on hand to explain how building designs can be made to comply with planning and building regulations. They will also be offering tips on finding a good builder and will advise on how to make sure the building work delivers what you want from your extension. The workshop is free to residents of Swindon Borough. If you would like to book a place or would like a ‘Getting the Builders In’ information pack, email BControl@swindon.gov.uk.
Tuesday 21st
Author Event – Roger Crowley
Swindon Central Library, 7pm
Roger Crowley is presenting his new title, ‘Accursed Tower: The Crusaders’ Last Battle for the Holy Land’. A thrilling history of the dramatic siege of Acre in 1291, the bloody climax to the two hundred years of the Holy Land Crusades. His talk will be followed by a book signing. Tickets are £4 each, and are available from the Central Library.
Wednesday 22nd
Swindon Film Society – Foxtrot
Swindon Arts Centre, 7:45pm
A desolate military checkpoint is manned by four young Israeli soldiers who endure the hours of boredom that occur between cars arriving for inspection. Meanwhile, at home, the parents of one of the boys are devastated by the news of his sudden death, though the circumstances surrounding this take unexpected twists. Drama, certificate 15, 113 minutes. Tickets £9, available from www.swindontheatres.co.uk.
Thursday 23rd
Purton Historical Society Talk
Purton Village Hall, 7:30pm
January’s talk is titled ‘St Mary’s Church Lydiard Conservation Project’, and will be given by Sarah Finch Crisp. Annual membership £15, guests £3 per meeting. New members and visitors always welcome. For further information contact Marion Hobbs on 01793 770185 roy.marion@btinternet.com.
Saturday 25th
Meet the Railway Workers
STEAM Museum, 10am-4pm
Whatever your age, our friendly team of volunteers will add to the STEAM experience as you tour the Museum. They will welcome you aboard three famous locomotives: No. 4073 Caerphilly Castle, No. 3717 City of Truro, and No. 6000 King George V! You'll even get to find out how the controls worked on the great engines! Expect to hear some fascinating anecdotes of what it was like to be a GWR engine driver, fireman or labourer; or an engineer, craftsman or office worker at one of the 'Shops' inside GWR's Swindon Works. This great experience is free with standard admission and to STEAM Season Ticket holders.
Monday 27th
Highworth Historical Society Talk
Highworth United Reformed Church, High Street, Highworth, 7:30pm
January’s talk will be ‘Ticket to Ride’ by Chris and Judy Rouse, and will discuss the perils and pleasures of early Victorian rail travel. Visitors £3, members admitted free of charge. Visitors to all events can pay on the door, however if you wish to book tickets in advance for our lectures or events please email tickets@highworthhistoricalsociety.org.uk or telephone Ms. Chris Suter on 01793 764811.
Tuesday 28th
Cricklade Cinema – Mrs Lowry and Son
Writers’ Café, Swindon Central Library, 7pm
Friday 31st
Royal Wootton Bassett Cinema – The Lion King
Royal Wootton Bassett Rugby Club, 7pm
2019 remake. After the murder of his father, a young lion prince flees his kingdom only to learn the true meaning of responsibility and bravery. Animation/Adventure/Drama, Certificate PG, 118 minutes. Tickets £5 (cash only please). Bottled drinks and sweets available for purchase.
Ongoing Events
Until 4th January
Hit Repeat: Prints from the Swindon Collection of Modern British Art
Swindon Museum and Art Gallery
Printmaking can take many forms, from lithographs to etchings to woodcuts and even digital prints. This exhibition brings together a selection of prints from Swindon’s Collection, so visitors can explore this vital and engaging art form for themselves. The exhibition includes work by Allen Jones, Basil Beattie, Christopher Nevinson and Katherine Jones.
Until 4th January
Auto Memento: Stickyback Photography in Swindon, 1900-1919
Swindon Museum and Art Gallery
In the early 20th Century, a photographic studio in Regent Street, Swindon, offered a unique way of having your picture taken. Stickyback photos were quick, casual, fun and cheap. The Family Museum acquired its collection of 72 ‘stickyback’ photographs in September 2016. This exhibition shows the entire set of images and explores this little-documented style of Edwardian popular photography. It offers a unique glimpse of everyday life and ordinary people in Swindon in the last century. The exhibition also explores the advent and rise of amateur photography during the 20th century through The Family Museum’s extensive archive of family photographs and albums, cameras and photographic ephemera. This exhibit is a collaboration between The Family Museum and Swindon Museum and Art Gallery.
14th January - 24th March
St. Mary’s Church, Lydiard Tregoze: A Creative Celebration
Swindon Museum and Art Gallery
St. Mary’s Church, Lydiard Tregoze, is one of Swindon’s most historic and beautiful buildings. The Grade 1 listed church was awarded funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund in 2018 to conserve its medieval wallpaintings, monuments and decorative schemes. This exhibition will bring together the sketches and finished work created by the project’s Artists in Residence, Felicity Cormack and Judy Thompson, which will be exhibited alongside treasures from the church.
21st January - 7th March
Glynn Uzzell, 1930-2014: A Retrospective Exhibition
Swindon Museum and Art Gallery
Glynn Uzzell, painter and printmaker, was born in Swindon in 1930. During a long and rich artistic career, he exhibited across Europe and his works are in the collection of the V&A Museum, the Museum of Art and History in Geneva and the National Library of France. This retrospective exhibition brings together a selection of Uzzell’s vibrant and lyrical paintings and prints showcasing his talent and range as an artist. Uzzell spent many years living and working abroad, but this exhibition will help Swindon rediscover one of its most significant modern artists. This exhibition has been made possible due to the support of the artist’s family.
Until 7th March
Time For Tea!
Swindon Museum and Art Gallery
Our new ceramics exhibition brings together some of our favourite tea cups, teapots and other items from collections. This exhibition is displayed alongside modern ceramics by Ann Stokes, Lucy Rie and David Leach. We will also share Victorian and Edwardian tea sets from some of Britain’s finest pottery manufacturers.
21st January - 30th May
Pop and Prosperity: 1960s British Art from the Swindon Collections
Swindon Museum and Art Gallery
This exciting new exhibition explores the impact of popular culture and society on British Art in the 1960s, and features work by Howard Hodgkin, Michael Craig-Martin and Mary Fedden. Visitors to the exhibition will be able to appreciate the diversity, confidence and ambition of British art during the 1960s, and the way it responded to a rapidly changing world. Pop and Prosperity takes as its starting point one of the most significant works in Swindon’s Collection, Richard Hamilton’s Interior Study. This collage embodies the growing ‘pop’ sensibility in contemporary art at the time, which engaged with everyday life and Britain’s postwar prosperity. The exhibition also explores the rise of abstract painting in 1960s British art, as artists sought to embrace new forms of expression. Paintings by Bernard Cohen, Terry Frost and William Gear will be on display. Finally, the exhibition looks at the influence of sixties art on subsequent generations of artists, from 1980s abstraction to the YBA.
Every Monday
Poppy Patchers
Gerard Buxton Sports Ground, Royal Wootton Bassett, 10am-1pm
We are a friendly, local patchwork and sewing group, and we are looking for more members. For more information contact Elizabeth Hodgson on 01793 848627 elizabeth.hodgson959@btinternet.com or pop along on a Monday morning.
Every Tuesday
Lunch Club
Silver Threads Hall, High Street, Purton, 10am-2pm
Want to socialise and catch up with some friends while enjoying some delicious food and taking part in some fantastic activities? Lunch Clubs are run by Royal Voluntary Service volunteers who give their time so that you can come together with friends new and old to enjoy tasty food and company on a regular basis. Our Lunch Clubs usually provide a two course meal at affordable prices.
Afternoon Tea
Christ Church Community Centre, 2-4pm
Come along every Tuesday afternoon between 2-4pm for a piece of cake and a drink. We try to put on a different activity each week. A great chance to meet new people and have a fun time. Donations are welcome.
Highworth Artists’ Society
Community Room, Council Offices, 3 Gilbert’s Lane, Highworth, 12:30-3:30pm
Highworth Artists’ Society invite artists who are non-members (and aged 18 years or over) to bring along their own projects and painting materials to work alongside our members during our weekly Tuesday afternoon workshops. Our workshops are not led by a tutor or any ‘expert’ and are simply for all artists to draw/paint/work on their own projects in friendly surroundings where a warm welcome awaits and tea or coffee is freely available! Sessions on Tuesday afternoons are between 12.30pm to 3.30pm and will cost £5 each week for non-members (pay when you come).
Every Tuesday & Thursday
Richard Jefferies Museum, 10:30am-12pm
On Tuesday and Thursdays (term-time) from 1030-1200 we will be running Nature Kids at the Museum .These are fun filled nature-based events for under 11’s (and their carers) with a different theme every week with arts, crafts and other activities, check out the Richard Jefferies Facebook page for more details and dates. Families are welcomed to stay and play in the gardens after the event. It is £3 for the first child and £2 for each additional child.
Every Wednesday
Brushstrokes Art Group
Beechcroft Library, 12:30pm
If you like drawing or painting why not come along? There is no charge and it does not matter what level of artist you are - we would be pleased to see you! beechcroft.library@strattonstmargaret.gov.uk
Park Writes
Park Library, Cavendish Square, 2pm-4pm
Join us in having fun with words and sharing stories. What you write is right. Suitable for all abilities. All welcome, all equal. No need to book, just come along!
Swindon Go Club
Windmill Pub, Freshbrook Village Centre, 7.30pm – Close
Go is one of the oldest board games in the world. Its true origins are unknown, but it almost certainly originated in China over 2500 years ago. The rules are very simple, yet the strategy is complex and the patterns that emerge are intricate and beautiful. Visitors to the club are always welcome, especially newcomers to the game. Contact Paul on 01793 692408 or David on 01793 521625 or at secretary@swindongoclub.org.uk
Royal Wootton Bassett Market
High Street around the Town Hall, 8:30am-4pm
The regular weekly market features a wonderful array of stalls, complementing the wide range of independent retailers, which keep our town bustling and vibrant. You might meet our Town Crier and Sword bearer, Owen Collier, who cries for the market every Wednesday morning. With a number of wonderful uniforms, we are very proud of our town crier. Free parking for up to 2 hours on the High Street.
Every Thursday
Richard Jefferies Museum, 10:30am-12pm
On Tuesday and Thursdays (term-time) from 1030-1200 we will be running Nature Kids at the Museum .These are fun filled nature-based events for under 11’s (and their carers) with a different theme every week with arts, crafts and other activities, check out the Richard Jefferies Facebook page for more details and dates. Families are welcomed to stay and play in the gardens after the event. It is £3 for the first child and £2 for each additional child.
Darkroom Espresso Cycling Club
Darkroom Espresso (round the back), 5:30pm for 6pm start
Over the lighter months we’re running our Thursday club rides every week. These rides are open to everyone, and vary in length between around 15 and 30 miles, taken at our usual pace of 13-14mph. Details of where we’re headed each week can be found on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/darkroomcycleclub/ There’s usually the opportunity to head to the pub afterwards too.
Old Town Community Art Group
Savernake Street Social Hall, Swindon, 10am-12:30pm
An informal, friendly and fun Art Group for adults! £3 per session. Call Marilyn on 07768442393.
Every Friday
Swindon Country Market
St Aldhelm’s Hall, off Regent Street, 9am-12pm
Come along for an array of home baking, preserves, home grown fruit & veg, flowers, plants & crafts on offer for you to browse.
Fun and Games at Park Library
Park Library, Cavendish Square, 2pm-4pm
Board games, puzzles, crafts and colouring! Drop-in session for children aged 4+ accompanied by an adult.
Every Saturday
Highworth Market
Highworth Market Square, 8am-2:30pm
Traders sell freshly baked bread and cakes, seasonal vegetables, free-range meat, plants for the garden, fish, pastries and homewares.
Swindon Park Run
Lydiard Park, 9am
A 5km run with you against the clock, it welcomes every one of different abilities! Running for your own enjoyment, don’t worry about how fast your pace is – you’re only competing with yourself. Just come along, have a go, and have some fun! This is a free event, but to register see www.parkrun.org.uk/swindon/
Every Sunday
Farmers’ Market
Swindon’s Designer Outlet, 10am-4pm
You will find around 20 stalls each week offering freshly baked bread and cake, seasonal produce, free range meats, local cheese, jams and a range of hot foods including hot dogs, bacon rolls, burgers and falafels. Lots of tasters will be available - so try before you buy!
Swindon Go Club
Beehive Pub, Prospect Hill
Visitors and beginners welcome. Contact Paul on 01793 692408 or David on 01793 521625 or at secretary@swindongoclub.org.uk See also www.britgo.org
If you would like to publicise your event through these pages please contact Swindon Libraries and Information Centre at: infocentre@swindon.gov.uk, tel. 01793 466454, or call in to the Visitor Information Centre at Central Library, Regent Circus. Find us on facebook www.facebook.com/swindonVIC or twitter @visit_swindon
You can also submit events for publication on www.visitswindon.org.uk
Current events tickets available at the Information Centre include:
MECA Events
Swindon Film Society Screenings
Swindon Library Talks