Canal Walk Town Centre – view from Wharf Green down towards the ParadeLOWER DOWN CANAL WALK – the Zurich building on Fleming Way looming into view
Bringing us into modern Swindon and doing exactly as that famous Ronseal advert proclaims, Canal Walk in the heart of Swindon’s town centre, follows some of the route of where the Wilts & Berks canal once ran. It’s now a pedestrianised shopping area whose paving, if you stop and look, tells some of the history of this area’s backstory.
Canal Walk Swindon – some of the paving telling the canal storyOverhead shot of Wharf Green & a section of Canal Walk courtesy of Jason Spickett of Swindon from the Air The wavy line is the paving that’s inscribed with history of the Wilts & Berks canal.
Further, outside shops 2-6, just about at the crossroads where Canal Walk meets Bridge Street/Regent Street and The Parade you’ll find a 19th century milestone declaring ‘Semington 26 miles’. Given Grade II listed status in 1986, the milestone found itself removed and renovated during the Brunel Centre expansion of the 1970s. It stands now as one of the few remaining physical reminders of the canal that ran here before a 1914 act of parliament closed it.
Just around the corner from the milestone, on Bridge Street, is Carleton Atwood’s Golden Lion statue. This being a replacement for an older version, it stands near to the site of the former Golden Lion Bridge – an iron lift bridge built in the GWR Works in 1870.
The Grade II listed milestone on Canal WalkMap section showing the location of the Golden Lion Bridge
The route of the canal – and Canal Walk
Canal Walk then starts with the milestone (more or less) and continues up to Wharf Green and through the underpass under the carpark, across Milton Road and down towards Cambria Bridge. The preserved line of the filled-in canal has the backyards of houses on both of its sides. It runs all the way up to Cambria Bridge and the mural and, at length to Rushy Platt where the canal has been restored. See also Milton Road: https://swindonian.me/2026/06/05/13-milton-road-1895/
Canal Walk bridge & steps to Milton Road. Beyond the bridge is the route of the canal – now a footpath – with Cambria Bridge at the endSection of the Cambria Bridge Mural featuring a trainSection of the Cambria Bridge Mural featuring Billie Piper
The canal itself continued down what is now The Parade. The Debenhams building marks the junction with the North Wilts canal. The W&B continued along what’s now Fleming Way to where the Magic Roundabout now lies. It turned off along the boundary of St Joseph’s school and then went through Greenbridge to run alongside the A420 towards Oxford.
Going the other way from the Debenhams building, the North Wilts canal ran under the railway at the Shepard Street underpass and out through Cheney Manor, Moredon and Moulden Hill to Cricklade.
The canal and its bridges
1877 saw the building of Cambria Road bridge with Queenstown bridge being erected in 1885. While the landmark Whale Bridge roundabout (see Fleming Way for further mention of this and Queenstown bridges), commemorated another roundabout (Swindon has a few) appeared in 1893.
1907 saw the building of the York Road bridge built to link housing developments on either side of the then derelict canal. The wrecking ball paid a visit to this bridge in the 1960s during the construction of Fleming Way.
One half of the remains of the York Road bridge over the Fleming Way stretch of the canal. The mural is the work of Dayna Baxter and the late Paul Exton
A bit about the canal
In Swindon Decoded, John Chandler writes how when, in 1804, this portion of the canal was under construction (and for some decades afterwards) open countryside lay on both sides. There was, he writes, but a mere glimpse of civilization in the form of Old (High) Swindon on the hill to the left and a small number of buildings at Even Swindon to the right.
From 1840 rows and rows of houses started spreading across the fields between the canal and the new railway tracks. Soon they transformed the landscape until, by the 1890s, the canal’s useful life had come to an end. A victim of its own success if you will, the canal became irrelevant. It’s course through Swindon had become both an inconvenience and a health hazard thus 1914 saw the borough council buy the Swindon portion and fill it in.
More for Less for Families. South Swindon Parish Council is making summer entertainment more affordable! They’re reducing ticket prices for children and families across its programme at the Town Gardens Bowl. It’s all part of the government’s Great British Summer Savings initiative.
More for Less for Families at the town gardens bowl
The programme
There’s an exciting programme from which to choose. There’s:
live music
theatre
comedy and family entertainment taking place throughout the summer
And the Parish Council is ensuring that even more local families can enjoy unforgettable experiences at one of Swindon’s most iconic outdoor venues.
The reduced pricing applies to a range of family-friendly events throughout the season. Thus making it easier for parents and carers to enjoy quality time together, with some tickets now as low as £3.50 per child.
The Town Gardens Bowl summer programme features something for all ages including:
family theatre
Family theatre
Children’s live entertainment
Music events
Comedy and tribute performances
All alongside headline concerts in the beautiful surroundings of the historic Town Gardens.
Firm faves
The 2026 programme includes favourites such as:
Rock the Tots
Comedy Club 4 Kids
Alice in Wonderland
The family magic show
Kapow wrestling
All alongside a packed programme of live music and theatre.
Councillor John Firmin, Chair of the Events Working Party at South Swindon Parish Council, said:
‘We know that the summer holidays can be an expensive time for families. We want to make sure everyone has the opportunity to enjoy fantastic live entertainment right here in Swindon. By supporting the government’s Great British Summer Savings initiative, we’re pleased to offer reduced ticket prices that help make our events even more accessible.
The Town Gardens Bowl has a long tradition of bringing people together through culture and entertainment. And we look forward to welcoming even more families through our gates this summer.’
The discounted ticket prices form part of the Parish Council’s commitment to providing affordable, high-quality cultural experiences for local residents while encouraging families to make the most of the summer holidays.
Tickets are on sale now. and families Book early – it’s expected that many events will sell out fast.
For full event listings, updated ticket prices and to book, visit the Parish Council’s online box office:
EX RAF Photographer Applies Military Values to her business nineteen years after leaving the forces.
A Wiltshire photographer and business owner says the values she learned during her time in the Royal Air Force continue to influence how she works now – almost 20 years later.
Barbara Leatham, founder of Barbara Leatham Photography and The Business Lens, joined the RAF at the age of 29 as a single parent. She spent five years serving as a photographer before returning to civilian life and, at length, building her own business.
Armed Forces Day on Saturday 27th June, recognises the contribution of serving personnel, veterans, reservists, cadets and military families. Ahead of that Barbara reflects on the four core RAF values that continue to shape her approach to business today. They are: Respect, Integrity, Service and Excellence.
EX RAF Photographer Applies Military Values – Barbara Leatham photographer
Respect
For Barbara, respect begins with understanding that every photograph tells somebody else’s story.
‘When people invite you into their business, their event or an important moment in their lives, that comes with a responsibility,’ she said. ‘I’ve worked with many people who aren’t comfortable in front of the camera for a variety of reasons. It’s important to give them the time they need so we get the best results.’
‘Respect is about listening first, understanding what matters to people and recognising that every business and every individual is different.’
Integrity
Barbara believes integrity is one of the most important values she carried from military life into her photography career.
‘Photography should tell the truth,’ she said. ‘Now, in particular, when people are seeing more edited, generated and artificial content than ever before.’
‘I shared a photo of myself recently on my socials that showed the original photograph of me, and a transitional AI version. I come with blemishes, my hair is rarely perfect, and there’s a need to be honest when there is so much fake in the world.
“I’ve always believed that the strongest images are the authentic ones. My job is not to create a false impression, it’s to help people tell their story with honesty.’
Service
While Barbara’s career has evolved from photographer to trainer and mentor, she says the principle of service remains the same.
‘My role has always been about helping people achieve what they need, whether that’s creating photographs, building confidence or developing new skills.’
‘I’ve always believed that if I can share a useful tip or spark a new idea while I’m working with someone, I should. Almost every shoot I’ve done has involved conversations about future opportunities, content ideas or ways a client can make more of what they’re already doing.
I love it when someone gets back in touch to say they’ve come away with a whole list of ideas from our time together.
‘Service is about putting other people first and understanding what success looks like for them, not for you.’
Excellence
Barbara says excellence is often misunderstood as perfection.
‘In the RAF, excellence wasn’t about being perfect. It was about trying, preparation and taking pride in your work.’
‘I’ve always been someone who likes to arrive early. I’d much rather have time to get my bearings, understand the environment and be ready to start than risk missing an important moment. Photography often captures moments that are impossible to repeat. So preparation is so important to me.
‘That mindset has stayed with me throughout my career. I still believe in turning up prepared, paying attention to the details and always looking for ways to improve.’
This July marks 19 years since Barbara launched her photography business. And almost a year since she introduced The Business Lens, a photography training programme designed to help businesses create stronger visual content using the equipment they already have.
Looking back, Barbara believes the values she learned in the military continue to guide her both professionally and personally. ‘The uniform comes off, but the values stay with you,’ she said.
‘They’ve influenced who I am, how I work and the standards I set for myself every day. Armed Forces Day is a chance to recognise everyone who has served, but also to reflect on the lessons that stay with us long after our service ends.’
The Swindon Culture Collective network today launched a bold new brand and website. The purpose being to raise the profile of Swindon’s vibrant cultural offer.
Donated by Gel Studios as their contribution to the project, with members of Swindon Culture Collective network, Do Swindon is a dynamic platform. Its aim is to bring together the borough’s cultural offer. Thus making it easier for people to find out what’s on. And get everyone excited about what Swindon has to offer.
The network of grassroots local creatives and creative organisations have come together to develop the Do Swindon brand as part of Swindon’s Cultural Place Partnership. It’s supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.Â
Rod Hebden, Swindon Culture Collective CIC, said:
‘All too often we hear people complain that ‘there’s nothing to do in Swindon’. Meanwhile we know that our town has a varied and thriving arts and cultural scene. But with the sector comprising individuals and organisations of many sizes, it can be a challenge to publicise events and activity in an effective way. That’s why this work was included in the Place Partnership bid that Swindon made to the Arts Council. And it’s fantastic to see it come to fruition so well.’
Graeme Leighfield, Gel Studios, said:
‘When we heard that the plans were to include a platform like this, we were keen to offer our support. We’re passionate about supporting Swindon, and have worked with many of the festivals and cultural organisations. But this gave us the opportunity to create something that could support the whole sector and everyone who spends time in Swindon.
It’s my belief that we’ve created something quite special. It’s launching with dozens of fantastic activities already uploaded. But we have plans for continous improvement of the functionality of the site. And to help more and more members of the network to post their events, workshops and exhibitions, all over the borough.’
Do Swindon
Do Swindon is a go-to destination for residents, visitors, businesses and community organisations looking to explore what’s happening across the town. From independent events and cultural attractions to days out, local stories and hidden gems, the platform brings Swindon’s people, places and possibilities together in one accessible space.
At its heart, Do Swindon is about changing the conversation around the town.
Showcasing Swindon’s Cultural Offer – laptop showing the do swindon website
A town with plenty to shout about
For too long, Swindon has been a place with plenty to shout about, but not always enough platforms dedicated to shouting about it. Do Swindon has been launched to help make that story easier to see, share and celebrate.
The new website gives people a simple way to find out what to do in Swindon. Whether planning a weekend, looking for family activities, promoting a local event, or wanting to reconnect with what’s on their doorstep. It’s also designed to support:
local businesses
venues
charities
creatives and …
… organisers
by giving them greater visibility and helping more people discover what they offer.
The Do Swindon website is now live. It will continue to grow as more businesses, events, organisations and community stories are added.
Visit www.doswindon.co.uk to explore what‘s happening across the town. Discover new places and support the people helping Swindon stand out.
Swindon Art Club Competition. SWINDON’S largest children’s visual arts organisation announces a summer art competition and exhibition for children across the town.
Let’s Create Art Club, founded by artist Rachel Bray, allows children to explore painting, drawing, sculpture and design in a safe, fun, and pressure-free environment. It does so through after-school clubs and holiday art camps for children aged four to twelve.
To mark this summer like no other, Let’s Create Art Club are launching their town-wide art competition: ‘Let’s Create Swindon Summer Art Competition’.
‘Over the years I’ve run a few competitions in the schools in which we have our clubs but nothing on this scale. I want to include and exhibit as many local children as I can’ said Rachel. ‘Plus, they have the chance to win some fantastic prizes!’
Swindon Art Club Competition – Rachel Bray
The competition theme
The theme for the competition is ‘My Imagination’. And KS1 and KS2 aged children who attend any Swindon primary school can take part.Â
‘I chose the theme of ‘My Imagination’ because it was broad. And it’ll allow children to embrace their creative ideas and have them shine through in their artwork,’ said Rachel.
They can use any artistic medium to create their pieces as long as they are A4-sized, 2D, dry and hard copies (not photograph copies or digital art) when submitting.
‘Competitions like these are about far more than prizes. They give children confidence, time to express themselves and see that their ideas have value. To have an exhibition of children’s artwork at the end of the competition and the start of the summer holidays is going to be so exciting for them,’ she said.
To submit their artwork, students will hand their completed pieces into their school office where it will be collected after the deadline. Rachel is inviting all Swindon schools to take part. Should your child’s school decide not to take part, get in touch with Let’s Create Art Club to submit directly.
The deadline for entries is Monday 6th July.Â
Announcements and exhibitions
Rachel will announce winner, runners-ups and highly commended submissions the week commencing Monday 13th July.Â
The variety of prizes available for the lucky winner and runners up of the ‘Let’s Create Swindon Summer Art Competition’, comprise art hampers and days at summer Art Camp. Also Amazon and Hobby Craft gift vouchers.
From the end of July, selected artwork will go on show at the Let’s Create Art Club’s summer exhibition at the Richard Jefferies Museum, next to Coate Water Country Park in South Swindon. Children and families will be able to visit the museum and see their work in a gallery setting.
‘By exhibiting selected entries and sharing their work we are showing children their creativity matters and deserves going on show. I hope they will feel so proud when they see their work exhibited in a museum!’
Let’s Create Art Club is a member of the Institute of Children’s Activity Providers (ICAP), ensuring the club meets high standards for safety, inclusion and engagement.
