Malmesbury’s Christmas shopping night will have stalls, Santa and season’s greetings. A record number of stallholders have applied to set up at this year’s Malmesbury late-night shopping. It looks set to be bigger and better than ever.
The festive highlight will take place on Friday, December 5th, from 6pm to 9pm. The Malmesbury Mayor, Cllr Stephen James, will perform the official opening.
Stalls will line the streets and once again extend up the High Street and along Oxford Street. Organisers are hoping for good weather after inclement weather at last year’s event forced a relocation to the Town Hall.
Malmesbury’s Christmas shopping night – Santa with gifts and Scouts
For the youngsters
For the children, Cross Hayes car park will feature plenty of attractions, including Santa’s Grotto. Shoppers can also enjoy entertainment provided by local choirs. There’ll also be lots of tasty food stalls, all designed to get people into the Christmas spirit.
Our team of organisers and volunteers are working hard to make sure this annual event is bigger and better than ever. We’re keeping our fingers crossed for good weather,’ said Cllr James. ‘I’m looking forward to seeing local people and visitors enjoying our town under the festive lights and the children excited to see Santa. The whole event is a great start to the Christmas period.’
A few weeks ago I’d booked myself on a tour of the Health Hydro – AKA – Milton Road Baths. In the event, I couldn’t make it – family ties etc. So I asked a chum, Helen George, and fellow Swindon Heritage Preservation Trust, trustee to fling together a few words on the topic. And here they are below – edited a little for SEO purposes.
I joined a tour of the Health Hydro this week. We donned boots with steel toe caps, high vis jackets, gloves and hard hats. Whilst Health and Safety is high on list of requirements from the contractors, Fourth Street, I thought it was a bit ott. But then they explained that we’d align with the workers. They had to wear the same gear in the building. So it was, in part, out of respect for them.
There’s been a lot of work done since the last time I saw the building before covid. But much of it, the nuts and bolts of the building, aren’t on display. New pipes, boilers and a myriad of working parts have – all now renewed.
The new filtration system is one of only eight of their kind in the country. It’s the latest technology, resulting in eco-friendly and economic future proofing.
A Health Hydro Visit – Milton Road Baths
Original features
One original feature, impossible to ignore, is the use of windows in the roof. These bring in fantastic natural lighting around the building and in many of the rooms. Even though it was a sunny day when I visited, I could imagine it being equally joyful on a dull day.
There’s been a lot of care taken, maximising space and access. But all whilst attempting to keep as many original features as possible. Swimmers, wet and towelled, used to have to cross a large expanse of the foyer to get to and from changing rooms. That situation is now remedied.
And what a renovation it is. The new women’s changing room is resplendent in rippling and glossy pale grey tiles bouncing off the sunlight from the roof.
I’m very impressed by what I saw and heard. And I’m confident that the building, with more funding along the way, will be a magnificent addition to Swindon’s heritage once again.
I can visualise it being an important community asset fit for modern use.’
Swindon has a remarkable history and unique collection of heritage assets, fuelled largely by the development of Brunel’s Swindon Railway Works in the 1840s. After years of declining demand and changes in the railway industry, the works closed in 1986. Since then, many of these historic buildings have been neglected, becoming a visual impediment to inward investment and frustrating regeneration.
What’s currently happening at the health hydroWhat heritage can be
Para-Badminton Player Show Speaker. The revitalised care show taking place in January 2026, in Swindon Wiltshire, has announced Para-badminton player David Follett as their guest speaker.
The Care Show Swindon is the South West’s Premier Health & Social Care Expo. It’s where care industry professionals, suppliers, and service providers gather to share their insights and expertise. This all-day event brings information and knowledge to businesses and members of the public.
2025 debut
The Care Show debuted as an event in 2025 and saw massive attendance. With co-owners, Hannah Edwards and Kevin Griffiths at the helm, The Care Show comes back for its second event in the new year.
When we announced we would be back for a second year, we wanted to make sure we came back with a bang,’ said Hannah Edwards, co-owner of The Care Show. ‘We’re very excited to have David join us at The Care Show Swindon. His story is inspiring and we’re looking forward to him sharing his story on how he became a Paralympian.’
David Follet
David Follett is para-badminton player for England. In his category, David ranks number 16 in the world and number 1 in England. He’s been playing para-badminton for ten years. Further, he’s competed in three world championships:
Guatemala 2011
Dortmund 2013
Stoke Mandeville 2015.
He’s competed in a range of national and international competitions and continues to play for his country.
Para-Badminton Player Care Show Speaker – David Follet
In April 2007, David suffered a road traffic accident leaving him with a spinal cord injury and paralysis from the chest down. After intensive rehabilitation at Salisbury Spinal Unit, David returned home to Exeter and kickstarted his para-badminton career.
‘Life after injury has taught me resilience, adaptability, and above all, the importance of mindset. I’m genuinely excited to attend The Care Show. Not only to share my experiences, but also to connect with others who understand the value of care, support, and community.’
This is the first time David will be a guest speaker for The Care Show. He’ll talk about his journey, from the accident that changed his life to rehabilitation and living with a spinal cord injury to his achievements in badminton and beyond.
‘I’ve been speaking at events for over fifteen years, and in that time, I’ve learned that sharing lived experience can make a real difference. I hope people listening at The Care Show will gain a deeper understanding of spinal cord injuries and the realities of navigating life afterwards,’ continued David. ‘If even one person leaves feeling a little more hopeful or motivated, then I’ll consider it a success.’
I’m an open person and I welcome any questions, whether during my session or afterwards. Conversations like these are what bring us together and help us all learn from one another.’
The Care Show Swindon takes place on Thursday 29th January 2026 at The DoubleTree by Hilton.
Christmas Gifts for Ukraine Children. As Christmas decorations appear across Swindon, the Swindon Humanitarian Aid Partnership (SHAP) plans to bring some festive joy to children in the worst-hit areas of Ukraine.
SHAP are collecting new or nearly-new toys, games, craft kits, crayons, stationery, and wrapping paper. They’ll then ensure the donations get gift-wrapped and given to orphanages and communities. There, SHAP’s local contacts ensure they’ll get the warmest of receptions.
Swindon may not be able to stop the war. But together we can help to brighten a Ukrainian child’s Christmas.
Christmas Gifts for Ukraine Children
Donation points
The Community Centre @ Christ Church, Cricklade Street, Old Town, Swindon SN1 3HB
The Ellendune Community Centre, Barrett Way, Wroughton SN4 9LW
Christmas wrapping
From the end of October, SHAP are holding wrapping events open to anyone on the first three Saturdays of the November to help with wrapping the gifts. So if you’re a cut-above with a pair of scissors and a roll of Sellotape I’m sure they’d be delighted to hear from you.
About SHAP
The Swindon Humanitarian Aid Partnership (SHAP) is a non-governmental organization (NGO). It formed in the days after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Their board comprises British and Ukrainian nationals and with a dedicated team of volunteers. The organization remains determined to support Ukraine and Ukrainians to the best of their ability.
Volunteers undertake all this work – SHAP don’t pay wages or salaries to anyone.
At LAST! I’ve managed to bring to fruition my Swindon in 50 More Buildings project – begun on the blog before the pandemic. This is much to my huge relief I have to say – so I’m now greatly excited to be getting it launched!
This sequel to Swindon in 50 Buildings fills in lots of gaps. I had to leave out of the original book a good number or railway-related buildings – so I’ve addressed that. And this time of course, I’ve included The Oasis and the Motorola buildings. I wanted to get both of those into the first book but had difficult choices to make – so it feels good to have got them covered now. Then I also couldn’t go into the wider borough so I’ve made the effort to do that and included buildings in Wroughton and Highworth.
The back cover of Swindon in 50 More Buildings by Angela Atkinson
