Railway Village Victorian Christmas. Step back in time this Christmas with the Railway Village Museum at 34 Faringdon Road. Explore Victorian Christmas traditions in the cottage. Witness the sights, sounds and smells of Victorian life during the festive season.
There will be low cost fun for the whole family at this free event, so we expect to get quite busy. Please book activities in advance where possible to avoid disappointment on the day.
Railway Village Victorian Christmas – The railway cottage museum
When and where and all that stuff
Who: Railway Village Museum, Mechanics’ Institution Trust, IPSUM
What: A Victorian Christmas at the Railway Village Museum
Where: Swindon Railway Village (Museum, 34 Faringdon Road / Bakers Cafe, Emlyn Square and Central Community Centre)
Christmas Crafts + Make your own wrapping paper by potato printing
Exhibitions
Colouring –
Games and stalls
Christmas crafts
FREE Potato Printing Workshop: You can make your own wrapping paper just in time for Christmas!
There is currently no need to book a session for this workshop. Workshops will last up to 45 minutes and will start on the hour, every hour from 11:00-15:00. Children must have a responsible adult with them at all times.
Suitable for ages 5+
The craft workshop will be running from the Central Community Centre in Emlyn Square, SN15GP.
Santa’s grotto
This December, Santa will be paying a special visit to Swindon’s historic Railway Village as part of the Victorian Christmas event at the Railway Village Museum.
Santa is super busy this year, and we expect a lot of people will want to see him. Book your slot in advance to avoid disappointment on the day.
Children will get the chance to have a chat with Santa about how Christmas has changed in Swindon. And about what it would have been like around Christmas through the Victorian times.
Tickets are £2 each and include a free small gift.
There are a range of FREE games, craft workshops and other activities for the whole family to enjoy while you wait for Santa. Santa’s Grotto is suitable for children of all ages. Children must be accompanied by a responsible adult at all times.
PLANS TO RE-INVENT APSLEY HOUSE. YOUNG entrepreneur Arthur Dallimer has submitted plans to Swindon Council. The plans set out his future vision for the town’s former museum and art gallery, Apsley House.
The twenty-eight-year-old, bought and sold his first property at the age of eighteen. He’s asking for full planning permission for this iconic Old Town building to bring it into the 21st century. His aim is to create a destination building in the heart of Old Town. He’s submitted the plans to Swindon Borough Council for consideration over the coming weeks.
He’s asked for permission to create a flagship ninety-cover restaurant within the former gallery. The full refurbishment of Apsley House will, he hopes, allow for two new retail units on the ground floor of the main house. And, further, a ‘we work’ style co-working and meeting space for businesses within the local area.
Work will also begin over time on upgrading several retail units on Victoria Road that are all part of Apsley House.
PLANS TO RE-INVENT APSLEY HOUSE – Attached is a headshot of Arthur Dallimer, the property developer who has just submitted plans to redevelop Apsley House in Old Town, Swindon which is the former museum and art gallery.
Hopes and plans
Im hopeful that the local planning authority will welcome these plans Arthur said. ‘Swindon is crying out for investment to improve its heritage assets. I was born and brought up here and I want to create something we’re all proud of, that benefits the residents and the economy of Old Town. My intention is to make this a go-to venue for our vibrant community.’
*Apsley House is a Grade II listed building, built around 1830. In the first instance it served as the home of surgeon Charles James Fox Axford. It changed hands a few times before becoming the home of the Toomer family from 1870. The family, who made their wealth as coal merchants, stayed there for over fifty years. It then became the property of the local authority. In the 1960s, the council added a modern extension.
The decision to close the museum came in September 2021 by Swindon Council as they considered it to be unviable. They removed all exhibits in March the following year. The building went up for sale in June 2022.
As soon as I saw the property I knew it had potential for the future. I’m a believer in heritage being a catalyst for the future if it’s embraced and respected yet also made fit for a modern purpose. If we don’t have the vision to update such properties and create a new use for them, at lenght we’ll lose them altogether,’ Arthur said.
Arthur is the founder of William Arthur Property. He’s an experienced and successful property developer concentrating on developments, both commercial and residential in Swindon, Wiltshire and Bristol.
NSPCC FUNDRAISING TREE FESTIVAL. A town centre Christmas tree takes centre stage for an NSPCCfundraising festival.
Swindon town centre is playing host to a beautiful real Christmas tree for residents and visitors to enjoy during the festive period. It’s thanks to a generous donation from Charlton Park Estate in Malmesbury.
The 20-foot tree, situated outside the town hall at the top end of Regent Street has been donated in aid of the NSPCC’s Festival of Trees. For the second-year running it will be taking place at the Wyvern Theatre during the run of their pantomime.
Lord Suffolk of Charlton Park said: ‘Charlton Park have been supporters of the NSPCC for many years. Their incredible work, involves helping hundreds of children each day. We’ve donated this Christmas tree to the community of Swindon in aid of the NSPCC charity. We hope that this will bring joy to many over the festive period.’
A magical grotto
Laura James, Director for Swindon Theatres said: ‘We’re thrilled to be welcoming the NSPCC and their festival of trees back to the Wyvern this year, following the success of last year’s event. The festival will be bigger and better, and the town centre tree is a fantastic addition. We’re so grateful to Charlton Park, as well as to Colas who transported the tree and Swindon Borough Council who supported with the installation.’
The Wyvern’s event space will transform into a magical grotto with dozens of Christmas trees. They’ll have beautiful decorations and there’ll be an interactive trail for visitors to enjoy. The Festival of Trees will be raising funds and awareness of the incredible work that the NSPCC does in the South West and all over the UK. And the town centre tree donation will further enhance the success of their campaign.
The NSPCC
Emma Hildesley, community fundraising manager for the NSPCC and organiser of the festival said: ‘It delights the NSPCC to return to the Wyvern theatre with its tree festival over the Christmas period. All running alongside the panto production and offering a winter wonderland trail for families to enjoy. All trees will showcase decorations from both the NSPCC and local partner organisations. The message is that we, and the community, are still here for children over the festive season.
Also, we’re so grateful to Charlton Park Estate and the kindness of the family. They’ve gifted the community of Swindon, in aid of NSPCC, a real tree for everyone to enjoy over the festive season this year. Not everyone is aware that we have a service hub in Swindon. We support local children, families and new/expectant parents across Swindon & Wiltshire. Also in Gloucestershire. Christmas is an opportunity for the community to come together to raise greater awareness and funds in aid of NSPCC services.’
Social media etc
The NSPCC Festival of Trees runs alongside Snow White at the Wyvern Theatre – Sat 2 – Sun 31 Dec |swindontheatres.co.uk
Wyvern Theatre – @wyverntheatre
NSPCC – NSPCC South West, @nspcc_official
Charlton Park Estate – @charltonparkestate
Laura James and Emily Grearson from the Wyvern theatre with the tree at Regent Circus
RPA Repeating Support for Children with hot meals and winter-themed festive fun. Swindon’s leading performing arts company, Revolution Performing Arts (RPA), will be continuing its support of struggling Swindon families over the festive period. They’ll be providing hot meals and a series of creative activities at settings across the town.
HAF
The initiative is part of the Holiday Activityand Food (HAF) programme, funded through Swindon Council by the Department of Education. It aims to ensure that 1000s of children who usually receive free school meals have access to nutritious, hot meals over the holiday period. And also enjoying free access to fun, creative activities.
RPA has been supporting the initiative for the last three years in Swindon. The organisation stepped in over the summer this year to also support the wider Wiltshire programme. It’s continuing this support over the festive period to try and ensure as many families as possible can benefit from the programme’s provision.
Founder of RPA, Fi Da Silva-Adams, said it’s important to her to do what she can to help ensure that no child goes without hot meals over the school holidays and to provide access to performing arts, regardless of their socio-economic background.
‘I know from personal experience how much difference the arts can make to children who face personal challenges,’ says Fi. ‘As someone who grew up in a very poor and neglectful household, the arts became my sanctuary.
Fiona Da Silva-Adams – RPA Repeating Support for Children
The value of the arts
‘I know we’re not providing therapy to the children that come to our sessions. But there’s no doubt in my mind that creative activities have a therapeutic element to them. They can make so much difference to a child’s ability to cope in difficult times. They’re also enormous fun!’
The winter-themed children’s activities that the RPA team will be providing over the Christmas break includes:
Singing
Dancing
Drama
Face painting
Lessons in magic tricks and lots of fun on bouncy castles.
Fi Da Silva-Adams’s increased involvement in the scheme has seen her also taking on a strategic role for the programme’s steering group within the Swindon Council team that administers the HAF project.
The programme is so important. Swindon does such a great job supporting it. So I want to do whatever I can to ensure the needs of the families get accurate representation. That way everything gets delivered as smoothly as possible on the ground,’ Fi says.
‘I’m keen to make progress towards removing the barriers that families face in accessing the programme’s provision. Equality of opportunity is vital and I want to put an emphasis on the arts as a completely non-elitist part of life. The arts should be for everyone.’
Location, location, location
RPA’s winter-themed days are being held at various locations. In Swindon, they will be at Park South Community Centre, from December 18 to December 21 from 9:30am until 1:30pm. Eligible families should receive a voucher from their school that includes a booking link to sign up.
Families from any background and circumstances are also able to book the sessions privately by calling RPA on 01793 792983 or emailing office@revolutionpa.co.uk.
They can book online by going to www.revolutionpa.co.uk and clicking on the appropriate Holiday Fun page. All children will receive a hot meal.
The Social Scaffolding art collective is exhibiting immersive, interactive and participatory art in Swindon, at the outlet centre. Strikes me as great way to put an empty unit to good use.
Their Outlet Centre (unit 9) exhibition is open to the public to drop in from: 11th November – 26th November between 12pm and 5pm. They’re there from Wednesday – Sunday.
Social Scaffolding art collective in unit 9 in the outlet centre
They’re also offering free group sessions. You can book them during public open hours or for private sessions on weekday mornings (Wednesday- Friday).
The group aims to promote wellbeing through creativity, connection and conversation. And they do it in a friendly, relaxed and welcoming environment. The sessions are suitable for both crafters and non-crafters alike. Research shows that creativity is good for us and that it can improve mental health. They say: ‘We often find that working together side by side enables participants to talk freely about things on their minds.’
You can find them in the ether on their website here. And on Instagram at @social.scaffolding.artists
About the collective
From their website: ‘Working as a collective provides artists with opportunities for professional development and mutual support so together we can work more effectively with our audiences. We aim for our work to be accessible for all ages & abilities.
The Social Scaffolding collective is formed by three emerging artists, Lou Baker, Juliet Duckworth, and Alyson Minkley. We’re all recent graduates of Bath Spa University. We’re also residents of Emerge, the graduate incubation programme, supported by the University Careers Team.
Pop-up venues attracted non-traditional audiences from passers-by, widening arts participation. Their tour increased footfall in empty high streets, a catalyst for regeneration. In their pilots they invited sessions for targeted community groups. And young people complemented an open-door policy, enabling a wide range of visitors to be creative, embodying their stories and feelings in the artworks.
