“Bloom has focused and extended the programme of community gardening started 9 years ago. It has made a tremendous change to the appearance of areas around South Swindon and encouraged others to join in.”
Linda Kasmaty, South Swindon Parish Councillor
“Most of the seven areas that we look after were previously unloved areas filled with weeds and lots of rubbish. Over the years we have converted these into little gems of green and bloom, that provide splashes of colour and which attract bees, butterflies and other insects.”
Judith Randell-Sly, OTRA Gardens Volunteer
“It’s great that the Swindon in Bloom team are improving the appearance of Old Town. Old Town buildings are steeped with history and heritage and beautiful flowers certainly enhance the appeal of the whole area.”
Kris Talikowski, Vice-Chair of Old Town Business Association
“It has been a great pleasure to watch South Swindon in Bloom “blossom”. To see so many individuals and groups come together and their enthusiasm to contribute meaningfully for the community.”
Neil Pullen, Conservation Lead for Wiltshire Wildlife Trust
In Bloom 2025
South Swindon in Bloom made it a hat trick of Gold Awards at the 2025 South West in Bloom Awards Ceremony.
The In Bloom 2025 entry was awarded Gold and won the Tesco Cup for best entry in the large town category. We were also awarded the Urban Communities Trophy, which recognises the hard work that all the different community groups do to bring people together and galvanise their community.
Check out our 2025 South Swindon in Bloom portfolio here:
In Bloom 2024
In October 2024, the South Swindon in Bloom entry was awarded with a Gold medal at the South West in Bloom awards. This was our first entry in the ‘Champions of Champions’ category after winning best in class in the large town category in 2023. Thank you to all the volunteer gardeners and partner organisations that are a part of the South Swindon in Bloom entry and to all South Swindon Parish Council staff across the parks, maintenance, grounds and street sweeping teams for your continued hard work throughout the year.
Check out our 2024 South Swindon in Bloom portfolio here:
In Bloom 2023
In October 2023 South Swindon earned a gold award in the Tesco Cup for South West In Bloom.
This was the first year entering into the main competition after 3 years competing in the pennant class, so to achieve gold at the first try is a fantastic achievement and everyone involved should be very proud.
Thank you to all the fantastic volunteer groups and individuals who have contributed to the In Bloom entry. Their efforts have also been recognised with a strong showing in the In Your Neighbourhood competition, with some of the groups achieving top marks.
You can find the full list of results on the South West In Bloom website here.
From left to right: The Mayor of Truro Carol Swain, Jacob Green, Cllr Linda Kasmaty, Matt Leather and Lady Emma Fellowes.
Check out our 2023 South Swindon in Bloom portfolio here:
South Swindon In Bloom
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) organises the Britain in Bloom competition which is entered by various communities across the UK. Over 1,600 communities enter each year, participating in their local regions “in Bloom” campaign.
South Swindon Parish Council first entered the pennant competition in 2019 and was awarded a Silver Medal and a trophy for Best Victorian Park. There was no competition in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions and in 2021, we again achieved a Silver Medal followed by a Silver Gilt Medal in 2022.
In 2023, we entered into the main competition for the first time and we achieved a Gold medal and won the Tesco Cup (category for large towns). In 2024, we were automatically entered into the ‘Champions of Champions’ category, and once again achieved a Gold medal.
South Swindon in Bloom Portfolio
Check out our 2026 South Swindon in Bloom portfolio here:
Check out our 2025 South Swindon in Bloom portfolio here:
Check out our 2024 South Swindon in Bloom portfolio here:
Check out our 2023 South Swindon in Bloom portfolio here:
Partners
South Swindon Parish Council continues to provide the majority of the organisational and maintenance support for our Bloom entry but acknowledges that there needs to be an increasing support from the local community and businesses and therefore the Parish Council wishes to acknowledge the support from the following organisations:
Partnerships and Sponsors
- Arkell’s Brewery
- Artsite
- Blooming Smiles
- Brighter Futures (part of NHS Trust)
- Cambria Bridge Community Gardeners
- Christ Church
- Co-op
- Earthwatch
- Every Cloud
- Lawn Manor Academy
- Good Gym
- Great Western Community Forest
- Growing South Swindon Community
- Harbour Project
- Historic England
- Keep Swindon Tidy
- Mechanics’ Institution Trust
- Mill Lane Community Gardeners
- National Trust
- Nationwide Building Society
- Old Town Arts Centre & Library
- Old Town
- Old Town Business Association
- Old Town Residents Association
- Old Town Open Gardens
- Plastic Free Swindon
- Richard James Estate Agents
- Richard Jefferies Museum
- Royal Wootton Bassett Academy
- Salvation Army
- Swindon Borough Council
- The GAP Community Gardeners
- Timberland
- Wiltshire Police
- Wiltshire Wildlife Trust
- Woodland Trust
Projects
A selection of projects undertaking by volunteers and gardeners in South Swindon Parish.
Cambria Bridge Community Garden
Cambria Bridge Community Garden is maintained by the Growing South Swindon Community group. The organisation’s key aims are to improve shared spaces in south Swindon and enhance community.
Fishing for the Moon Sensory Garden
The Fishing for the Moon Sensory Garden was given a much needed revamp in 2021 after years of neglect. The project was undertaken solely by Old Town Residents Association Gardens volunteers
GWR Park
In March 2023, a new Blossom Circle was officially unveiled by the Parish Council, the National Trust and Historic England.
In early 2022 we tasked our trainee gardeners to design and plant two new beds on the eastern side of the park with the aim of revitalising this area that used to have formal gardens. The beds produced are pollinator friendly, fragrant, perennial schemes of a ‘cottage garden’ style.
Friends of Shaftesbury Lake
In recent years the Parish Council has worked together with the Friends of Shaftesbury volunteers to improve Shaftesbury Lake.
The Friends of Shaftesbury Lake group were formed in 2018 by Gail Collins and Pam Jones with a shared goal – “To improve the area for people and wildlife”. Since then, the group of like-minded volunteers has grown.
Situated off Shaftesbury Avenue, Shaftesbury Lake has been dramatically improved over the past 4 years.
For the past 2 years, the Friends of Shaftesbury Lake and South Swindon Parish Council have hosted a Wildlife Discovery Day around the lake, providing a day of free activities and learning opportunities for local residents.
For more information please visit The Friends of Shaftesbury Lake Facebook page watch our video about Shaftesbury Lake below
Front Garden Competition
Volunteering
Interested in becoming a volunteer in your local community? Click below to apply.