More than 100 people visited Christ Church in Old Town for an afternoon celebrating Swindon’s history, community and working lives through flowers, family stories and local heritage.
The Working Lives in Bloom Flower Festival and Heritage Open Day took place on Saturday 19 September, bringing together 18 floral displays alongside heritage activities, tours and local history.
Visitors were able to explore the church, its site and bell tower, browse craft stalls and find out more about their own family history during the event, which ran from 1pm to 4pm.
The afternoon was inspired by the 2026 National Heritage Open Days theme of working lives, with the event highlighting the occupations, skills, routines and crafts that have helped shape communities across the generations.
One of the highlights was the appearance of Falklands War veteran Dave Logan, who brought along memorabilia belonging to his father, who served during the Second World War, and his grandfather, who served in the First World War.
The Swindon branch of the Wiltshire Family History Society was also on hand to help visitors investigate their family connections and discover more about the area’s past.
The flower festival proved particularly popular, with visitors voting for their favourite displays.
Swindon Growers, represented by Josie Slade, took first place, with Little Fishes coming second. Third place went to a display celebrating 30 years of service by Christ Church’s sexton.
The Friends of Christ Church also supported the event with a stall and raffle, while local craftspeople offered a selection of handmade goods.
Donations for refreshments raised money for Save the Children.
The organisers said the event provided an opportunity to bring together the history of Christ Church with the creativity of its congregation and wider community.
They thanked everyone who created floral displays, volunteered, contributed to the stalls and raffle or simply came along to support the afternoon.
With its mixture of flowers, family history, wartime memorabilia and local stories, Working Lives in Bloom offered a reminder that heritage is not just about old buildings – but also about the people and everyday working lives that have helped shape Swindon.
