HAPPY Swindon Day!

Yes, our town now has its own special date in the calendar, which marks the anniversary of Queen Victoria signing a charter in 1900 to bring the Old Town and the New Town established around the railway 59 years earlier together to create Swindon.

This was the last charter of its type which the Queen signed during her reign, and the hill which links the two towns still bears her name.

The Federation of Small Businesses decided to launch the occasion to celebrate small businesses in the town as well as its history.

The organisation ran a social media campaign around Wiltshire Day on June 5 last year.

Then members in Swindon questioned why a day for this town wasn’t being marked - and it turns out, there wasn't one. 

The FSB has the backing of Swindon Borough Council, InSwindon, and the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership in its bid to establish Swindon Day as a recognised calendar date.