Our highlights from 2025

As 2025 comes to an end, we are taking a moment to reflect on the year and the many highlights we have seen.

In January, we welcomed the Local Government Association Corporate Peer Challenge (CPC) Team to the Town Hall. The CPC team spent 2.5 days on site, and provided a feedback report. The report was very positive and Chippenham Town Council was praised for doing a great job for the town.

In March, Stanley Park Sports Ground opened their second 3G all-weather football pitch, making it the first facility in Wiltshire to have two. The new pitch was built as a result of a grant from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation and additional funding from the Town Council.

The Chippenham Neighbourhood Plan was shortlisted for the ‘Award for Plan-Making’ at the Planning Awards 2025.

In April, we announced that we had reduced our market-based carbon emissions by over 10%. This reduction followed our annual carbon appraisal process, with significant improvements achieved through replacing LPG heating at Stanley Park with a heat pump and solar panels. We also reaffirmed our commitment to continue reducing emissions and to achieve net carbon zero by 2030.

A flag-raising ceremony was held at the Town Hall Steps on 8 May for the 80th anniversary of VE Day. Mayor of Chippenham, Councillor Conor Melvin welcomed attendees before the Union Flag was raised. Mayoral Cadet Flood, and Youth Council members read WWII casualty names, followed by the Chippenham branch of the Royal British Legion leading an Act of Remembrance, and the Remembrance Buglers played the Last Post before a two-minute silence was observed.

In May, we also celebrated the Mayor’s Investiture. Thanks were given to last year’s Mayor, Councillor Conor Melvin, and we congratulated Councillor Kathryn Macdermid on her election as Mayor of Chippenham 2025-2026. We also celebrated Councillor Matthew Bragg becoming Deputy Mayor.
The new Mayor of Chippenham chose Springboard Chippenham as this years’ mayoral charity.

Further in May, the elections took place giving residents the opportunity to vote for their local representatives. The elections resulted in 14 new Town Councillors.

We unveiled a new blue plaque in June at Chippenham Museum, dedicated to King Alfred the Great. Viking and Anglo-Saxon re-enactor group, Manaraefan, demonstrated their crafts, and the ceremony was led by Mayor of Chippenham, Kathryn Macdermid.

Also in June, we announced that Monkton Park and John Coles Park were re-accredited with a Green Flag Award, an international quality mark for parks and free spaces. This is testament to the work carried out by the team that cares for our green spaces in Chippenham.

July saw the return to 1643 as we welcomed the English Civil War Society’s Civil War Encampment back to Monkton Park. Over two days, we saw The King’s Army and the Roundhead Association together in a fight to decide whether the town would be Royalist or throw in its lot with Parliament.

Throughout July, we launched our community survey. We wanted to find out what residents think of Chippenham, what is going well and where improvements could be made to help shape the Council Corporate Strategic plan 2026-2030. You can read the findings report HERE.

In August, we hosted the Summer Fayre in John Coles Park, featuring a family fun day of live music, traditional fairground rides, and plenty of entertainment for all. We enjoyed performances from Robbie Culley, Derek Nash Acoustic Quartet, CLOGettes and an interactive performance of a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party.

In September, we were pleased to announce that Chippenham had been re-accredited with a Purple Flag Award, in recognition of its commitment to creating a dynamic, secure and vibrant evening and night-time economy. There are 90 Purple Flag destinations across the UK, Ireland, Sweden, Malta, New Zealand and Australia.

We were thrilled to announce in October that the Neeld Community & Arts Centre refurbishment design by Simple Simon won an award at the British Institute of Interior Design Awards 2025. The refurbishment took place in 2023; it has been a great success and is loved by visitors to the Neeld.

October also saw Mayor of Chippenham, Kathryn Macdermid’s first coffee morning, raising money for Springboard, Chippenham. We also opened our very first pumpkin patch in the Market Place, for families to join the spooky fun and select a free pumpkin to take home to prepare for Halloween.

In November, we commemorated Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day in Chippenham, bringing the community together to honour those who lost their lives in service. A public Act of Remembrance took place at the War Memorial on Sunday 9 November, followed by the traditional parade of uniformed groups through the High Street. On Tuesday 11 November, an Act of Remembrance and two-minute silence was held outside the Town Hall, led by the Mayor of Chippenham in partnership with the Royal British Legion and the Chippenham Armed Forces Veterans Breakfast Club.

At the end of November, we held the annual Christmas light switch-on event. The event was well attended, with a festive market, family-friendly activities at Chippenham Museum, interactive street performers, and live music. Santa then visited by abseiling down the Museum and switched the lights on with the Mayor of Chippenham and Buddy McJingles.

You can watch the video of the Christmas light switch-on HERE.