Swindon175 Appoints Dedicated Project Manager to Lead Big Year of Celebration

Swindon’s big year of celebration has kicked off with Swindon175 announcing the appointment of dedicated Project Manager, Caroline Black, who will be responsible for pulling together the year of events.

Caroline, who was appointed on 1 December 2015, led the Swindon Heritage team that organised the hugely successful Swindon Remembers Battle of Britain 75 commemoration in September last year which saw a flypast of Spitfires and Hurricanes and a visit by HRH The Duke of Gloucester.

Ian Larrard Director of Business West and Chair of the Swindon175 Steering Group said:

“We are thrilled that Caroline is on board and it is great news for the Swindon175 project. Her previous experience will be a real asset to us and we look forward to some great events and celebrations throughout the year that I know will make Swindon175 a great success.”

Back in 1840 Daniel Gooch, then Brunel’s Superintendent of Locomotives, suggested Swindon as the location for the locomotive repair shed and construction work started the following year. Swindon went from being a rural hamlet to housing the most famous railway works in the world and the rest is history.

Swindon175 will celebrate 175 years of the town’s incredible heritage, its achievements and people, from the world famous GWR works through to making Spitfires; shaping the Mini and manufacturing Honda cars that are exported the world over.

Over the course of the year, Caroline will be organising a whole host of events marking this important anniversary in our town’s glorious history.

“I am absolutely thrilled to be involved in this year of celebration. Already we are making plans which will include schools and businesses and I hope the whole of Swindon will get involved.” said Caroline.

“2016 also marks several other important anniversaries for the town including 200 years since Sir Daniel Gooch was born and also 30 years since the railway works closed, both of which we will be marking.”

Plans are already underway for the first few events, on February 25^th, it is hoped Primary Schools across the town will mark 175 years since the GWR board of directors approved Daniel Gooch’s suggestion; and at the end of March, the town will hear the sound of the famous GWR hooters blowing – the first time since the closure of the works 30 years ago.

Local businesses are getting behind Swindon175 enabling the town to celebrate with great pride its successes and raise the profile of Swindon. 

If you want to find out more about Swindon175 or how you could support and get involved, you can contact Caroline at [email protected]