One Chippenham

Little Voices - Drama & Singing
2025-03-11 16:00 - 19:00, 2025-03-18 16:00 - 19:00, 2025-03-25 16:00 - 19:00, 2025-04-01 16:00 - 19:00 (Europe/London) | Pewsham Community Centre, Lodge Road, Chippenham, SN5 3SY
We’re SO excited to be welcoming lots of new pupils, tutors, and schools to Little Voices this year – 2025 is going to be BIGGER and better than ever!
We have recently launched at Pewsham Community Centre on Tuesdays, term time and have a selection of lessons available for ages 4-18yrs (school age)
We would love to welcome you along to join us for a free trial lesson, and for us to be a big part of Pewsham community – helping children find their voices, learn new skills and make new friends, having fun along the way.
Holiday workshops may be in the offing too if weekly lessons don’t suit your current timetables.

Rediscover the Past through Audio
2025-03-20 10:15 - 15:00, 2025-03-27 10:15 - 15:00, 2025-04-03 10:15 - 15:00, 2025-04-10 10:15 - 15:00, 2025-04-17 10:15 - 15:00, 2025-04-24 10:15 - 15:00, 2025-05-01 10:15 - 15:00, 2025-05-08 10:15 - 15:00 and 2 more dates | Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre, Cocklebury Road, Chippenham, SN15 3QN
 Great opportunity for neurodiverse young people
 A set of cassettes tapes from the 1980s which haven’t been accessible for many years have just been digitised as part of the Sounds of the South West project.
 Be the first to find out the content in these oral histories, become skilled in the technical aspects of working with audio material, get creative using the contents as a starting point, with the chance to be mentored by experienced practitioners who will support you every step of the way.
 You’ll be able to create something special to share with others, learn new skills, have fun, and maybe make some new friends. Come and enjoy spending time in a calm, accepting and welcoming environment.
Join the sessions in person or online if you’d prefer.
The project will run every Thursday from 10.15am-3pm from 20th March to 22nd May. We can pay the cost of your travel to and from the Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre too.
Contact Gianna Torchia, Project Administrator, for further information. Email: gianna.torchia@wiltshire.gov.uk or tel: 01249 705500
Sounds of the South West has been made possible with the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Learn Spanish with Carlos
2025-05-13 16:00 - 17:00 | The Cause Music and Arts Centre, 42 The Causeway, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 3DD, United Kingdom
Weekly beginner Spanish language class in small, fun, friendly group. With native Spanish speaking teacher and writer Carlos from Mexico. All welcome, whether you’re practising for your travels, your GCSE/A-Levels or looking to meet new people and learn about the diverse cultures of the Spanish speaking world. First trial class free. Term-time only. Further classes pending.

Learn Spanish with Carlos
2025-05-13 17:30 - 18:30 | The Cause Music and Arts Centre, 42 The Causeway, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 3DD, United Kingdom
Weekly Intermediate Spanish language class in small, fun, friendly group. With native Spanish speaking teacher and writer Carlos from Mexico. All welcome, whether you’re practising for your travels, your GCSE/A-Levels or looking to meet new people and learn about the diverse cultures of the Spanish speaking world. First trial class free. Term-time only. Further classes pending

The Other Sister Josephine - Community Song Writing Workshop
2025-05-24 10:30 - 12:30 | Chippenham Museum, 9-10 Market Pl, Chippenham, SN15 3HF, United Kingdom
Chippenham’s Sister Josephine Toomey didn’t found the convent pontoon team or rest her boots on the altar screen (like the one of Jake Thackray fame), but she did escape the Irish famine, help found the town’s Catholic church, teach children and have stones thrown at her.
Bring instruments, voices and minds to help collaborate and create a new song exploring and celebrating her life.
Led by musician Louise Jordan (lead musician on Maud’s Way project 2024) and local women’s history specialist Lucy Whitfield (Women Who Made Me project). Part of Chippenham Folk Festival 2025, open to everyone.
Themes: Migration. Displacement. Famine. Prejudice. Faith. Poverty.

Margaret's Search and Rescue - Community Song Writing Workshop
2025-05-24 14:30 - 16:30 | Chippenham Museum, 9-10 Market Pl, Chippenham, SN15 3HF, United Kingdom
Margaret Bruce Griffin (née Long) originally lived at Chippenham’s Rowden Hill House. She was a pioneer in training dogs for police work and bravely saved 21 lives in the blitz of World War Two.
Bring instruments, voices and minds to help collaborate and create a new song exploring and celebrating her life.
Led by musician Louise Jordan (lead musician on Maud’s Way project 2024) and local women’s history specialist Lucy Whitfield (Women Who Made Me project). Part of Chippenham Folk Festival 2025, open to everyone.
Themes: Innovation. Bravery. War. Motherhood. Dogs.

Transition Story (ages 11 -18's)
2025-06-15 12:00 - 14:00 | The Old Road Tavern, SN15 1JA
Come and hang out in the barn and listen to Adam’s story.
FOOD! At 12 noon – Nacho builder table with milkshakes (on the house) for all 11-18’s. Please enter through the barn door off Old Road, not through the pub garden.
Talk starts at 12.30pm followed by Q and A with Adam.
Born and raised in rural Donegal during the 1980s and 90s, Adam understood from a young age that he was different. He came out as gay at 15 and later as transgender at 18, navigating his identity at a time when Ireland was still grappling with issues of acceptance and inclusion. At 27, he returned to the closet — a testament to the societal pressures many LGBTQI+ individuals face — but in 2020, at the age of 36, Adam came out once again, this time embracing his full, authentic self.
Now based in Dublin, where he moved at 17, Adam is proud of how far Ireland has come in embracing its LGBTQI+ community. He plays a key role in driving forward inclusive services and fostering community engagement, helping to ensure that others don’t have to walk the path alone that he once
Brought to you by Tell Your Story – A Rag and Bone Arts CIC and Knapsack Production collaboration – A National Lottery and DCMS funded project.
There will be 4-5 adults from our team present for safeguarding during the talk, which is followed by ‘Pride Goes Acoustic’ – a live music gig at 2pm, hosted by Riverbank Studio’s. Please note that our team will only be present until 2pm.

Chippenham's secret tunnels - fact or fiction?
2025-08-26 19:00 - 21:00 | Wine Monkey, 20 Borough Parade, Chippenham, SN15 3WL, United Kingdom
The opening taster meeting for History Portal Club.
Together we’ll explore myths and truths about various tunnels believed to exist under the town.
Where are they?
Who built them?
Where do they go?
Why do we love the idea of a secret tunnel?
This fun opening session will look at the subject from all angles, and also help to establish the direction of the History Portal Club going forward.
History Portal Club aims to be a different sort of history club. No lectures, no stuffy rooms, just walking, talking, pub chats and stories you won’t find in the guidebooks. It’s about finding value in ordinary lives and heritage, and connecting with places. A meet-up for curious locals who love stories from the past, hidden landmarks, and great company. Taking on topics we see around us every day.
A club that isn’t afraid to ask “what is history anyway”? One that values and encourages ordinary experiences, doesn’t subscribe to the way history was traditionally taught, and values nostalgia and memory as well as books and facts.
It’s a meet-up for curious locals who love stories from the past, hidden landmarks, and great company.
There’s no obligation to become a member, just come along and give it a try. And, after this, there’ll be a programme of topics (walks and static) as we go into the autumn.

Youth Club
2025-09-24 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-01-14 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-01-21 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-01-28 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-02-04 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-02-11 19:00 - 20:00 | St Paul’s Church Hall, Malmesbury Road, Chippenham, SN15 1PS
We’re starting a FREE youth club for relaxing, playing games and having fun with people your own age (12+).
Thanks to the National Lottery and Department of Culture Media and Sport – part of our Tell Your Story project with Knapsack Productions – we’ve heard that this is what you want and we’re bringing it to you.
We’ll play some games, run around or sit and chat – it’s up to you how you spend the time, as long as you’re having a nice time.
Join us – all we need is an emergency contact number, a few details and you can join some of our artists and actors from the Teen session 5.30 – 7pm.

Creative Writing Workshops: 16-18 Year Olds
2026-01-15 16:30 - 18:00, 2026-01-22 16:30 - 18:00, 2026-01-29 16:30 - 18:00, 2026-02-05 16:30 - 18:00 | Chippenham Museum, 9-10 Market Pl, Chippenham, SN15 3HF, United Kingdom
Join us as we celebrate the 400th anniversary of the birth of local antiquarian and famous biographer, John Aubrey. Open to young people aged 16-18, these free workshops offer the chance to develop your writing skills and see your work in print.
Aubrey was an archaeologist, scientist, and historian who, from a young age, collected stories and local legends from people across Wiltshire. He used these to create a series of mini-biographies collectively known as Brief Lives.
Inspired by Aubrey’s work, participants will use the museum’s collection of portraits, taken by local photographers in the 1900s, as creative prompts to write their own ‘brief life’ for these anonymous figures.
An experienced writer will lead the workshops, helping young people develop their skills and explore new writing forms and genres, including:
Poetry and lyric writing
Dramatic monologues and short scripts
Short stories and flash fiction
The project is supported by the Friends of Chippenham Museum and will conclude with a special celebration of the work produced, including a printed publication.
These workshops are free, but spaces are limited, so booking is essential. Please contact the museum to reserve your place.

Find out more about the Chippenham – Our History project on this website here.
