Date: 11th December, 2023
A festive open day is being held at Westlea fire station this Saturday (16 December) in aid of the Fire Fighters Charity.
The free event will run from 11am until 3pm, and West Swindon Parish Council has arranged for Santa to be in his grotto – having been ‘rescued’ from the training tower by firefighters beforehand!
There will be a wide range of activities to suit the whole family, including:
- Both modern and vintage fire engines on display
- Other appliances from within Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service
- Aerial ladder platform rides
- Cooker fire demonstrations
- A range of stalls and attractions
- Stands from South Western Ambulance Service, Wiltshire Police, WILSAR and the DWFRS Safe & Well team
- Refreshments – hot food & drinks
- Games, firefighter dress-up and face painting
There is no parking at the fire station, but Swindon Bible Society is providing free parking at its site on Stonehill Green, Westlea.
The event will be opening early at 10am for a ‘quiet hour’, to help those who would find the noise and crowds overwhelming. There is limited capacity for this, so please email [email protected] to request an e-ticket.
Watch Manager Ritchie Stone said: “We’ve held a festive open day for a few years now, and it’s a great way to celebrate the Christmas season. It’s also an opportunity for local people to visit the fire station and find out more about what we do. West Swindon Parish Council will be hosting the Santa’s Grotto again this year, we do make a small charge for this, but all proceeds go to the Fire Fighters Charity, which is a really important cause for us.”
As well as the open day, the Westlea crew are continuing their popular visits around the West Swindon area with Father Christmas and a vintage fire appliance, again to raise money for the Fire Fighters Charity.
The remaining visits are to Eastleaze and Shaw on Wednesday 13 December; Grange Park on Sunday 17 December; and Sparcells, Peatmoor and Ridgeway Farm on Friday 22 December. The approximate timings for all three evenings will be 5.30pm to 8pm.
Full details of the route for each day will be published on the Westlea fire station Facebook page nearer the time – www.facebook.com/DWFRSWestleaFireStation