Swindon civic carols reimagined with Ukrainian choir and poem

The choir and the new Mayor’s poet, were invited to join the Mayor’s Christmas Carol service in the civic offices. 

Their performance was included in a programme designed to move beyond simple celebration, combining traditional carols with elements intended to encourage thought and perspective.

For some in attendance, the choir’s presence underlined that Christmas is experienced differently across communities, particularly for those affected by conflict.

The service also introduced a new civic position, the Mayor’s Poet, created to incorporate contemporary poetry into official events.

The role is currently held by Rebecca Rocker, a Swindon-based spoken word poet who has won several poetry slams and runs local performance projects.

Rebecca wrote a poem specifically for the Carol Service. The beginning:

“I stand in the middle of the Outlet,
swept up in a festive frenzy

Christmas lights twinkle overhead
tired feet pound the ground

We are all here for the same reason:
the gift giving season,
the season to be jolly,
the season of peace and goodwill.

But there isn’t much peace to be found in this place,
you can see it written on every face.

We rush, we push, we huff, we stress
on a mad grab, card or cash, Christmas dash.

What on earth are we doing it for?
There must be more to Christmas than endless lists,
more than Hallmark, Primark, Amazon and Smyth’s
there must be more than this.”

Its message was presented alongside the Ukrainian choir’s performance, linking spoken word and music to create a shared moment of reflection.

Speaking after the service, Swindon Mayor Cllr Fay Howard said:

“Christmas is a time when we talk a great deal about peace, goodwill and community, but those words only matter if we are prepared to reflect on what they really mean.

Having the Swindon Ukrainian choir perform at the Carol Service was incredibly moving and reminded us that for many people in our town, peace is not an abstract idea, it is something deeply personal.

Introducing the role of the Mayor’s Poet this year added another layer of reflection. Rebecca’s poem challenged us to slow down, look beyond the noise and remember the human values at the heart of Christmas.

Bringing these voices together felt like a powerful and fitting way for Swindon to mark the season.”

Together, the contributions reframed the Carol Service as an opportunity to consider community, compassion and the meaning of peace beyond festive imagery.

Organisers said the pairing of music and poetry was intended to signal a broader approach to civic events, using culture to help communities better understand one another.