Health & Wellbeing Festival Brings People Together At Siddington Park

Two days of expert talks, taster treatments and community spirit drew owners and visitors alike to Cirencester’s award-winning retirement village — and raised vital funds for retired service animals.

Siddington Park’s first-ever Health & Wellbeing Festival proved a resounding success, bringing together owners, visitors, speakers and wellbeing exhibitors for two days of talks, workshops and interactive activities — all focused on health, lifestyle and living well. 

Held over Monday 29th and Tuesday 30th June, the festival drew not only the village’s own owners but a steady stream of visitors from across Cirencester and the surrounding villages, turning the event into a genuine community occasion in a relaxed and welcoming setting. 

Hosted by Dr Dawn Harper — NHS GP, broadcaster and one of Britain’s best-loved health communicators — the festival offered a varied programme designed to inform, inspire and encourage healthier living. Dr Dawn opened the event and took part in a talk with Dr Martin Thornton on Bluecrest health screening, while sessions across the two days covered mental wellbeing, make-up and mature skincare, the power of knowing your colours, sleep, breathwork, body confidence, skincare ingredients, gluten awareness and dance. 

Beyond the main talks, guests could try therapy treatments, health checks, skincare services, exercise tasters and mindfulness sessions throughout the venue, while a range of wellness stalls and a sociable BBQ on the terrace kept the atmosphere warm and inclusive from start to finish. 

The festival also had a charitable heart, with £5 from every ticket going to the National Foundation for Retired Service Animals (NFRSA) — the charity supporting retired police, fire and prison dogs, border control dogs and police horses.  

Will Ryan said: “We were delighted to see so many people enjoy the Health and Wellbeing Festival at Siddington Park, with residents and visitors coming together across the two days. It was a fantastic event, with a warm atmosphere and a varied programme that gave people the chance to take part in talks, activities and experiences focused on health and wellbeing.”

Dr Dawn Harper said: “What a joy these two days have been. Wellbeing isn’t something you do once a year at a festival — it’s the small, everyday choices that add up. But events like this matter, because they give people the chance to stop, ask questions and actually invest in themselves. To see Siddington Park’s owners welcoming so many of their neighbours from Cirencester and the villages — all swapping tips and booking health checks — was exactly what good community health looks like. I couldn’t have asked for a warmer or more curious crowd.” 

With interest in events that combine expert advice with accessible, enjoyable experiences clearly growing, the festival set a high bar for Siddington Park’s summer programme — which continues with a Terrace Takeover on 25th July and an Outdoor Film Weekend on 22nd August.