Fringe Events – The Longest Yarn Welshpool

Fringe Events

To compliment the exhibition, we have put together a series of events as follows:

PLEASE NOTE: Talks are limited to 30 persons per talk so early booking advised. Tickets are £10 and includes admission to the Longest Yarn Exhibition. Talk only tickets available upon request.

WEDNESDAY 2nd SEPTEMBER, 2026

THE RAF ESCAPE STORY OF SGT JACK MARSDEN @ 7.30pm, Corn Exchange
When a Lancaster crashed in flames over northern France on 4 May 1944, 19-year-old flight engineer Jack Marsden survived against all odds — dangling from a single parachute strap as German troops closed in. Hidden by a woodman and passed from house to house, Jack was swept into the world of the French Resistance, that led to him being caught in a deadly ambush that left him shot in the head and presumed dead. He wasn’t. In Sens Hospital, a network of surgeons, nurses, police and civilians nursed him back to life and plotted his escape. On 19th June, Jack was smuggled out of the hospital on a bicycle in a daring daylight rescue. Over the next ten weeks he was hidden in barns, farms, carts and châteaux by an extraordinary array of helpers — some of whom paid with their lives. Their courage ensured that a wounded British airman found his way home. Admission £5 towards Hope House & RWF Bench for Memorial Garden.

Thursday 3rd September, 2026

BLUE LIGHT/VETERANS EVENING @ 7pm
An exclusive chance for Blue Light and Defence Card Holders to view the Longest Yarn exhibition with a spouse, partner or friend without all the main hustle & bustle! Special offer 2 for 1 on presentation of relevant card, pay on door (Cash only).

Saturday 5th September, 2026

VINTAGE FAIR @ 10am-4pm
Corn Exchange, Welshpool. Admission Free! If you would like a stall please message with your email address etc and we will get back to you.

contact@longestyarnwelshpool.com

Saturday 5th September, 2026

AN EVENING WITH THE RONNIES @ 7:30pm
A close harmony vintage vocal group, from Shropshire, specialising in the sounds of the 1940s. Inspired by the great Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters, The Ronnies perform classic songs such as; In the Mood, Route 66, Don't Fence Me In and Accentuate the Positive at events all over the country. Join us for a great 1940s evening with 'The Ronnies'. Tickets £12.50 inc buffet & exhibition.

SUNDAY 6th SEPTEMBER, 2026

POLICING IN THE 1940s @ 2pm
Dressed as a 1940s policeman, former Staffordshire police officer Ben Wilkes will talk on Policing in the 1940s. This talk explores the realities of policing during wartime Britain - a period shaped by blackouts, rationing, and social change. It looks at how officers balanced civil duties with wartime demands, tackled black market crime, and maintained order amid air raids and upheaval. A glimpse into the challenges and character of law enforcement in one of the nation's most testing decades.

6th & 13th SEPTEMBER, 2026

CRAFT FAIRS
Corn Exchange Welshpool 10am-4pm Come along and see an excellent array of hand made gifts for that special occasion etc. Admission Free!

Monday 7th SEPTEMBER, 2026

ONE LIFE Corn Exchange @ 7pm
Admission Free! Based on the true story of how British stockbroker Nicholas Winton helped to organise the evacuation of vulnerable, mainly Jewish children out of Czechoslovakia prior to the Nazi occupation.

Organised by Welshpool Town Council.

THURSDAY 10th SEPTEMBER, 2026

SURVIVING THE GREAT WAR @ 2:30pm
The Songs, Humour and Words that kept the Boys going. A fifty minute presentation in words, music and visuals exploring how the Arts helped those embroiled in the devastation of the First World War to survive to the end of the day, or perhaps the week, or even to come home safely again. We’ll examine some of the Great War’s poetry, the songs that emerged and the wonderful satire which all worked to keep spirits up.

THURSDAY 10th SEPTEMBER, 2026

MEET TOMMY ATKINS @ 7:30pm
On August 4th 1914, with the declaration of war between Britain and Germany, reservist Tommy Atkins is immediately called up to serve his country. Within weeks he sees his first action in the fields of France and subsequently experiences the full scale of life in the Western Front trenches of the First World War – the horror, the pain, the misery, the boredom and even the moments of joy.

Friday 11th SEPTEMBER, 2026

IDLE WOMEN OF THE WARTIME WATERWAYS @ 3pm and 7pm, Corn Exchange
Tales of cargo, calamity, and cocoa abound as Isobel, weary of serving tea for the WVS, stumbles upon a curious advert that will change everything. Swept up in the urgent call for working canal boat crews, she joins the remarkable young women who stepped forward when Britain needed them most. Dubbed the “Idle Women” (though idle they were not!), these recruits took charge of 72-foot narrowboats, hauled 55 tons of vital war supplies, and navigated a life far from the one they expected. This one-woman show by Alarum Productions brings to life the grit, humour, and spirit of the women who kept the waterways moving. A forgotten chapter of history told with warmth, wit, and a fair bit of elbow grease.

Ticket will include admission to the Longest Yarn Exhibition from 1pm on same day also.

Supported by the Arts Council of Wales Night Out Scheme

Tickets £10 Concessions £7

SATURDAY 12th SEPTEMBER, 2026

MILITARY FAIR CORN EXCHANGE @ 10am
Various Ex Service Charity Organisations in attendance plus military book stalls, merchandise etc. In conjunction with Hardy's Book Store, Berriew Street Welshpool. Free Admission.

Saturday 12th SEPTEMBER, 2026

ROSE'S WAR @ 5:30pm, Town Hall
Step aboard Rose’s War — a heartwarming one-woman show that steers us into the world of Britain’s canal boat women during the Second World War. It’s 1940. The bombs are falling, the factories roaring, and while the men march off to battle, Rose Ramlin and her husband Syer keep Britain’s lifelines moving — thirty tons of coal at a time. Living, working, and raising a family in a cabin no bigger than a garden shed, Rose embodies the grit, humour, and fierce pride of the women who kept the boats — and the nation — afloat. Told with warmth and wit Rose’s War by Alarum Productions captures a time when hard work was plenty, danger was constant, and hope refused to sink.

Includes admission to the Longest Yarn Exhibition afterwards.

TUESDAY 15th SEPTEMBER, 2026

WARTIME COMEDIANS @ 2pm
Arthur Askey, Max Miller, Ted Ray, Tommy Trinder, Norman Evans, George Formby etc. Presented by Paul Rushworth.

Thursday 17th SEPTEMBER, 2026

BEHIND ENEMY LINES @ 7pm, Town Hall
Extraordinary women whose courage, daring, ingenuity and sacrifice defeated Nazi terror. Songwriter and storyteller Louise Jordan uncovers the lives of inspiring secret agents of WW2. Who were they? How were they selected and trained to commit acts of sabotage, subversion and silent killing? Did they ultimately evade capture, torture and execution?

Supported by the Arts Council of Wales Night Out Scheme

Saturday 19th & Sunday 20th SEPTEMBER, 2026

FOOD & DRINK FAIR
0 local food & drink producers, Admission Free!

contact@longestyarnwelshpool.com

TUESDAY 22nd SEPTEMBER, 2026

TALBOT HOUSE @ 2pm
A home from home: Run by the cleric Tubby Clayton, Talbot House in Poperinge, Belgium, became the ‘haven in hell’ for many British servicemen during the Great War and ultimately the inspiration behind the Toc H Movement. This illustrated talk introduces us to the house which allowed men of all ranks and religion to find some home comforts and to escape from the sounds, sights and odours of war for just a little while.

TUESDAY 22nd SEPTEMBER, 2026

MUSICAL SATIRE OF THE 20th CENTURY @ 3:30pm
In this talk actor & musician Peter Gill explores the evolution of the comedy song in the 20th Century – from the songs sung in the trenches of the First World War to the genius of Cole Porter, Noel Coward and Tom Lehrer and on to the hilarity of Monty Python, Billy Connolly and Victoria Wood. The skill of the satirical lyricist will be identified and a choice selection of the songs performed.

THURSDAY 24th SEPTEMBER, 2026

THE WIT AND SONGS OF NOEL COWARD @ 2pm
Born in 1899, Coward was an actor, writer, composer, director, producer, and in later life painter– and he excelled at them all. He said of himself ‘I am an enormously talented man, and there is no point in denying it’. This is a reminder of that talent and some of the wonderful songs and wit of the ‘Master’ including Don’t Let’s Be Beastly To The Germans, Mrs Worthington, Mad About The Boy, There Are Bad Times Just Around The Corner and Mad Dogs & Englishmen.

THURSDAY 24th SEPTEMBER, 2026

PRIVATE GODFREY'S REAL WAR @ 3:30pm
To the legions of fans of ‘Dad’s Army’, Private Charles Godfrey was that wonderfully endearing, kind and gentle retired tailor who lived with his two spinster sisters in Cherry Tree Cottage, Walminton-on-Sea. However, the Great War experiences of William Arnold Ridley, who played Godfrey, as a combatant in the front line trenches of the Western Front and again in World War 2 would leave him both physically and mentally scarred for life.

THURSDAY 24th SEPTEMBER, 2026

MAJOR CHALLONER, HAVEN'T YOU DONE ENOUGH?
Major Robert Challoner served in the First and Second World Wars and was Mentioned in Dispatches and awarded a Military Cross in each conflict. Initially denied the chance to sign up again in 1939, on account of his age and injuries, including the loss of an eye during the fourth day of the Battle of the Somme, during the Second World War Bob succeeded in his mission to serve his country once more, but was captured by the Germans and imprisoned in Germany and France. However, with the help of a newly formed French Resistance group, Bob escaped and made a home run via the Pat O'Leary escape line over the Pyrenees to Gibraltar and home.

FRIDAY 25th - SUNDAY 27TH SEPTEMBER, 2026

WELSHPOOL 1940s WEEKEND
Re-enactors, Blitz Ball, Vintage Singers, Military & Civilian Vehicles, Decorated Shops, Militaria & Vintage Traders, Spitfire Aeroplane, Model Displays, Vintage Bus Rides, Working Horses. ADMISSION FREE!

FRIDAY 25th SEPTEMBER, 2026

THE SWING COMMANDERS @ 8pm Church House, Welshpool
The Swing Commanders take well crafted songs from the thirties to the fifties, from American Songbook classics to Western Swing and Novelty songs, and overlay them with lush vocal harmonies and hot solos. The rhythms, varying from ballads to jive to quicksteps, are great for dances, theatre shows, and parties.

This is a Bring Your Own Drinks (BYOB) event.

SATURDAY 26th SEPTEMBER, 2026

BLITZ BALL @ 7:30pm Church House, Welshpool
Featuring the Ashby Little Big Band with guest vocaliste Kitty Lamare. Due to rationing this is a Bring Your Own Drinks and Supper event!

Monday 28th SEPTEMBER, 2026

CARVE HER NAME WITH PRIDE
The film story of young English war-widow Violette Szabo, who became a secret agent in occupied France during World War II. Exposed to the brutality of the Gestapo and the degradation of the concentration camps, she found herself facing a continual struggle for survival, but through sheer courage and grim determination, she eventually became the first woman to be awarded the George Cross.

Followed by a Q & A session with Violette.s daughter Tania.

Admission £5 to include Tea & cake, pay on door or in advance.

WEDNESDAY 30th SEPTEMBER, 2026

1940s WELSHPOOL WITH COLIN ROGERS @ 7pm
£5 including Tea/Coffee & cake.