Latest News

A ceremony at the Gyratory Garden on 15th August commemorated the 80th anniversary of VJ Day and remembered those who had fallen, were held captive and endured unimaginable hardship in the Far East.

After a moving citation by the Royal British Legion President, and a reflective service by Revd Sarah Edmonds, wreaths were laid by the Mayor of Shipston, the Royal British Legion and the High Sheriff of Warwickshire.

Karen Lynch, the 691st High Sheriff of Warwickshire (pictured right, below), said: ‘The service was beautiful and so well attended – my thanks to the Royal British Legion and their volunteers for making it possible.’

She went on afterwards to visit the Museum’s special exhibition and hear the remarkable story of Cyril Mace, former Shipston resident and WWII veteran, from Cyril’s daughter Barbara Harris.

Cyril was a local postie who survived the sinking of the ship Lisbon Maru and spent three months on an island, being protected by Chinese fishermen. You can find out more about his incredible story at the Shipston Museum until the end of September.

A small but dedicated group of volunteers called Shipston in Bloom (SiB) spent many years tendering to the flower pots and foliage in our town, providing colour and beauty for people to see as they drive through our town. The Shipston community can all be proud and grateful for the selfless voluntary contribution of this group who did such a fantastic job keeping up the appearances of Shipston.

Since the team retired a year ago, it has been extraordinarily difficult to find other volunteers to replace them. It is a struggle to continue to maintain the flower pots and beds to the high standards SiB achieved. The Town Council is putting out a plea for any green fingered people or aspiring gardeners in our community who might like to volunteer some time to carry on the good work and proudly keep our town bright and colourful. If this is you, then please contact Emily or Debs at Shipston Council office on 01608
662180 or email clerk@shipstontowncouncil.org.

And if you are a gardener, keen or otherwise – do you have some plants that have survived this very dry spring and summer? Watering has been a problem this year, and with climate change, is likely to be ongoing, so we would like to invite anyone who can to take some cuttings of drought- hardy plants such as lavenders, salvias, verbenas, grasses, sedums, hardy geraniums etc to donate for the tubs and beds. Please look after plants or cuttings until October, when we will collect them at New Clark House Council Office ready for planting in the tubs.

With music from dance party to opera, 90s indie pop to Gilbert and Sullivan, country, jazz, all on top of the core favourite, no wonder the town was buzzing under the Shipston Proms banner in Church Street, the sign which Tim Porter and colleagues put up each June, come rain or shine. The success of this year’s Proms is a fitting tribute to departing chair Charlotte Haines whose initiatives have propelled the Proms forward over the last seven years.

On launch night, country music, cowboy hats and checked cloths came to the Townsend Hall with leading tribute Country band Country Bound performing songs by Shania Twain, Dolly Parton and Taylor Swift. Hokum and Hooch were a perfect support band with their own original material, and appeared the following week at Thirst Edition.

On day two it was the turn of an assembled choir to impress their audience at the Come and Sing event with the Stour Singers at the Methodist Church, rising to the occasion with four Handel Coronation Anthems under conductor Alex Silverman, accompanied by Harry Turnball on piano.

For what is turning out to be a Proms staple, our Ibiza on Stour dance party drew hundreds of people up to the Hub to listen to the sounds of legendary BBC radio show presenter DJ Judge Jules, strongly supported by, in order of appearance, our own fantastic DJs Rich Harvey, Harry Synge and Tim Samsara. A laser show and screens radiated colourful images behind the DJs, as a pulsating sea of glowsticks were waved by the crowd.

In a change of key and pace, the renowned Longborough Youth Chorus came to the Scout Hut to rehearse for their up- and-coming Dido and Aneas event at the end of July. Nothing put them off their stride, not even when a cockerel from the allotment provided unexpected backing vocals!

Music Teacher Helen Porter has nurtured the talents of many young people over the years. One former piano student was 24-year-old Hector Banks who played songs by John Legend, Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber.

Another opportunity to see the skills of young musicians is at our longest running and one of our most popular events, the Young Musicians Concert, inspired by former teacher Phyllida Gardner and run by Helen Porter in St. Martin’s Church in Barcheston. Seven-year-old Nikil Lotey, a current pupil of Helen, played skilfully on keyboard and then duetted with his six year old sister Amelia, which shows you are never too young to learn.

And the music kept coming, including sea shanties at the Black Horse, jazz at Cherington with the immensely talented U3a band The Pavilionaires, blues, swing and ragtime at The George Inn, Lower Brailes, and Astwood Operatic Society performing Gilbert and Sullivan songs for the first time outside Droitwich in the Townsend Hall.

Final night was busy as ever. First up were the Shipston Introducing winners, duo Mimi Roberts from Oddington and Chipping Norton based Jamie Webb and afterwards soloist Jay Mac from Banbury. Then we had the amazing one-man band Thom Kirkpatrick, followed by the hugely popular The Reggulites from Birmingham. Finally onstage, the return of showstoppers Rick Parfitt Junior and his band. They produced a spectacular and effortless show and Rick had the audience in the palm of his hand singing and dancing to all the hits.
A huge thank you to all our sponsors and supporting businesses, especially our 2025 headline sponsor Ryse 3D. So many people helped to make this a wonderful community event. Laken from the Coach and Horses, who stepped in with the bar at the last moment, deserves a special mention!

Thank you too, to everyone who stayed to sweep up after the Final Night, that was such a great surprise and so much appreciated at the end of a long day.

The Proms Music Festival 2026 will 19th June to 4th July 2026 depending on whether we have enough committee members. There are now a few vacancies including the position of Chair. Please get in touch if you’d like to help, or with feedback, on our Facebook page, website www.shipstonproms.org or better still in person! We look forward to hearing from you!

The Shipston Branch of the Royal British Legion will hold a commemorative ceremony at 11:45am on Friday, 15th August at the Gyratory Gardens, to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory over Japan Day (VJ Day).

This solemn occasion will honour the courage, sacrifice, and service of all those who contributed to the end of the Second World War in the Pacific.

The nationwide two minute silence will be observed at 12 noon, paying tribute to those who gave so much for peace.

All are welcome to attend and stand in remembrance.

Shipston Museum will be open 12-4pm on the same day, featuring the courageous local story of Sgt Major Cyril Mace (RA) who was a Japanese PoW.

Arthur Lowe, Master Swimmer and husband of Town Crier Marion, competed in a regional gala on 31st May at Birmingham University in his new age group of 90-94 years. He entered five races, came first in all five and won five British records!

Arthur is now the fastest 90-year-old male in Britain to swim 50, 100 and 200 metres freestyle and the 50, 100 metres backstroke.

A few weeks later, Marion was also competing, this time representing Shipston in the Ancient and Honourable Guild of Town Criers national championship in Bromsgrove.

Although she was not placed - ‘It’s hard to compete against a big chesty male with a loud voice!’ – Marion, as one of only four women criers, was complimented on her precision and diction as she took on the challenge of a cry of 120 words on the topic of Why Visit Museums, while ringing the auctioneer’s bell currently on display at the museum.