Mon. Nov 18th, 2024

Candle dipping at Blists Hill Victorian Town 2Last Post: Remembering the First World War

Open 10am-5pm Monday – Friday

A poignant new free exhibition exploring the effect of the events of 1914-18 on the Post Office, its people and the contribution of postal communications to the war effort. Curated by the British Postal Museum & Archive (BPMA) in partnership with the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, the exhibition will showcase objects of military and postal importance and include stories from a Shropshire perspective.

Free admission For details call 01952 433 424 or visit www.ironbridge.org.uk 

Thursday 1 May Blists Hill Victorian Town, Madeley, near Ironbridge TF7 5DU

Maypole Dancing Museum opens 10am – 5pm daily

Watch and join-in traditional maypole dancing on The Green.

Museum entrance fee £16.50 adults; £13 for 60 plus and £11 for children (up to 18 years and in full time education), under 5s free

For details call 01952 433 424 or visit www.ironbridge.org.uk

 Sunday 4 and Monday 5 May (early spring Bank Holiday weekend)

Blists Hill Victorian Town, Madeley, near Ironbridge TF7 5DU

Blists Hill in Steam

Museum opens 10am – 5pm daily

See some of Blists Hill Victorian Town’s steam machines in their full working splendour at this popular steam weekend plus visiting miniature engines brought by steam enthusiasts.

Museum entrance fee £16.50 adults; £13 for 60 plus and £11 for children (up to 18 years and in full time education), under 5s free

For details call 01952 433 424 or visit www.ironbridge.org.uk

Tuesday 6, 13 and 20 May  Jackfield Tile Museum, Jackfield, near Ironbridge, Shropshire TF8 7LJ

Tile Decorating Workshops

Museum opens 10am – 5pm daily

Join a drop-in tile decorating workshop between 10am and 3.30pm and try the tube lining technique to produce your own ceramic masterpiece; you could make a collection of coasters, a circular door plaque or a gift for a loved one on a heart shaped tile. Activities vary from day-to-day; tiles cost from £5 each and can be fired and sent home later for a small extra charge to cover postage and packing. It takes up to 1½ hours to decorate your tile so last admission to the workshops is 2pm. Museum admission charges apply.

Museum entrance is £8.50 adults; £7.75 for 60 plus and £5.75 for children (up to 18 years and in full time education), under 5s free

For details call 01952 433 424 or visit www.ironbridge.org.uk

Saturday 10 – Monday 12 May  Blists Hill Victorian Town, Madeley, near Ironbridge TF7 5DU

A Load of Old Nonsense – a celebration of the writings of Edward Lear

Museum opens 10am – 5pm daily

Prince Albert Players will read from the works of Edward Lear and invite visitors to recite the limericks, which include such favourites as ‘The Owl and The Pussycat’. Popular with the Victorians, Lear was born on 12 May 1812 (now Limerick Day) and is best known for his literary nonsense.

Museum entrance fee £16.50 adults; £13 for 60 plus and £11 for children (up to 18 years and in full time education), under 5s free

For details call 01952 433 424 or visit www.ironbridge.org.uk

 Saturday 24 – Monday 26 May  Blists Hill Victorian Town, Madeley, near Ironbridge TF7 5DU

Queen Victoria’s Birthday

Museum opens 10am – 5pm daily

Celebrate Queen Victoria’s birthday during this Bank Holiday weekend when the town will be alive with special festivities and entertainment. All the shops and cottages will be open for business as usual and the friendly townsfolk will be on hand to make sure you enjoy this special day.

Museum entrance fee £16.50 adults; £13 for 60 plus and £11 for children (up to 18 years and in full time education), under 5s free

For details call 01952 433 424 or visit www.ironbridge.org.uk

 Saturday 24 and Monday 26 – Friday 30 May (spring half-term)

Jackfield Tile Museum, Jackfield, near Ironbridge, Shropshire TF8 7LJ

Spring Tile Decorating Workshops

Museum opens 10am – 5pm daily

Get creative and join a drop-in tile decorating workshop where you can try the tube lining technique to produce a tile featuring your own design and choice of colours. Activities vary from day-to-day; tiles cost from £5 each and can be fired and sent home later for a small extra charge to cover postage and packing. It takes up to 1½ hours to decorate your tile so last admission to the workshops is 2pm. Museum admission charges apply.

Museum entrance is £8.50 adults; £7.75 for 60 plus and £5.75 for children (up to 18 years and in full time education), under 5s free

For details call 01952 433 424 or visit www.ironbridge.org.uk

Saturday 24 May – Sunday 1 June (spring half-term)

Enginuity, Coach Road, Coalbrookdale, near Ironbridge TF8 7DQ

Energy on the Move

Museum opens 10am – 5pm daily

Discover more about different types of energy and how energy transfers in some fantastic interactive activities.  Then make your own dancing jitterbug and see how it transfers electrical energy into kinetic energy. Daily sessions 10.30am-3.45pm; small additional charge for materials plus admission; activities vary from day-to-day

Museum admission £8.75 adults; £7.25 for 60 plus and £7.25 for children (up to 18 years and in full time education), under 5s free

For details call 01952 433 424 or visit www.ironbridge.org.uk

 Saturday 24 – Sunday 1 June

Blists Hill Victorian Town, Madeley, near Ironbridge TF7 5DU

Family drop-in Activities

Museum opens 10am – 5pm daily

Join fun drop-in activities and dip your own colourful candles or play with Victorian toys and games and colour old-fashioned pictures; sessions take place from 10.30am until 1pm and 2pm until 4pm, activities vary day-to-day and some carry an extra charge.

Museum entrance fee £16.50 adults; £13 for 60 plus and £11 for children (up to 18 years and in full time education), under 5s free

For details call 01952 433 424 or visit www.ironbridge.org.uk

 Monday 26 – Friday 30 May (spring half-term)

Coalport China Museum, Coalport, near Ironbridge, TF8 7HT

Bug Making Workshops

Museum opens 10am – 5pm daily

Join hands-on workshops to make and decorate ceramics; on Monday decorate a mug with a garden inspired design while from Tuesday to Friday you can sculpt your own bughouse, plant marker or sundial from terracotta clay.

Sessions from 11am-1pm and 2pm-4pm; activities vary from day to day and carry an additional charge plus p&p to send home after firing, museum admission charges apply.

Museum entrance fee £8.50 adults; £7.75 for 60 plus and £5.75 for children (up to 18 years and in full time education), under 5s free

For details call 01952 433 424 or visit www.ironbridge.org.uk

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By Penny McCarthy

Penny McCarthy is a seasoned entrepreneur and co-founder of Parents News UK, a pioneering publication launched in 1993 to serve the needs of busy parents in Southwest London. Alongside her husband, Fergus McCarthy, Penny played a crucial role in the rapid expansion of the printed edition, which grew from a local startup to a widely circulated monthly publication with a reach of 192,000 copies across Kent, South London, and beyond. Under Penny’s leadership, Parents News quickly became a trusted resource for families, providing valuable information on education, entertainment, sports, and family-friendly events. Her vision helped the publication extend its influence with franchises in Northern Ireland and Cornwall, catering to a growing demand for accessible, family-oriented content. In 1997, recognising the importance of digital media, Penny spearheaded the launch of Parents News UK Online. The website initially mirrored the content of the printed editions and has since evolved into a comprehensive online resource for parents, achieving significant popularity with up to 700 daily hits. In 2017, the publication transitioned fully to an online platform, continuing to inform and engage families across the UK. Today, Penny remains deeply involved in the ongoing success of Parents News UK, focusing on innovative advertising opportunities and future growth plans. Her dedication to supporting families through accessible and practical content has made Parents News a cherished name in households across the country.

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