Members of the Ironbridge Coracle Trust were invited to attend the Ironbridge World War Two event that took place over the May Bank Holiday Weekend in Regatta Field and Dale End Park.

There was an excellent turn out in the fine weather and lots of interest from visitors and re-enactors alike. We were able to promote the August Bank Holiday regatta to those who wanted to try out a coracle.

The coracles were ideally located between the 1940s bar and the tea tent and were serenaded all day by 1940s crooners. We compared notes with a former marine who had created a reconstruction of one of the kayaks used by the ‘Cockleshell Heroes’. These were a small team of marines who planted limpet mines on enemy vessels during the war, of the original 10  only 2 survived.

To cap a busy few weeks we are taking part in an all day event on 6 June with Shropshire Wildlife Trust to celebrate the River Severn.

Work continues apace on the HLF bid for the Rogers Family shed, with regular working parties.

Marion Blockley