The Longshed hosts an impressive range of ‘Events’ throughout the year, including exhibitions, talks, demonstrations, workshops, plays and Schools education programmes. We also facilitate and/or support a wide range of community events along the riverside, from craft fairs and music events through to family fun days, theatre and touring exhibitions.
August 1st 2026, Talks by Kim Davis and Clare Lightfoot
Tickets £10 from Eventbrite and from the Longshed Gift shop.
SATURDAY 13th June at 3pm In the John Gibbins Gallery
“A Sweet and Spicy History of Gingerbread”, a talk by Sarah Hopcroft
Gingerbread has a 4,000 year old history
Tea and cake included in the ticket price of £8
Tickets available from Eventbrite (no booking fee)and The Longshed Gift Shop
Saturday May 9th at 3 p.m. in The John Gibbins Gallery
“The Making of Angland – Part 1” – a tale of Betrothal, Betrayal, Backstabbing and Blood, by Paul Constantine.
Not to be missed!
Tickets available from Eventbrite or The Longshed Gift Shop
“The Coldest Journey” in the Gallery begins at 3 p.m. on Saturday 18th April, a talk by Antony Bowring, who led the marine section of the 2012-2013 expedition.
Tickets cost £8 (including tea and cake) and are available from Eventbrite (no booking fee) or from The Longshed Gift Shop. Early booking advised.
“Our Autumn programme of “Talks” in the Gallery begins at 3 p.m. on Saturday, 27th September when we will welcome Paul Hetherigton who will be speaking about why the River Deben is so special to birds.
Tickets cost £8 (including tea and cake) and are available from Eventbrite (no booking fee) or from The Longshed Gift Shop. Early booking advised.
A note about Paul:
Paul Hetherignton, a retired IT consultant, has been leader of RSPB Woodbridge Local Group for nearly10 years. A keen birder, he also guides at RSPB Minsmere reserve and volunteers at Orford Ness National Nature Reserve for the National Trust. Paul has enjoyed canal boating with his wife Gillian for the past 30 years,.”
Woodbridge – 9th July 2025 – hot and sunny, and the pilot programme for
“SAIL AND SAVE – THE RECYCLABLE REGATTA!”
Inspired by ideas generated last August by a terrific group (comprised of students/teachers/Suffolk youth organisations representatives/local boat builders/Town Councillors/Repair Shed head), we created a pilot project together with Woodbridge Primary School.
What was the project about?
For Year 6 children to learn how to design and build model boats out of recyclable material.
The objective: to get their boat to cross the Woodbridge Model Boat Pond carrying a small bag of Tide Mill flour (kindly supplied by them) – without getting the flour wet.
How did they do it?
Working in teams of three and one team of four, and with 2 hour weekly tutorials and practical work in the Gallery ranging from which materials are genuinely recyclable through to boat design, tool handling, shaping, joining, sail making, propulsion and making, 8 model boats appeared ready to face the challenge! Success rate was high!
How was the pilot developed and supported?
It was managed by our Education Director, Nancy Clay; the 7 programme sessions were developed and led by Moray McPhail (a retired Naval Architect), Matt Lis (Woodbridge Boat Yard), and Caroline Moore (our Education Officer). The pilot also had wonderful support from Jason Alexander (Vintage Litter Museum), Geoff Lambert and John Rowles (Woodbridge Model Boat Club), Belinda Joslin (Women in Boat Building), plus volunteers Nancy, Pat Clark, Brian East, John Foster, Graham Hill, Anne Richardson and Kay Yuill.
Everyone gave their time generously for which we are extremely grateful. We are also very grateful to Emma Stokes and Caroline Moore from Woodbridge Primary School, who worked with us throughout (Caroline, wearing a different hat, is also a supply teacher at the School).
Most of all, though, we thank the 25 terrific children who participated and tackled the various task with enthusiasm and engagement. They taught us as much as we taught them.
What was the result?
A mini-regatta on 9th July, which included some “dry runs” without the flour – and then the actual races with the flour! We would have liked more wind, but the children managed with what there was. Once of our local Councillors said that she could hear the children’s laughter as she crossed the railway line. It was a fun afternoon.
The pictures help tell the story – so be sure to have a look at them! The school has given their permission (via the parents) for these to be shown.
World Oceans Day is on Sunday 8th June – a day to learn about, respect and honour our extraordinary planet’s maritime history, heritage and bounties.
We like to do something a little different each year around this time to celebrate our oceans, and at 3 p.m. on 7th June, Anton Bowring will be taking us to “The Ends of the Earth” in his talk about the record-breaking marine sections of the Transglobal Expedition led by sir Ranulph Fiennes from 1979-82 – an epic adventure if ever there was one!
Tickets are £8 available from Eventbrite, The Longshed Gift Shop or on the door.
Also this weekend the Gallery is hosting Suffolk Archives’ “Herring Fishers Girls“ exhibition, which tells the story of the lives of the amazing women and girls who, over a hundred years period, followed the fishing fleets down the east coast of Britain, processing the catches, until the industry’s decline about 75 years ago. Free entry.
The Longshed is usually open from 10am – 4pm on weekdays and from 11am-3pm at weekends and Bank Holidays.”