Friends of Glossop Station - Blog

A busy Teddy Bears Picnic!!

21/6/2026

ON SATURDAY 20th June Friends of Glossop, Hadfield and Guide Bridge stations held their annual Teddy Bears Picnic event. Over 120 people, children and teddies travelled for FREE between the three stations courtesy of Northern trains.
The weather was ideal and the new Signal Garden at Guide Bridge proved a big hit as a place to enjoy and have a picnic!
We were very grateful for all the drinks and biscuits generously donated by Mike at TWIG cafe Glossop Station. Drivers and conductors joined in the fun with one conductor announcing over the train tannoy, "everyone with teddies give a big cheer!" The Hunt the Teddy Bear competition produced a record entry - winners will be contacted. Our thanks to Paul Marsh for his attractively designed posters and World Cup themed competitions.
We would like to thank Becky Styles, Theo MacLauchlan, Sarah Morgan and Helen Doyle at Northern Trains for all their support of this event. And of course big thanks for every teddy and family who came along to join in the fun!!

IS YOUR TEDDY READY!?

15/6/2026

IF YOU'RE INTO IT - READ INTO IT - GO ALL IN FOR POETRY

14/6/2026

OUR LATEST POETRY PLATFORM has launched and is a special edition with submissions chosen by local community businesses and organisations. They were invited to select their favourite poems to feature on the display and is a compilation which includes the verses and quotes inspired by to acknowledge The National Year of Reading 2026.
The campaign - the biggest campaign in a generation designed to help more people (re)discover the joy of reading and make it part of their everyday lives - is a Department for Education initiative in collaboration with the National Literacy Trust. It aims to address the UK decline in reading enjoyment and reconnect people of all ages with reading as a relevant and rewarding activity. Reading expands worlds and sharpens minds, yet fewer people are making time to read. It has asked the nation to Go All In on their passions and interests, be that music, football, baking, family-time, sci-fi, or … anything! Discover how reading can unlock those things you already love.
To accompany the display there is also a free booklet which has all the submitted poems and quotes which is available in the station waiting room and from each of the local business and organisations who participated in this special Poetry Platform: Glossop Library (Talbot Street); Glossop Community Bookshop (George Street); Dark Peak Books (High Street West); Oxfam (Henry Street) and Kin.Der Prints Studio and Gift Shop (Arundel Street).

Lowestoft Evacuee Reunion

12/6/2026

ON SATURDAY 6th June in the restored parcels office at Lowestoft Station former wartime evacuees were welcomed to their annual reunion.
These evacuees included those who had made the journey to Glossop as part of a 600 child evacuation on 2nd June 1940. It was a pleasure to welcome them back. All former evacuees are now in their early 90s. Around thirty six people attended which included family and friends of the evacuees. New guests included several people who had made contact with us following recent television and newspaper features. A complimentary afternoon tea was provided. Special guest at the event was Martin Impey artist and writer who was the interviewer in the recent BBC ONE SHOW feature film. Martin was able to catch up with some of the evacuees he had met during the filming in February and meet some new faces too! Neil Williams from Friends of Glossop Station also attended and gave the audience some news and updates about Glossop.
It was a lovely happy occasion which lasted around three hours. Special thanks must go to Martin Halliday from the Wherry Lines Community Rail Partnership and Jacqui from the Lowestoft Central Project for all their hard work in organising the event and food.

Lowestoft Evacuee Reunion Lowestoft Station 6th June

30/5/2026

The 2026 Lowestoft Evacuee reunion takes place in the restored Parcels Office at Lowestoft Railway Station on Saturday 6th June at 12 noon. Everyone welcome! The event is free and refreshments will be provided.
This event marks the 86th anniversary of child evacuees leaving Lowestoft for new homes in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire during the Second World War.
Six hundred child evacuees came to Glossop on June 2nd 1940. It is a real honour to celebrate their stories again in Lowestoft.
In the last twelve months this important story has featured in the Daily Mirror, Channel 4 and, most recently, on the BBC ONE SHOW on 22nd April (unfortunately the programme is no longer available on BBC iPlayer)
Special guest at the event will be MARTIN IMPEY (left) writer and illustrator. Martin was the interviewer on the recent One Show and his evocative paintings of scenes involving the evacuees in Glossop have received widespread praise.
If you are able to do so come and join us, or if your friends are in the area please let them know!

Max Ellingworth Grundy new artist at Station

30/5/2026

WE WARMLY WELCOME Max Ellingworth Grundy as our latest artist to the waiting Room Art Gallery. Max is 24 and from Glossop. He has had numerous exhibItions in Derbyshire galleries and beyond since he was 19. In his teens Max was diagnosed with a rare neuro muscular condition. But he has been able to adapt and progress his art education and produce new original work at his own speed. Max draws upon his environment, nature, history, storytelling, and mythology as inspirations for his work.
Do go and have a look at Max's paintings - the Waiting Room is open daily closing at around 6.00 pm - a little earlier on Sundays.
Giclee and some photographic prints of Max's work can be purchased.
Max can be contacted via [email protected]

Edale Station Friends visit Glossop

30/5/2026

AT THE END OF MAY we warmly welcomed a group from Edale Station Friends on a preplanned visit to Glossop Station.
We were able to give them a tour and explain some of the projects we have developed over the years. Edale Friends deservedly won a lead silver award in the 2026 Community Rail Awards for the work they have carried out on their station - their most recent project being four new illustrated timeline boards on the station platforms.
It was a very pleasant visit with a good exchange of ideas. We look forward to working on other projects with Edale. If you are in the area go and view the improvements the friends have made to the station!

The One Show Lowestoft Glossop evacuees

24/4/2026

WE HOPE YOU SAW and enjoyed the feature made in Glossop and shown on BBC's ONE SHOW on 22nd April.
For those of you who missed the programme it is available on BBC iPlayer until Thursday 28 May. CLICK HERE to go to the programme page.
Thank you for all your comments and feedback. It was the culmination of a four month project with Pier Productions who made the film here in Glossop on behalf of the BBC. We thank the team for their diligent research, care and interest. It was a pleasure working with them. Sincere thanks also to Martin Impey, children's writer and illustrator, who interviewed Alma, Keith, Ken, Sheila and Thelma with such warmth. His evocative painting of Sheila and Alma as children outside their former home in Glossop has received much praise for its joy and detail.
More information about the evacuation of 600 children to Glossop from Lowestoft on June 2nd 1940 can be found on the dedicated pages here on this website.
We also have available at Glossop and Lowestoft stations a free leaflet outlining the ongoing efforts of the volunteer groups at both stations to celebrate and commemorate this important historical event.
The next evacuee reunion will be held in the restored booking office at Lowestoft railway station on Saturday 6th June at 2.00 pm. Martin Impey will be guest speaker. All former evacuees, their families and interested people are warmly welcome to attend.
The BBC ONE SHOW film can be found here on BBC iPlayer 22/4/26 edition hosted by Alex Jones and Vernon Kay. (If you wish to skip directly to it the feature starts at 12 minutes into the programme)

The One Show - tonight!

22/4/2026

AT VERY SHORT NOTICE!
The One Show feature on the Lowestoft Evacuation is due to air tonight - April 22nd - at 7.00pm.
Hopefully this will now happen!

Thread and Clay back on display in Waiting Room

3/4/2026

A WARM WELCOME back to Thread and Clay, a mother daughter partnership, Gwen and Amy Osbaldeston, who, have on display in the Waiting Room Art Gallery a variety of their painted and embroidered landscapes on the Peak District. These are sure to catch the eye! Their work may be purchased.
Thread and Clay can be found at their art George Street studio in Glossop where they also offer lessons to suit all levels of crafting in embroidery and painting to create images inspired by the local scenery.
For more information and images of their work visit threadandclay.com