Whitchurch Folk Club is very proud to present an afternoon and evening of folk tunes, sessions, dance and song, featuring many of the wonderful, world-class performers and friends that Paul Sartin brought to the club in the years since its relaunch in 2017. 

At the request of Paul's sons, the money raised will go towards the launch of a folk festival in Paul's name, here in Whitchurch. Join us throughout the afternoon and evening on October 22nd.

Evening concert

The tickets you are purchasing now are for the evening concert, featuring some of Paul's friends and favourite performers playing songs and tunes throughout the evening. This will run between 7pm and 11pm. Doors to this event will open at 6pm. A bar will available at the venue. Please bring a cushion for your bottom, and make sure you have a sweater or cardigan, as the church may be a little chilly in the autumn evening air. 

Afternoon events

Afternoon events, including Morris dancing, choir performances, local musicians, a Morris dance workshop and a singing workshop are not ticketed. A donation can be paid on the door at your discretion. The afternoon events will run between 1pm and 5pm, with a bar, coffee and cakes on sale. A book for condolences will be open during this period in the church. 

Ticket prices

We have tiered the ticket prices so that you can pay what you feel comfortable paying. There will be further donation buckets at the venue if you feel you'd like to contribute more later. 

Visiting Whitchurch for the first time?

The town has a number of things to offer should you want to stroll around. Paul lived not terribly far from Whitchurch Silk Mill, and was often involved in events there. It is one of the few working silk mills driven by water left in the country, and is now a working museum with a pleasant cafe for light lunches, coffees and cakes. 

The Whitchurch Mill Trail makes for a wonderful walk (7 miles long at most, but there are shorter 1-hour versions). If you're staying in town and you're a tradfolk fan, you can walk up The Weir to the cottages where George Gardiner collected some of Paul's favourite songs from Henry Lee and his daughters. 

Getting here

All Hallows Church can be found on Church St, Whitchurch, RG28 7AS. Whitchurch is on the train line between London Waterloo and Salisbury, and is located on the A34, 12 miles south of Newbury, 14 miles North of Winchester. 

Places to stay

Rooms can occasionally be found at The White Hart, or via Airbnb. Alternatively, nearby towns with accommodation include Overton, St Mary Bourne, Winchester, Andover or Newbury, all of which are a short drive away. There are also travel lodges nearby on the A34. 

Food & drink 

While there will be teas, coffees, cakes and a bar on sale at the venue, people wanting a bit more can head to several spots in the town. 

The Bell (Bell Street) was one of Paul's favourite pubs, and the starting point of the annual Christmas carolling event he was involved in. A traditional boozer, it's good for a pint but it doesn't serve food. 

The White Hart (on the central roundabout) is a hotel, restaurant and pub. Good for meals, ales, coffees, teas - all sorts - and one of Paul's favourite places to prop up the bar. 

Kudos (Church Street) is the best place for coffee, cake and sandwiches. Paul could often be seen sitting at the window tables chatting to passers-by. Note that the shop closes at 4pm. 

The Kings Arms (Church Street) is a nice traditional pub that serves delicious pizzas and has a good general menu. If the weather is a bit nippy, they have a heated garden area. 

The Blue Ginger (Bell Street) - Paul was always up for a curry, and this was the place he'd most commonly head. The unofficial Whitchurch Folk Club headquarters, where plans were hatched and successes celebrated! A licensed curry house serving good Indian cuisine. 

909 Bar Bistro (Newbury Street) - cocktails and locally sourced food (among other things) have made this relatively new eatery a popular place to visit. 

Takeaways include Hot Spice (Indian; London Street), The Blue Rickshaw (fish & chips, Chinese; London Steet), The Charcoal Grill (pizza & kebabs; Church Street). 

Parking

Whitchurch is fairly limited on parking, however Bell Street Parking usually has places if you arrive sufficiently early. We are currently talking to the Cricket Club opposite the church about making parking spaces available, and we will email ticket purchasers if this can be sorted out. 

Hashtags 

As anyone who followed Paul on Instagram will have spotted, he was very fond of his hashtags. The official hashtags for this event will be #ConcertForPaul #BackstageTonight and #BeardsOfInstagram. We recommend anyone using the latter to start growing theirs immediately. 

We look forward to welcoming you for this special day. 

Photo credit: Richard Gearey