Sunday 20 July 2025
The heart of the Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival and the reason why we get together each year. We are proud to keep this aspect of our festival free for all to enjoy.
The Tolpuddle march is a celebration of worker power and commemorates the many protests and marches that took place to demand the release of the Tolpuddle Martyrs.
Unions, workers, families and friends – all are invited. Find your union and gather on the Main Road ready to march from 2.00pm. Marching bands, samba players, morris dancers and choirs join this joyful chorus of union banners, flags and blimps.
NOTE: The road is closed from 13.00 – 18.00 to allow for the many unions banners to march through the narrow road.
The annual rally of rousing speeches come from leading voices of the movement and critical campaigners. This year we will be joined by Paul Nowak, TUC General Secretary and long-time attendee and friend of the festival; Nautilus General Secretary and TUC President Mark Dickinson. We will also hear from voices on the frontline – fighting for workers, defending their rights and standing up for justice. From the Birmingham Bin Strikers, to NHS workers demanding common sponsorship visas, to phlebotomists on 100+ days of strike action, we raise the voices of those who, much like the Tolpuddle Martyrs’ continue to sacrifice their livelihoods for the greater good.
Great music keeps the vibe of the Festival going with fantastic performances across the festival in the Martyrs’ Marquee and on the Main Stage, from Palestinian rapper Speit to Billy Bragg. Check out the full schedule below.
Download a copy of the full programme here.
Timetable
NASUWT’s Kids Area is open 09:00 – 18:00.
9:00
09:45 – 10:45 Unite Tent The Chipping Norton Incident
Unite Landworker mag presents the mostly untold story of the Ascott Martyrs, 16 farm working women and two babies, and how they changed our trade union rights forever. An inspirational drama in words and song.
10:00
10:00 – 10:50 Fringe Tent DEBATE: Colonisation and Resistance
11:00
11:00 – 12:00 Fringe Tent – DEBATE: Building an inclusive education system
11:00 – 12:00 St John’s Parish Church – Songs of Praise
11:00 – 11:40 Main Stage – Du Glas
Songs of miners, mutiny and murder; starvation, sirens and smugglers, that’s
what you get with this bunch of Cornish renegades. Du Glas offer their own
brand of original roots music, combining influences from Americana and
British folk-rock, inspired by the people and stories of their native land. Their
energy, humour and love of gin has incited such madness that audiences have thrown away their pints, danced in a downpour and bounced on the bar like a Bruckheimer film (you know the one we mean). You’d be a fool to miss it!
11:00 – 11:30 Martyrs’ Marquee – Dryadic
Emerging Bristol folk-roots sensation, Dryadic, deliver an infectious blend of rootsy folk with a melodic pop flair on strings, keys and stomp, peppered with heart soaring vocals and vibrant fiddle licks. Expect a rhythmical mix-up of stomping feminist protest songs to travelling folk tales to dreamy, epic ballads with candid, hilarious, queer lyrics and five-string fiddles with oversized (double) bass guitars do-si-do-ing with the audience! Their new single ‘Smiling in the Dark’ is a joyful, effervescent love song that’s unapologetically queer and brimming with energy.
11:40 – 12:10 Martyrs’ Marquee– Peter Vadiveloo
Hailing from Australia, Peter’s songwriting is characterized by its thought-provoking nature. His lyrics delve into a wide range of topics, and listeners have described them as political, funny, provocative, playful, moving, and thought-provoking. His songs primarily revolve around environmental and social justice issues, highlighting his commitment to raising awareness and promoting positive change through his music.
What sets Peter apart is his diverse musical repertoire. Drawing from his lifelong experience, he seamlessly incorporates an astonishing array of genres into his songs. From rock/pop, funk, jazz, and flamenco to comedy cabaret, musical theatre, opera, folk, Latino and Afro-Cuban music, Peter’s versatility knows no bounds. This eclectic fusion of styles allows him to create a unique and captivating musical experience for his listeners.
11:55 – 12:30 Main Stage – Speit
Speit is a UK-born Palestinian hip hop and spoken word artist who visits the West Bank yearly and is inspired to become the voice of freedom – standing up and speaking out for all those without a voice. Exciting, energising, poignant and highly relevant.
12:00
12:20 – 12:55 Martyrs’ Marquee – Susie Lewis
Susie Lewis is a singer songwriter and actor from Cornwall, UK. She has worked in theatre, film and television. In recent years, Susie has released three solo albums on Four Monkeys Records to critical acclaim and streaming success. Her songs are poignant, often humorous and reflect the world we live in today. Within trade union circles she is best known for her RMT campaign song ‘Last Train Home’.
12:30 – 13:00 Main Stage: Speakers
- Hannah David – Chair of TUC South West, PCS NEC
- Matthew Reid, Birmingham Bin Striker, Unite
- Sophie Roberts, UNISON Dorset Branch
- Adekunle Akinola and Lydia Kabute, UNISON Common sponsorship visa
- Neil Duncan-Jordan MP for Poole
13:00
13:00 – 13:45 Main Stage – Angeline Morrison
Angeline is one of the freshest voices in English folk music today, celebrated for her soulful, resonant voice, evocative song-writing, and deeply affecting performances. Her artistry has earned standing ovations on stages large and small, with Mojo ranking her #5 among key voices of 2023.
A singer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, Angeline’s music explores ordinary lives with reverence and curiosity. Accompanying herself on autoharp, dulcimer, and mbira, or singing unaccompanied, she delivers performances that linger long in memory. The Birmingham born-musician is now settled in Cornwall, where she is an active figure in the local music scene.
13:05 – 13:45 Martyrs Marquee – Chris Harrison
Chris Harrison is a musician and composer who grew up in the North East and is now based in London. After a career in music education, he has turned his attention to making more of his own music and to developing music-making within his local community, where he runs an instrumental band and a singing group and conducts a community orchestra.
His set at this festival will largely feature his own settings of poems by his great-great-grandfather, Joseph Skipsey (1832-1903). Skipsey was a Northumberland miner who taught himself to read and write and became a nationally respected poet. His work includes a poem on the Hartley Calamity of 1862, which he himself recited at events to raise money for the families of the 203 miners killed in the tragedy. This song will be included in the performance at Tolpuddle. Overall, the songs – recorded under the title of Carols from the Coalfields – offer a vivid picture of the life and times of the mining community in the north-east.
13:00 – 13:30 Wreath Laying ceremony at James Hammett’s grave
14:00 – 15:00 PROCESSION
15:00
15:15 Main Stage: Speakers
- Ines Lage, TUC South West Regional Secretary
- Mark Dickinson, TUC President & Nautilus General Secretary
- Unison Phlebotomists on Strike!
- Mick Whelan, ASLEF General Secretary and TULO Chair
- Paul Nowak, TUC General Secretary
15.45 – 16:30 Main Stage – Pet Needs
Founded by brothers Johnny and George Marriott, PET NEEDS’ career has been sky-rocketing ever since the release of their acclaimed debut ‘Fractured Party Music’ back in 2021. From getting signed to Xtra Mile Recordings, to sold out shows, rave reviews to rabid fans, and embarking on extensive global tours; demand for these four lads from Essex has been on a trajectory with the stratosphere. Joined by Jules (drums) and Ryan (bass), the band released their third studio album, ‘Intermittent Fast Living’ in February 2024 which entered the Official Album Chart at Number 17.
15:45 – 16:35 Martyrs Marquee – George Mann
Hugely influential and experience protest singer from the USA, this is a really exciting booking for Tolpuddle and George will be performing a variety of sets across the weekend – starting with the Friday acoustic stage. A former union organizer and activist based in Ithaca, New York, George Mann sings songs from the last century of the labor and social justice movements, and his own songs are powerful and funny takes on the state of the nation. His concerts are part sing-along, part history lesson, and he can make you shout for joy, send chills down your spine or bring tears to your eyes in the same set. He also specializes in historical and educational workshops/theme concerts and presentations on folk music, labor and social history, and some of our most beloved folksingers.
16:00
16:45 – 17:45 Main Stage – Billy Bragg
Billy Bragg has been a fearless recording artist, tireless live performer and peerless political campaigner for 40 years, with 11 solo albums plus many collaborations under his belt. Punk rocker, soldier, Essex boy, folk singer, Skiffle aficionado, protest singers’ protest singer, patriot, optimist, lefty polemicist, author, soul miner, musicologist, champion of the underclasses, Cockney vocalist and all round decent bloke.
‘Unquestionably our generation’s finest protest singer…vital and indispensable’ Classic Pop