There’s something for everyone to enjoy. Come celebrate with us! Find out more at inkfestival.org.
Countdown to the 10th Anniversary INK Festival – in Halesworth 16–19 April
Author: Metfield Village
Hugh Bonneville and more… Must-see performances at the 10th anniversary INK Festival 16–19 April in Halesworth
Along with lots of new short plays for theatre and radio, play readings, workshops for adults and children, art exhibition, fab food, fun for all the family, this year’s big attractions include:
Hugh Bonneville gives a rare stage interview to producer and director Paul Schlesinger – Downton to darkest Peru – A behind-the-scenes tour
Alistair McGowan – a three-in-one master impressionist, comedian and classical pianist
Stars of Radio 4’s Dead Ringers – Jan Ravens and John Culshaw
Improv comedy with Joe Mcardle
Sir Tony Robinson and Helen Atkinson Wood
Poets Luke Wright, Jimmy Livingston, Ashley Hickson-Lovence, Lewis Buxton, Rhian Brook
Conversations from a Long Marriage – Jan Etherington, Angus Deayton and Helen Atkinson Wood
and lots more… Book tickets HERE
www.inkfestival.org/whats-on-ink
Heard about INK and the INK Festival? Tell me more…
INK began with a writer’s desperate cry that there were almost no platforms for new scripts to see the light of day. So we made one. In 2015 we staged 15 short plays at our first festival in Halesworth, Suffolk. Fast forward ten years. We are now producing at least 70 original short plays from over 1,000 annual script submissions. The INK Festival is a unique celebration of new and diverse writing, held annually. Every year, it begins with a free… Find out more
Sign up for the monthly INK newsletter and keep up to date with future events and ways to support the INK Festival.
Nominate INK for a £1,000 grant, it only takes a minute and helps us continue supporting creative projects. Nominate Now
Accommodation call-out
During the INK Festival we need accommodation for actors and directors… So, if you have a spare room in or around Halesworth from 12–20 April 2026, or even one or two of those dates, and would like to host an actor or director, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact: kitty@inkfestival.org
INK is a registered charity. We need your support to raise funds every year and, as we will celebrate our 10th Festival in April 2026, we’d like to make an even bigger impact. Please consider how you could support us by making a one-off donation, a regular donation, becoming a Member or Corporate Sponsor or by buying advertising space in the festival programme (details here). And, at no cost to you, you can use easyfundraising to donate every time you shop online. It costs you nothing and every penny counts. CLICK below for more details.
INK is the UK’s leading producer of new short plays for stage and radio.
INK inspires, educates and entertains through an annual 5-day festival, schools’ programmes, workshops, online classes and tours.
INK launches the careers of many of the UK’s future creatives and brings the experience of live theatre to audiences in rural Suffolk and beyond.
Spread the word!
INK Festival 2026: Submit Your Script Now
INK Festival is a unique celebration of new and diverse writing, held annually. Every year, it begins with a free script submission opportunity which is open to everyone – whether professional or non-professional
From over 1,000 short play and radio play submissions, 70 exceptional scripts are selected to be brought to life by professional theatre directors, actors and technicians at the festival in April.
Spanning five days, the festival showcases these works across multiple venues, attracting thousands of theatre enthusiasts, while the radio plays reach tens of thousands more.
A standout feature of the festival is our Youth Festival Day an entirely free experience for secondary schools and colleges in the region. Hundreds of students have the opportunity to watch live performances, engage with the creatives behind the plays and explore the magic of theatre behind the scenes.
INK Festival 2026 – SAVE THE DATE
at The Cut, 8 New Cut, Halesworth, Suffolk, IP19 8BY
Thursday 16 April 2026 09:30 to Sunday 19 April 2026 18:00
Whatever your age or experience, you are invited to submit a short script
Deadline 26 September 2025.
Click HERE for all the details.
Road closures around Metfield and Fressingfield
This is a summary of an email to the Parish Council. See maps below.
From: Suffolk Highways Customer Mailbox
Sent: 15 July 2025 16:07
Subject: Advanced notification of road closure – various roads, Fressingfield and Metfield
Dear all,
For your awareness, we are planning to carry out carriageway repairs in preparation for surface dressing along the following roads:
- Wood Lane, Fressingfield
- Hunter’s Lane, Metfield
- Gules Green Lane, Fressingfield
- Fressingfield Road, Metfield
- Low Road, Fressingfield
- Cratfield Road, Fressingfield
- Metfield Road, Fressingfield
- Daisy Hill, Fressingfield
The works have been programmed in phases to enable us to complete all works in the area at the same time. However, we will be completing the work in phases to reduce the impact on local road users.
During all phases of works, the roads on which we are working will be closed to ensure the safety of highway users and our operatives. The phases of work will be carried out as follows:
Phase 1
Where : Wood Lane, Fressingfield
When: Between 8am and 5pm on Monday 21 July and Tuesday 22 July
Diversion route: Cratfield Road, Daisy Hill and vice versa
Phase 2
Where: Hunter’s Lane, Metfield
When: Between 8am and 5pm on weekdays only, from Wednesday 23 July until Monday 28 July
Diversion route: B1123, Fressingfield Road and vice versa
Phase 3
Where: Gules Green Lane Fressingfield
This phase will be completed in two sections. Section one will be from Cratfield Road to Pegg’s Hill, and section two will be from Pegg’s Hill to Daisy Hill.
When: Between 8am and 5pm from Monday 28 July until Friday 1 August
Diversion route:
Section 1: Gules Green Lane, Daisy Hill, Metfield Road and vice versa
Section 2: Daisy Hill, Metfield Road, Gules Green Lane and vice versa
Phase 4
Where : Fressingfield Road, Metfield
When: Between 8am and 5pm from Monday 4 August until Friday 8 August
Diversion route: Fressingfield Road, B1123, B1116, Daisy Hill and vice versa
Phase 5
Where: Low Road, Cratfield Road and Metfield Road, Fressingfield
When: Between 8am and 5pm from Monday 11 August until Friday 15 August
Diversion route: Cratfield Road, Silverley’s Green, Swans Green, Laxfield Road, Cake Street, Banyards Green, Bickers Hill Road, Market Street, B1117, B1116 and vice versa
Phase 6
Where: Daisy Hill, Fressingfield
When: Between 8am and 5pm from Monday 18 August until Thursday 22 August
Diversion route: Fressingfield Road, B1123, B1116, Daisy Hill and vice versa
No phase will begin before the previous phase has been completed and the associated closure has been lifted. No works will take place over the weekend.
Surface dressing works on these roads will be carried out during summer 2026, and we will issue further communications in advance of these works.
As we plan roadworks in advance, we schedule extra days to allow for bad weather or other delays beyond our control. If we need to make major changes to our work dates, we will update the information signs on site and our social media channels accordingly.
A plan showing the diversion routes for each phase of these works is attached to this email. When we close the road and put a diversion in place, the route needs to be accessible to vehicles of all shapes and sizes. We make our diversions as clear as possible by placing appropriate signing along the route. The latest updates on our works can be found on the One.Network website.
There may be times that essential emergency works are required to take place on the highway network without advanced notice – you can follow Suffolk Highways on Facebook for the latest emergency roadwork updates.
Please use any contacts within your division or parish to circulate this notification.
If you have any queries on the above, please contact us on 0345 606 6171.
Suffolk Highways
The information contained in this email or any of its attachments may be privileged or confidential and is intended for the exclusive use of the addressee. Any unauthorised use may be unlawful. If you receive this email by mistake, please advise the sender immediately by using the reply facility in your email software.
The Council reserves the right to monitor, record and retain any incoming and outgoing emails for security reasons and for monitoring internal compliance with our policy on staff use. Email monitoring and/or blocking software may be used and email content may be read.
For information about what we do with personal data see our privacy noticehttps://www.suffolk.gov.uk/about/privacy-notice/
M E T F I E L D 
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