Vicki Shakeshaft

Vicki Shakeshaft’s story is woven right through the fabric of Folk on the Green. Born in Hampshire in 1952, she came to North Buckinghamshire in the early 1970s to train as a teacher at Bletchley Park, where she was introduced to folk music for the first time. Like many others, she found herself drawn into a lively local scene of folk clubs, musicians and dancers just as the folk revival was hitting its stride.

Her first Folk on the Green in 1974 was small, informal and very much a gathering of friends. After settling in Stony Stratford in 1978, Vicki became a regular attendee — and soon a volunteer. What started as picking up litter late into the evening grew into years of hands-on involvement behind the scenes. She organised stalls, helped raise vital funds, negotiated with local residents, checked weather forecasts the old-fashioned way, and played a key role in shaping how the festival worked on the ground.

Vicki was also deeply involved creatively. She helped establish Morris dancing at the event through Old Mother Redcaps, compèred the festival for several years, and later took charge of designing the programme — adding humour, local history, puzzles and community contributions. She championed links with schools, introducing children’s dance performances and t-shirt design competitions to keep the festival rooted in its community.

Throughout, Vicki describes Folk on the Green as a genuinely self-supporting, volunteer-led event — sometimes challenging, often chaotic, but always driven by people pulling together. For her, its lasting value lies in bringing people together, giving musicians a platform, and creating a welcoming, family-friendly celebration that continues to evolve while staying true to its community heart.