Severn Lives is a podcast that celebrates the people and stories of the River Severn in Mid Wales. Hosted by Polly Lovegrove, each episode is a warm and thoughtful conversation with someone who has lived and worked in the Severn valley. Guests include farmers, teachers, artists, artisans, naturalists and lifelong locals who share their memories and reflections on how the area has changed since they were young. Many of Polly’s guests are people who rarely step into the spotlight. They live quietly, often in remote areas, yet when invited to talk, they reveal a deep connection to the land and to the communities that have grown up along the river. Their voices offer a window into a way of life that is slowly changing, yet still deeply rooted in place.
Severn Lives is both a living archive and a celebration of these often overlooked voices. It offers listeners the chance to hear directly from those who know the Severn valley best, in their own words, capturing the character, warmth and wisdom of the people who call this part of Mid Wales home.
If you know someone who would be interesting to talk to, please get in touch.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
Publisher
Polly Lovegrove
Category
society & culture · society & culture · society & culture
The Art of Connection: Sara Philpot in conversation
Welcome back to the podcast. Today, I'm delighted to be chatting with Mid Wales artist Sara Philpot here in the backyard.
Sara is a painter, printmaker and weaver whose work is exhibited throughout Britain. Living and working in Mid Wales, her art explores the botanical and the human.
Alongside her painting practice, Sara is an accomplished printmaker who has frequently collaborates with poets and writers. Her work with renowned private presses including Gwasg Gregynog and the Old Stile Press features in many national collections.
Recently, Sara moved into an old weaver's cottage, adding another thread to a lifelong connection with traditional craft and making. It's a move that feels especially fitting for an artist whose work is rooted in stories, materials and the connections between people, place and nature.
In our conversation, we learn about the inspirations behind her work, and how the landscapes and stories of Wales continue to influence her artistic vision. So settle in and enjoy my conversation with Sara Philpot.
Producer
Polly Lovegrove
Get in touch with us
pollylovegrovephotography@gmail.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
25 May 2026
More than a corner shop
Tucked away on Canal Road in the heart of Newtown, Canal Road Stores might look like a modest corner shop from the outside, but step through the door and you’ll discover a treasure trove of products from around the world. I recently sat down with Muralee and Devika, the husband and wife team behind the business, who have called Newtown home for the past 36 years after originally arriving from Sri Lanka. Alongside running the shop, they also operate UStrike, the hugely popular Mid Wales tourist attraction based in the old Agricultural House building in Newtown. Passionate about food, nutrition, and cooking, the couple have recently introduced an exciting range of Asian ingredients and speciality products to their store, offering customers not only something different, but also friendly advice and inspiration on how to cook with ingredients many people may never have encountered before.
Producer
Polly Lovegrove
Get in touch with us
pollylovegrovephotography@gmail.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
11 May 2026
Glenys: Nothing Wasted
Welcome to Nothing Wasted, a heartfelt conversation with Glenys about growing up in post-war Britain, raising six children, building a life through hard work, and finding peace in Mid Wales. From back-to-back houses in Stockport to running shops, surviving on very little, and learning to read later in life, this is a story full of resilience, humour, honesty, and warmth.
Producer
Polly Lovegrove
Get in touch with us
pollylovegrovephotography@gmail.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
27 Apr 2026
Karl Wigley: From Rock Bottom to Lifeline. Building a Community That Heals
In today’s episode, I sit down with Karl Wigley from Caersws, who’s recently been featured in the local press, to talk about the powerful well-being group he founded after his own struggles with mental health and serious illness. What began in late 2024 as a small effort to support friends has grown into a vital community network, bringing people together each week for walks, conversations, and workshops, while also offering support to those in crisis. Karl shares how his personal journey from hitting rock bottom to finding purpose helping others has shaped his mission to create a space where people can move beyond just surviving and start truly thriving.
Producer
Polly Lovegrove
Get in touch with us
pollylovegrovephotography@gmail.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
13 Apr 2026
Ivy Evans: Tales from the Golden Mile in Rural Wales
Welcome to the podcast. Today, I’m on the Golden Mile in rural Wales, near Cefn Coch, where I’m speaking with the wonderfully warm and inspiring Ivy Evans.
Ivy has lived in the farmhouse for over seventy years. Her garden is brimming with flowers and unusual plants, and countless bird boxes that invite wildlife to thrive all around her. Ivy has a deep love and understanding of nature, animals & gardening. She brings her passion indoors too, crafting beautiful flower arrangements to gift to others.
Ivy’s spark shines through, she’s full of energy, laughter, and has a quietly mischievous sense of humour.
Join me as we step into Ivy’s world on the Golden Mile.
Producer
Polly Lovegrove
Get in touch with us
pollylovegrovephotography@gmail.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
30 Mar 2026
Norman Woodcock: From Tree-Top Revision to Bus-Stop Romance: 64 Years of Love, Life, and Little Coincidences
From growing up in a South Wales mining village, to teaching rural science in Mid Wales, Norman Woodcock's life was shaped by hard work, resilience, and unexpected turns. But at the heart of it all is something even more enduring. It began with a glance at a young redhead on a bus, a simple introduction, and a first date when she was just 17 and he was 19. From those modest beginnings grew a partnership that has lasted a lifetime.
This is a story of changing times, of life in rural Wales, and above all, of a marriage that has stood strong for 64 years.
Producer
Polly Lovegrove
Get in touch with us
pollylovegrovephotography@gmail.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
16 Mar 2026
Bob Davey: From Park Street to the High Seas and Back Again
Today we’re stepping back nearly 82 years. Our guest Bob Davey grew up on Park Street, Newtown and was one of the first families to move into the brand new council houses of Garth Owen at aged 5. His life went from skiffle bands and teenage gigs at the Pavilion…to living in Bermuda, sailing around the world, and even serving as Mayor of Newtown on his return.
Bob recalls his job delivering groceries up almost impossible hills, his Mothers famous Welsh craft shop, and a life that’s taken him from the Arctic Circle to Antarctica—before bringing him right back home again to Mid Wales.
Settle in, and join us for stories of music, markets, sailing, and the changing face of Newtown… all from a man who says if he could do it again, he’d do exactly the same.
Producer
Polly Lovegrove
Get in touch with us
pollylovegrovephotography@gmail.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
2 Mar 2026
Diane Ashman: Lipstick, Berets & Bertie the Bear: Tales from a Vintage Clothes Shop.
It was pouring with rain when I arrived on Welshpool High Street in Mid Wales. The grand white double-fronted house that is Ashmans Antiques stood solid against the gloom.
Step through the door, though, and everything shifts. The grey dissolves into warmth, colour and conversation. Diane, radiant in her yellow beret, red lipstick and bright belted jumper is already mid-story, mid-laughter, mid-welcome. Her father once described her as being “vaccinated with a gramophone needle,” and you understand why instantly. She doesn’t just speak she soothes the room, her voice lively and full of character, drawing people in to her world.
There’s talk of an unlikely church, of half a sausage roll, of Bertie the bear quietly observing it all. Outside, the rain continues to fall on Welshpool High Street. Inside, history, fashion and human connection are stitched together by Diane’s unmistakable soundtrack.
Producer
Polly Lovegrove
Get in touch with us
pollylovegrovephotography@gmail.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
16 Feb 2026
Jeremy Pryce: Crafting in the forge, camping, and lasting memories of Llandinam
Welcome to Llandinam, a village steeped in history and stories. Today, we’re joined by lifelong resident Jeremy Pryce, a man whose roots run deep in this community.
Jeremy shares memories of his childhood growing up in the village, and his time working on the construction of the Clywedog Dam.
We’ll also step inside his blacksmith’s forge, right beside his home, where sparks fly and stories come to life. Friendly, funny, and full of rich local knowledge, Jeremy is known as Llandinam’s own historian and there’s very little he doesn’t know about the village.
Settle in for an episode filled with memories, craftsmanship, and the living history of Llandinam.
Producer
Polly Lovegrove
Get in touch with us
pollylovegrovephotography@gmail.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
2 Feb 2026
Susan Blower: A bell, a song and a life in full colour.
In this episode, we’re talking to Susan Blower, a name well known in Montgomery, and a voice you definitely can’t miss. Born and bred in the town, Susan grew up in a time when childhoods were spent roaming the fields freely & safely.
Susan’s life has been anything but ordinary though; from nursing, teaching and becoming one of the very few female town criers in the UK, she’s a woman who’s never stayed in one lane. Along the way, she’s taken her big heart and big voice far beyond Montgomery, working overseas in places like Texas and Romania.
Susan continues to pour her energy into community life, doing so with humour, warmth and that unmistakable and voice. This is a story of bells and songs, love and loss, freedom and fearlessness and a life lived very much in full colour.
Producer
Polly Lovegrove
Get in touch with us
pollylovegrovephotography@gmail.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
19 Jan 2026
Bob Evans: Bwana Bob, the Beast of Llangurig, and Life at 87
This week we’re chatting with Bob Evans, a former policeman whose life is filled with remarkable stories and quiet routines alike. He recalls the time when he was sent out to surround a barn believed to be hiding the infamous “Beast of Llangurig”, earning him a nickname “Bwana Bob” by his colleagues. Bob’s experiences are anything but ordinary. Now 87 years old, he still walks up to two hours a day to keep fit, bakes his own cakes and pastry pies, and carries a lifetime of wisdom shaped by service, resilience, and curiosity. It’s a conversation about adventure, ageing well, and a life that’s still very much in motion.
Producer
Polly Lovegrove
Get in touch with us
pollylovegrovephotography@gmail.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
5 Jan 2026
Huw Thomas: Ungrateful Budgies, a Cow in the Dark and a Naked Lady in Wellingtons
Listen to the stories of Huw’s childhood growing up as the vet’s son in Caersws. He loved driving his dad to midnight call outs, bumping along dark lanes across the length and breadth of the Severn Valley, back when just a couple of vets looked after the whole patch, from Llanidloes down to Welshpool. From a life-changing meal of mussels in France, to an unlucky black cat hanging from his wrist, Huw recounts some wonderful and inspirational tales from then and now.
Producer
Polly Lovegrove
Get in touch with us
pollylovegrovephotography@gmail.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
22 Dec 2025
Jeremy Connell: Four fingers and a thumb lead to Caersws
In this episode, we’re joined by Jeremy Connell, a man with a lifetime of stories, from the curious significance of four fingers and a thumb in Caersws, to his years as a teacher in Newtown. Jeremy takes us back to a time when life moved at a different pace. He recalls fairytale winters in the 1950's, when he and his friends screwed skates to the soles of their boots and glided along the canals by the silvery glow of car headlights. Hear the legend of Sabrina, a tale that may send a chill down your spine the next time you wander near the River Severn. You may wish to tread lightly and beware.
Producer
Polly Lovegrove
Get in touch with us
pollylovegrovephotography@gmail.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
8 Dec 2025
When the river gives you a basket, make chips
For over seventy years, Janet has called Llanidloes home, and in this podcast she welcomes us into her world of cherished memories and everyday stories. From playful childhood adventures along the river to the changing rhythms of the town today, Janet shares her tales with humour, clarity, and deep affection for the town. Join us as we step into the heart of Llanidloes through the eyes of someone who has truly lived it.
Producer
Polly Lovegrove
Get in touch with us
pollylovegrovephotography@gmail.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
8 Dec 2025
Introduction to Severn Lives Podcast
We bring you interviews with people who live in the Severn Valley, those whose stories remain untold. This podcast hears from the people who lives are intertwined with the river, who live and work and play along the longest and mightiest river in the country.
Narration for this trailer comes from the unmistakable voice of Llion Williams
Producer
Polly Lovegrove
Email: pollylovegrovephotography@gmail.com
Producer
Polly Lovegrove
Get in touch with us
pollylovegrovephotography@gmail.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
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