🌿 KATY CARR NEWSLETTER — MAY / JUNE 2026�

�Dear Friends,
As we move into summer, I’m delighted to share a month filled with remembrance, music, community, and meaningful encounters. Before reflecting on the powerful events of May, I’m excited to begin with news of my next performance.

🎤 Upcoming Concerts🌟

Polish Heritage Day – Morecambe📅 Saturday 20 June 2026 📍 Morecambe Bay Academy, Dallam Ave, Morecambe LA4 5BG

I’m thrilled to announce that I will be returning to perform at Polish Heritage Day in Morecambe, a joyful family celebration organised by the Polish Saturday School. Now in its third year, this event brings together families, friends, and the wider community to celebrate Polish culture, heritage, and local spirit.

I’m very excited to share music, stories, and a beautiful afternoon with you all.
Learn more about:
Polish Heritage Day
Morecambe Bay

ALL WELCOME – FREE EVENT 🙂 

✨ Katy Carr Concert Highlights from May 2026

🇵🇱 Polish Heritage Days 2026 – Bedford

Held at Harpur Square and the Harpur Suite, this vibrant celebration on Sunday 3 May brought together families, friends, and the wider community to honour Polish culture.

The atmosphere was filled with warmth, colour, and connection — a beautiful beginning to a month of remembrance and celebration.

A big thanks to Gosia Brady at the PBIC team for welconing for such a great event !

With Tom Wootton, the Elected Mayor of Bedford Borough who always supports my musical performances at Bedford Polish Heritage Days 🙂 

🎤 Manchester Concert

“Poland’s Musical Hero: Mieczysław Fogg”

📅 Tuesday 26 May
📍 Manchester Central Library
I presented an evening dedicated to Mieczysław Fogg, one of the most important figures in 20th‑century Polish music. Together, we travelled through his extraordinary life from the cabaret stages of the 1930s to the years of wartime resistance, when his voice became a symbol of hope and spiritual strength.

Marking the 125th anniversary of Fogg’s birth, the audience discovered his remarkable story and experienced his music through my performance.

I was honoured by the presence of:
The Lord Mayor of Manchester, Councillor Shaukat Ali, and his wife
The Consul General of the Republic of Poland in Manchester, Ireneusz Truszkowski and his wife
My warm thanks go to Manchester Library Live, Polish at Heart, Anna Kucewicz MBE, and Ewa Szegidewicz for their support and hosting.

A special thank you to Dr Juliette Bretan for her accompanying lecture series exploring the historical background of Fogg’s Warsaw in the 1920s and 1930s.

Left to right – The Consul General of the Republic of Poland in Manchester, Ireneusz Truszkowski and his wife, The Lord Mayor of Manchester, Councillor Shaukat Ali, and his wife, Katy Carr, Ewa Szegidewicz, Dr Juliette Bretan, Anna Kucewicz MBE

Katy Carr presenting her songs to the Manchester Central Library audience.
🇮🇹 Monte Cassino Commemorations – 82nd Anniversary

📅 16–18 May 2026
📍 Piedimonte San Germano & Coreno Ausonio, Italy

I travelled to Italy at the kind invitation of the Municipality of Piedimonte San Germano to take part in a series of deeply meaningful commemorations marking the breakthrough of the Gustav Line and the liberation of the Cassinate region.

A big thank you to Damiano Parravano, President of ASSOCIAZIONE LINEA GUSTAV for hosting me and organising my trip and also to The Polonia Aid Fooundation Trust for additional funding. 

I was honoured to be invited to Coreno Ausonio, Italy a beautiful town twinned with Błonie in Poland to perform concerts in memory of the Polish soldiers who fought at the Battle of Monte Cassino 1944. It means so much to be invited by the Municipality of Piedimonte, the Gustav Line Association, and the Mayor of Coreno, Simone Costanzo @costanzo46 pictured here in his office.

🎶 16 May — Guerra e Pace 2026 Conference
At the Sala Consiliare Bruna Bellavista,
I performed “Czerwone Maki na Monte Cassino” in honour of the Polish II Corps. Sharing this iconic song in such a symbolic setting was profoundly moving. 🔗 Read more: https://www.comune.piedimontesangermano.fr.it/it/news/guerra-e-pace-2026
Below I am singing Czerwone Maki Na Monte Cassino – The Red Poppies on Monte Cassino to the conference delegation.

🌺 Honouring Maria Di Bello & Maddalena Parente
Later that day, I performed at a ceremony dedicated to Maria Di Bello and Maddalena Parente, two Italian women murdered by German soldiers after resisting acts of violence.
I met their families and took part in the unveiling of a memorial plaque in the mountains of Coreno Ausonio.

I also sang the Italian national anthem in their honour.
These ceremonies were powerful reminders of courage, sacrifice, and the importance of preserving memory.

Below with Maria De Bello’s grandaughter Sylvia who was moved by my singing performance in honoour of her grandmother’s memory who was murdered due to German aggression in WWII

🎵 17 May — Marinaranne Ceremony, Coreno Ausonio

I performed during the official ceremony at Marinaranne, following the Holy Mass celebrated by Polish priest Don Andrea Zdanuk.
Surrounded by the mountains where the Gustav Line once stood, and in the presence of local authorities and families, it was a privilege to offer music in honour of those who suffered.

🎖️ Unveiling of the Effigy of the 12th Podolian Uhlan Polish Cavalry Regiment
Later that day, I had the honour of performing at the ceremony unveiling the effigy of the 12th Podolian Uhlan Regiment at Largo Antoni Benc, Via Vallicella, Piedimonte.

I was introduced by Anna Maria Anders, daughter of General Władysław Anders a moment of immense symbolic weight. She kindly translated into Italian the words I wished to share – gratitude, remembrance, and respect for the history that binds Italy and Poland.

Meeting the Polish veterans who fought at Monte Cassino was one of the most moving experiences of my life. To speak with them, hear their stories, and then sing in their memory is something I will carry with me forever.

Music can hold memory, bridge generations, and keep alive the courage of those who fought for peace.
Below with Anna Maria Anders. 

🎺 1940s Polish Heritage Fete – Checkendon
Held at The Black Horse in Checkendon, this joyful event marked 80 years since Allied Polish troops arrived at the Checkendon army camp.It was an honour to sing for the families of exiled Poles who had endured unimaginable hardship from forced labour under Soviet oppression to long journeys across continents before reaching safety in the UK.

I shared the stage with WWII Polish veteran Czesław Błachucki (Chez Black), who fought in the Italian campaign. Singing with him was one of the greatest honours of my musical life.

My heartfelt thanks to:
The Black Horse, CheckendonClare Wilkinson, acting landlady/licensee and the brilliant Graham Drucker and team , event organiser – Their dedication to preserving the legacy of Polish‑British friendship made this day unforgettable.

Singing with WWII Polish veteran Czesław Błachucki (Chez Black)

Pan Czeslaw in the 1940s WWII Polish army below 

💛 Thank You for your care and support and a post humous Sto Lat ! 100th birthday to the wonderful Marilyn Monroe who would have turned 100 years old today 1st June 1926 -2026 RIP
We remember her century of incredible talent, inspiration and female strength xxx

💛 Thank You 
Your support throughout May 2026 has been overwhelming.
Every shared story, every handshake, and every song sung together reminds me why I continue this journey of musical storytelling and remembrance.

I look forward to seeing many of you in Morecambe this June as we continue celebrating Polish heritage, community, and the power of music.

❤️ STAY SAFE AND STRONG ❤️

💕Thank you for your continuing support of my music💕

❤️ KATY CARR’s previous newsletters 🙂 https://katycarr.com/category/newsletters/Keep in touch ! Lots of love to you and your family i pozdrawam serdecznie
✸✸✸✸✸ Katy Carr and the Aviators ✸✸✸✸✸