Fylde Borough Council’s arts development service has developed the ‘Green Loop’ project to raise awareness of sustainable making and craft. Over the last three months an artist in residence, Nerissa Cargill Thompson, has been working with local people to consider what goes to landfill and how some of this could be reused for as a material for art and craft. The project will culminate at the end of this month with a special eco makers market at Fairhaven Lake.
The Eco Makers Market will have a surprising and inspiring array of sustainable crafts on offer and opportunities for people to find out how they can create products which reduce waste. With products ranging from jewellery to homewares, visitors and shoppers can find handmade products which don’t cost the Earth.
The Eco Makers Market is being curated by Hopeful and Glorious who are known in Lancashire for promoting local handmade. The market will take place on Saturday 25th June and showcase handmade sustainable, green and eco creative products. Featuring the work of over 20 talented north-west makers, the outdoor market will be located next to Fairhaven Lake and the newly restored water-sports Centre. The market will run 11am to 4pm and will be free to visit.
Included in the market are a wide range of small creative businesses who are making a positive difference to the environment.
The Sewing Institute will be demonstrating some of the products and workshops they run from their base in Ansdell. The Sewing Institute offer a wide range of sewing sessions for people of all ages supported by qualified textiles teachers in a friendly and creative learning environment. They aim to support people to be able to sew at home and make eco products such as washable beauty wipes and reusable food bags.
Calluna Furnishings from Quernmore, near Lancaster, will be showing their wide range of furnishings and upholstery projects. Sarah from Calluna is an expert in taking well-loved furniture and giving it a new lease of life with new upholstery and gorgeous new fabric covers. Sarah says, “Lots of reusable, good quality furniture ends up in landfill every year but much of this could be reupholstered and repaired to look and feel much better than many brand-new products.”
String Effects from Pennine Lancashire take guitar strings that would end up in landfill and use these to create original and stunning new jewellery. With friends and family who worked in music, Karen from String Effects could see that it wasn’t possible to recycle guitar strings in the UK so with her interest in jewellery design she came with up the eco-friendly idea.
Pip Cottage from Accrington grow willow and create gorgeous basketry from their base in Accrington. Julie from Pip Cottage is an expert in willow weaving. Alongside her products she will be sharing information of a wide range of workshops that she offers for people to develop their own skills in weaving with materials that can be found in the home.
Thrift Design from Chorley take salvaged materials that would otherwise head to landfill and creates gorgeous pictures of British wildlife. From old clothes to sweet wrappers, Lucy from Thrift Design sees beauty in the colours and textures of salvaged items and combines these with her passion for the natural environment.
Alongside the makers, the Green Loop Project participants will be sharing the products that they have been developing from clean environmental waste materials such as plastic bottles and shopping bags.
Additional Background information
Fylde Borough Council’s arts development service have developed ‘Green Loop’ which is an art and environment project motivated by the desire to connect Fylde’s communities with the coastline. The project will provide meaningful volunteer opportunities & provide engagement opportunities and in doing so, it will offer local people opportunities to create deeper connections to the coastline so that it becomes more accessible to all, better appreciated, and better understood. The pandemic has forced many to be more creative, and to appreciate the natural environment. It is this acknowledgment across society that we wish to capture. It is our aim that Green Loop will bring together Fylde residents through this shared purpose.
Green Loop is comprised of three thematically linked strands: –
- Using the local coastline as the stimulus, emerging artists have been working alongside professional environmental artist Nerissa Cargill Thompson and participants in a workshop programme to research, design, create, promote and retail a limited-edition, sustainable & ethically produced range of wearable or home accessories made from recycled plastic and waste found in the Ribble Estuary. Participants will retail their outputs at the Green Loop Eco Makers Market, showing how beautiful items can be made from recycled materials. Working with partner organisations Ribble Rivers Trust and Keep Britain Tidy invaluable support has been provided through the provision of ecology sessions and waste material sourcing activities.
- An artist commission created by Nerissa Cargill Thompson to explore the environmental impacts of plastic waste through a series of artworks created both using and inspired by litter found in the River Ribble. Nerissa is collaborating with the local business sector to develop an exhibition trail to be hosted by the participating businesses, along Fylde’s high streets, bringing greater awareness of the human impact on the local environment looking at the legacy of such waste and alternative choices.
- Green Loop Eco Makers Markets are curated by Hopeful & Glorious (https://hopefulandglorious.co.uk/) to promote local sustainable making businesses and provide a platform for the launch of the communities limited edition product range.
Keep up to date with the latest Fylde Council news by following us on social media or subscribing to our newsletter. Any new information will be posted directly through these channels, so if you are following us, you’ll be the first to know.
