MERL holds first Traditional Craft Fair

Monday, 01 November 2010

wooden carved bowls

Visitors to the Museum of English Rural Life can receive some festive gift inspiration away from the throng of Reading Town Centre on 6 November.

Visitors will be able to meet local craftspeople and find unique Christmas presents. The Fair also allows local craftspeople to showcase their skills. Come along and have a go at some of the crafts including knitting rows on a scarf to be ‘raffled' on the day.

For families, some of the craftspeople will be offering small activities for £1 or £2, such as beeswax candle making. Families can also join in a free workshop throughout the day to make traditional posy from dried herbs and flowers.

Bekky Moran, Learning Manager at MERL said: "The collections at MERL show visitors all about traditional crafts, such as wood turning, basket making and blacksmithing. To have craftspeople in the Museum demonstrating traditional skills such as embroidery, knitting and felt making, all of which have been an important part of rural - and not so rural - life for centuries, will help bring these collections to life and show that the crafts are still thriving today.

Jo Nickless, a local beekeeper who will be selling her produce at the Fair says "I am delighted to be able to join MERL at their Traditional Craft Fair. The craft of beekeeping is currently enjoying a resurgence in popularity and is as important to the British countryside today as it was 100 years ago, when the majority of farmers and small-holders kept bees. As well as selling our produce at the Fair, we will be demonstrating beeswax candle making as it was done at the turn of the last century as well as more modern methods."

Visitors will also be able to enjoy hot and cold drinks and that other much appreciated traditional skill home baking, in the Museum's ‘Studio café' serving delicious cakes made by local people for Country Markets!

The MERL Traditional Craft Fair takes place from 11am to 4pm on Saturday 6th November at the Museum of English Rural Life on Redlands Road in Reading. Admission is £1 for adults and free for children.

Everyone is welcome. For details visit www.reading.ac.uk/merl, call 0118 378 8660 or email merlevents@reading.ac.uk