Land of Oak & Iron are excited to host another of our new ‘Meet the Maker‘ events at the Heritage Centre in Winlaton Mill.

Our next event is with Susan Crame, a local ceramic artist.

Susan’s clay of choice is porcelain, thought by some as a difficult medium, Susan love’s its purity and translucence. Her colour palette, inspired by Chinese celadon glazes are a result of on-going tests and experimentation. The gentle, cool blues and greens of the celadons achieve the calmness she wishes to achieve in her tableware, vases and platters, with teapots being one of her favourite specialisms.

Susan works from home in a small, well equipped workshop – especially working on her potter’s wheel, she also works for a large charity using other skills and has happily introduced the joy of clay to many through a recently funded opportunity which has allowed her to set up a pottery group, allowing adults with learning disabilities to have the experience and enjoyment of working with clay every couple of weeks.

Susan often works to commission and has also taken part in a range of exhibitions and festivals including: Scotland’s Potfest, Pots in the Pens at Penrith, The Great North Snow Dogs event in Gateshead and St. Oswald Hospice Fairs

Please show your support for our local artists and makers, call in to say hello and maybe buy or commission an original artwork.

The Heritage Centre and all our events are fully risk assessed and Covid-19 compliant.

‘Meet the Maker’ will be outside under cover of the gazebo, social distancing will be in place for both the artist and our visitors.  We have enhanced cleaning regimes in place, sanitiser and hand gel is available at both entrances to the Heritage Centre and face coverings to be worn when entering the building to use toilets, shop area and café shrub for both take-away and table service.

Halloween 2020 is going to feel a little different to last year – but local families can still have fun by taking part in the ‘Big Neighbourhood Pumpkin Trail’ and also Land of Oak & Iron’s ‘Painted Pumpkin Trail’ at the Heritage Centre.

The Land of Oak & Iron team and some of our artist friends have been getting creative by hand painting spooky pumpkins for our Painted Pumpkin Trail!

Visit the Heritage Centre and pick up a trail page, then find and name all the painted pumpkins that you find.  Return your completed trail to a member of our team, where your child will be given a little ball of clay to take away with them.  Sculpt the clay into a Curious Clay Creature using the pumpkins your found on the trail as inspiration for your creation.

HALLOWEEN 31 OCTOBER:

café shrub will be open at the later time of 6.30pm for Halloween spooky specials and a child friendly Halloween film playing from 4.30pm –  you can carry on doing the Painted Pumpkin Trail till 6pm too.

Every spookily dressed-up child who comes with their family for a take-away or sit in meal from café shrub on 31st October will also receive a free Trick or Treat bag.

COMPETITION TIME:

Take a photograph of your spookily dressed child while visiting the Heritage Centre and also of your child’s Curious Clay Creature and upload to our Facebook page with the tag #paintedpumpkintrail

Our team at the Land of Oak & Iron Heritage Centre will then pick the best Curious Clay Creature and best spookily dressed child, with the winners both receiving an afternoon tea voucher for up to 4 people to be redeemed at café shrub, either as an eat-in or take-away option next time your visit the Heritage Centre.

Entries into the competition will close on 1 November, with the winners picked and announced via the Land of Oak & Iron Facebook page on 9 November @landofoakandiron

What can you do with your broken and unwanted appliances?

Bring them to our free Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment ‘WEEE’ repair workshop!

Do your really need the latest product?  Does the old one still work or can it be repaired?

Groundwork’s WEEE can help to repair your broken kettles, toaster, irons, hairdryers, lamps, vacuums etc.

Please bring along your small domestic appliance for repair and advice.

You can also drop off and donate and unwanted WEEE – so it can be recycled in the correct way.

Get in touch with Dawn James at Groundwork to book a time slot.  We look forward to helping you with your WEEE!

Dawn James 07548 223758  email: dawn.james@groundwork.org.uk

Reduce:  Do you really need the latest product? Does the old one still work?
Repair & Reuse:  Can it be repaired? Could you give it to a charity or a friend? If you must get rid of items then recycle in the correct way.
Recycle: You can recycle electronic waste at your Household Waste and Recycling Centre.

The Queen’s Bays 2nd Dragoon Guards Living History Group are made up of a mix of ex serving and civilian personnel with a wealth of experience in re-enactment and living history.

The group share a special interest in the Great War period and are fully committed to the portrayal of the regiment and in an historically accurate way to pay respects and to honour the brave soldiers and the horses who served during the Great War in all regiments.

Members of the living history group will be at the Heritage Centre in full period costume and will be joined by their new War Horse who is in training.

They will also be selling red poppies in support of the Royal British Legion.

Please drop by to say hello, have a chat, buy your poppies and meet a war horse!

As with all our events, this event is fully risk assessed and Covid-19 compliant.  Please follow current guidelines, only visit with your ‘bubble’, respect social distancing and do not touch the horse or objects unless invited to do so, please wash or sanitise your hands.  Thank you.

Land of Oak & Iron are excited to host another of our new ‘Meet the Maker‘ events at the Heritage Centre in Winlaton Mill.

Our next event is with Norma Burke, a local landscape artist.

Norma is based in Whitley Bay and is a retired teacher who took to painting when she finally had time to do something more creative with her time.  Her inspiration comes from the beautiful north east coast line, where Norma takes photographs while out walking with her dog. “We are so lucky to have such amazing beaches and castles on our doorstep”.  Norma then uses these captured images to create acrylic paintings on canvas back home in her studio space.

Norma also collects sea glass from the beaches when out walking, mainly from the sands at Whitley Bay.  She then uses the sea glass to create her Christmas range of tea-light holders, tree decorations and cards – “the only problem is trying to remember to take the glass treasures out my pockets before ending up in the washing machine”!

Please show your support for our local artists and makers, call in to say hello and maybe buy or commission an original artwork.

The Heritage Centre and all our events are fully risk assessed and Covid-19 compliant.

‘Meet the Maker’ will be outside under cover of the gazebo, social distancing will be in place for both the artist and our visitors.  We have enhanced cleaning regimes in place, sanitiser and hand gel is available at both entrances to the Heritage Centre and face coverings to be worn when entering the building to use toilets, shop area and café shrub for both take-away and table service. Please only visit with your ‘bubble’ and in groups of up to 6 people.

Get festive and creative with this popular workshop, which will show you how to weave with natural willow, developing skills and techniques to create your own willow based Christmas Wreath for your home.

You will learn how to twist and weave a natural base from willow, then attach natural seasonal materials to create an eco friendly, welcoming wreath for your door this Christmas.

Create your Christmas Wreath using just natural materials under the guidance of outdoor education leader and experienced basket maker Liz Beech, member of Northumbria Basketry Group.

This year’s workshop will take place under cover of our large gazebo, outside the Heritage Centre, near to the Courtyard area.

Only 5 places available on each workshop to enable social distancing – we will be following current Covid-19 guidelines.

Cost £35 including Eventbrite fees, materials, hot drinks and mince pie.

Booking essential.

Get festive and creative with this popular workshop, which will show you how to weave with natural willow, developing skills and techniques to create your own willow based Christmas Wreath for your home.

You will learn how to twist and weave a natural base from willow, then attach natural seasonal materials to create an eco friendly, welcoming wreath for your door this Christmas.

Create your Christmas Wreath using just natural materials under the guidance of outdoor education leader and experienced basket maker Liz Beech, member of Northumbria Basketry Group.

This year’s workshop will take place under cover of our large gazebo, outside the Heritage Centre, near to the Courtyard area.

Only 5 places available on each workshop to enable social distancing – we will be following current Covid-19 guidelines.

Cost £35 including Eventbrite fees, materials, hot drinks and mince pie.

Booking essential.