The Wayland Show - Watton - 2nd August

The annual Wayland Show is one of oldest agricultural events in the country having been held for over 150 years, the first show was in 1857. It is still going strong and attracts crowds of more than 5,000 people to see displays of livestock, fur & feathers. The event also features displays of steam engines, classic cars, vintage tractors, gun dogs, falconry, art, crafts and weavers and spinners will be displaying their techniques. There will also be horse and carriage and helicopter rides. The Capturing Our Wayland Heritage’ project will have a stand at the show, with a display of copies of documents dating from the early years of the show.

8.30 Horse Event
10.00 Gun Dogs
10.25 Cyril the Squirrel
10.50 West Norfolk Foxhounds
11.10 Young Farmers Surprise Competition .
11.35 Classic cars
12.00 Household Cavalry display
12.30 Presentation of Young Achievers Award
12.35 Eagle Heights birds of prey
13.00 Vintage Tractors
13.25 Mid Norfolk Gun Dogs
13.50 Cyril the Squirrel
14.15 Martial Arts Display
14.35 West Norfolk Foxhounds
15.00 Norfolk Young Farmers Surprise Competition
15.25 Presentation of cheque to Macmillan Cancer Support
15.30 Household Cavalry display
16.00 Eagle Heights birds of prey
16.30 Livestock and Horses Champions parade
17.00 Presentation of the “Champion of Champions” award

All profits go to local charities. The Wayland Show Website
Entry prices are: Adults £8, Children £3 (under 5s free) and OAPs £6. Car parking is free.

Heirloom Needlework

On Tuesday I have joined the Hackers, Tackers and Stuffers Quilt & Needlework Group in Watton. The project I will be working on is to finish a large patchwork bedspread my mother started when she was serving in the ATS during the war. It travelled around the country with her from camp to camp. At a time when all material was rationed and 'make do and mend' was a way of life patchwork was a good way of using every scrap of fabric. I remember her still working on it occasionally when I was a child. It was always a pleasure looking at the wonderful range of colours, designs and fabrics it was made up of. It is all hand sewn, so I will follow on in the same way. When it is finished my plan is to embroider the backing cloth with the story of the patchwork and list the camps she was stationed at as a Radar operator, where she would have sat in the camp huts with the rest of the girls, sewing and mending around the little metal coal stove. The hexagonal card templates used for the individual patches where made from cigarette packets, which she got all the chaps to save for her; they are in themselves a record of 1940s graphic design.

Do you have any pieces of heirloom needlework with a local story to tell? If so the 'Capturing Our Wayland Heritage' project would like to help you record it, so it can be shared with others for years to come.

Quilting and Needlework Exhibition by the Watton 'Hackers, Tackers & Stuffers Quilt and Needlework Group'

The Mayor of Watton, Councillor Margaret Holmes, opened the 2009 group exhibition in the Dragonfly Visitor and Exhibition Centre in Watton on 1oth July, and it runs until the 18th July. The opening night preview was very well attended. Their exhibition is a wonderful display of traditional and contemporary needlework skills and creativity, from group members living in the Wayland Area. A new blog site for the group has been set up http://htsqgroup.blogspot.com with the help of the 'Capturing Our Wayland Heritage Project'

Days to Remember

The project will be having a stand at the 'Days to Remember' event at Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse Museum this Friday 3rd July. It is a day especially for the over 55s and entrance is half price for the day for them.