News from our partners: Textile art enthusiasts etc celebrating 30 years of Severn Valley Country Park
As part of the celebrations marking 30 years since Severn Valley Country Park was officially opened, rangers have joined forces with the Abberley and Malvern Hills Geopark as well the local communities of Highley and Alveley.
Since February 2022, the Highley Girls (a group of like-minded craft enthusiasts), the Alveley Chapel Crafters and Georgia Jacobs from the Geopark have been working on a project to represent the changing landscape of the Park in textile art.
Over the years, participants in textile workshops held at the Park have been guided by Georgia Jacobs, a volunteer for the Geopark and a qualified textile art instructor. This year, the Geopark is marking its 10th year. As the two anniversaries coincided, it was decided to celebrate with a joint project.
The Highley Girls, Alveley Chapel Crafters and Georgia have designed, made, sewn and stitched 3 wall hanging, which represent three different time periods.
The coal mining hanging at Severn Valley Country Park
The Highley Girls designed a hanging which shows the landscape of the park 320 million years ago , during the Carboniferous Period. Swamps, large trees, ferns and oversized insects and creatures dominated. The hanging invites you to step into this other worldly landscape and experience times gone by.
Highley Girls
The Highley Girls were able to use many of the techniques learnt during the textile workshops they have attended over the years at the park.
Georgia Jacobs, with her passion for geology and textile art, designed our coal mining hanging. Beneath the ground, coal measures can be seen and above ground there are representations of the mine buildings at Highley and Alveley. It is an accurate portrayal with a bit of textile flair.
The Alveley Chapel Crafters designed a hanging which depicts the Severn Valley Country Park as it is today. They have taken inspiration from the varying habitats, the abundant wildlife and our many visitors to create a panel which immediately gives you a sense of all we do at the park.
Alveley Chapel Crafters
The Alveley Chapel Crafters meet twice a month at the Old Chapel and we were delighted when they joined with the Highley Girls to help deliver this project. It was wonderful that the two communities which surround the park worked together to celebrate our 30 years.
The hangings are currently on display in the visitor centre at Severn Valley Country Park. The time and effort put in to create by the Alveley Chapel Crafters, The Highley Girls and Georgia Jacobs has been so generous, and the end results are beautiful.
In addition, in the visitor centre there is a textile art exhibition in the visitor centre with works inspired by the park. These will be on display throughout the summer holidays as part of Geofest 2022.
The Highley Girls are Shirley Capewell, Christine Corfield, Christine Cotton, Margaret Court, Judith Davies, Hazel French, Joan Marshall and Ann Skelton.
The Alveley Chapel Crafters are Angela Lander, Wendy Thornes, Joyce Roberts, Barbara Twigg, Jan Moreton, Bev James, Jenny Sirrell, Jeanie Reynolds and Lynn Pratt.
