A celebration of the working life of this South Downs village and the surrounding Cuckmere Valley.
Venues:
St Andrews Church
The Tye
Alfriston War Memorial Hall
The Heritage Centre, upstairs at The Gun Room
Stalls, demonstrations, guided tours, musical interludes, delicious refreshments. Try your hand at a new craft, sign up for workshops, explore your love of history and learn more about this beautiful downland environment and the people who continue to shape it.
St Andrews, the ‘Cathedral of The Downs’, is a much loved and valued building at the heart of our community. St Andrew’s Restoration will preserve, repair & restore this beautiful structure for the benefit of all both now and in the future.
Admission FREE
Timings:
10.00 Doors Open to War Memorial Hall
The Bells will Ring to open the church
11.00 St Andrews. Historical Talk & Tour of the Church with Kevin Gordon .
14.50 The Eastbourne Scottish Pipers Band pipes guests & Villagers into the church for the official Restoration Appeal opening ceremony
15.00 Reverend Daniel Merceron welcomes guests and villagers to St Andrews for the Official Launch of the Restoration Appeal. There will be a short presentation by Kevin Gordon and an opportunity to ask questions and view the building..
Exhibitors & demonstrations include:
Flint Wall Makers - Church
Bee Keepers - AWMH
Stain Glass Window Makers - Church
Trug Making - AWMH
Quilt makers - AWMH
Jewellry makers - AWMH
Herbalists - AWMH
Crochet - AWMH
Horticultural - Church & AWMH
South Downs National Park - Ranger - Gun Room
Environmental Officers - Gun Room
Wood Turners - AWMH
Whittlers - AWMH
Southdowns Yarn - AWMH
Wine Makers - AWMH
Walking companies - Gun Room
Illustrators - AWMH
Local Artists - AWMH
Photographers - AWMH
Historians - Church, AWMH & Gun Room
Musical Interludes - Church
Local Groups, not for profit organisations & Societies will be promoting their groups and encouraging people to get involved or join including:
-
Alfriston Events
-
Historical Society
-
Alfriston Players
-
Horticultural Society
-
Art Club
-
Twinning
-
The Write House
-
Transition
-
Heart Start
Basecamp Southdowns:
Basecamp Southdowns provide guided walks and bespoke group experiences. Launched by Debbie and Darren Greenfield to encourage people to #getoutexplore Sussex and the South Downs. The landscape here has always inspired, with its stunning coastline, rich cultural history, eccentric characters and award winning food and drink, it is perfect for walking, running, biking and exploring. Darren is a working shepherd, born and bred on the downs. Debbie has escaped the city to join him. With a host of local experts, Basecamp Southdowns will walk with you and reveal the hidden history of this incredible working landscape.
Fizz On Foot:
Fizz on Foot A unique experience offered to you by a new local business. Fizz on Foot brings the combination of a guided walk from Alfriston one of the most picturesque spots in the South Downs National Park with a wine tasting and buffet lunch of local Sussex produce at Rathfinny Wine Estate.You will be able to see at first-hand how Sussex wine is made and how the English are beating the French at their own game! For more information see www.fizzonfoot.com
Medical Herbalist - Julie Padgham
As a Medical Herbalist, I use plant based medicines to help support and maintain health. Plants are the oldest form of medicine and are still widely used across the world today. We have a natural affinity to the ingredients contained in plants and as a result, herbal medicines can have a range of therapeutic actions on both our body and mind. I will be selling a range of products and running a short herb walk. MEDICINALHERB WALK: Discover the medicine chest on your doorstep with an introduction to medicinal plants and their uses. A short 30 minute walk around St Andrews Church & Memorial Hall. We will be looking at common plants and trees growing around this area and discussing both their traditional an modern uses and the best preparations to make with each plant.
Southdowns Yarn:
Working with local shepherd to produce sustainably sourced, geo-traceable, single flock Southdown wool from Southdown sheep bred on the downs. The wool is spun in England and naturally dyed in Sussex. Find out more at www.southdownsyarn.co.uk
Baldwin Studios:
Some people just don't seem able to take retirement seriously. After a lifetime in the advertising and print industry, Ian Shearer turned to stained glass as an outlet for his creativity and years of Art School training. Nobody was more surprised than he, when his work began to take off and commissions started to come in. Few people manage to turn what they like to do into a business. If you think a piece of stained glass would brighten up your life or if you want to understand the craft behind it visit Ian at his stand where he will be demonstrating and chatting about his love. Visit his website at www.baldwinstudios.co.uk
ALFRISTON LABYRINTH FESTIVAL 11 – 18 JUNE 2016
A labyrinth is to be cut in the grass in the area between the church and the river, as the core feature of a week-long event titled “Life Journey - the beauty is in the walking”, reflecting the idea of a quiet, contemplative journey from the busyness of outer life to the peace of the centre of our inner being.
The events to be staged during the week include workshops, illustrated talks, art exhibitions, musical performances, short films, interviews with contributors etc. Any surplus proceeds will go to the St Andrew’s church restoration appeal.
Visit the team at The Restoration Launch or click here to find out more