What's on at Make & Mend Festival 2024!
Workshops
Our workshop programme brings you a wide range of crafts to inspire your creativity. The workshops are suitable for all levels of experience – from absolute beginners to the more experienced crafter.
They are a great intro to a craft you may always have wanted to try or an opportunity to brush up on your existing skills.
There is a selection of one and two hour workshops led by wonderful makers who will guide you through the craft process.
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We hope you will leave the festival feeling inspired and with an armful of beautiful things that you have made!
Yoga
Relax and unwind at our drop in yoga sessions!
Run by the very wonderful Kerrie Murray Dru Yoga is a beautiful, flowing form of yoga for all abilities and ages. It helps to relax, unwind and stretch out your body. It also revives tired muscles, reduces back pain and combats stress. Yoga gives your body a much-needed rest from all the ‘doing.’ In particular, it gives your mind a chance to stop, relax and find a quiet, still point in your busy world.
Drop in sessions will be at 11am, 12noon, 1pm, 2pm & 3pm - no experience necessary, just come as you are (no special clothing required) Mats are provided and sessions last around 30mins - no need to book just drop by!
Caring for your wellbeing has to come from within. You need to let go of expectations and embrace the present moment. Yoga gives you the tools to do this!
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Rosettes with Flowing Fibres
Join Amy from Flowing Fibres this weekend to have a chat and create something beautiful. Amy believes the joy of crafting is found in the process and she loves spending time making with friends, having a good chat, and trying new things.
Using felt pieces, create a rosette to celebrate a little win. And I mean little wins... got dressed / brushed my teeth / turned up to work / ate breakfast etc.
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Everything will be provided, including felt, needles, threads, some beads and sequins and lengths of ribbon to make fun, colourful rosettes to suit your mood and
personality.
Pamoja Skincare
Want to enjoy a mindful moment of self-care?
Drop by Pamoja and join Sarah, a skincare formulator who'll demonstrate a facial massage technique to help you feel radiant and relaxed. You can sample Sarah's products, try the massage on yourself and take home a handout to practice at home!
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You'll learn an easy way to welcome more balance into your daily skincare routine. Perfect for anyone who enjoys self-care and is curious about natural skincare and how it can help you nourish your skin and nurture yourself.
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Pamoja is an award-winning natural skincare brand from Newcastle designed to bring kindness to your day. Products are cruelty-free, vegan, palm oil-free and handmade in Newcastle.
Women’s wellness drop in - bookbinding and journaling
Come join Zoe Gardiner, founder of The Women's Health Hub Hartlepool, as she gets out all of the coloured pens, the stickers, the washi tape and the paints to guide you with small steps to establish a journaling practice that can support your mental wellbeing.
Zoe will also be showing you how to make your very own journal! Come and hand-sew a pamphlet book, with nice thick watercolour paper that you can use to get you started on your journaling journey.
The Women's Health Hub Hartlepool is a free-to-access community space which provides peer support, signposting and community to women & girls of all ages and stages - from menarche to menopause.
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Zoe Gardiner
Breathwork & Meditation
Breathwork is an invaluable tool to help us to reconnect with our nervous system more intimately. Allowing us to come out of our sympathetic nervous system response (fight or flight), states of anxiety, fear and depression and drop down into our parasympathetic where we can find a calmer state and bring our bodies into homeostasis so that our bodies and minds can rest, relax and repair itself. Responses include increase of digestive enzymes, reduced heart rate, more relaxed muscles and much more!
These sessions will take place in the beautiful, tranquil grounds of Ormesby Hall where you can experience the peaceful benefits of the natural environment - the perfect accompaniment to your craft-filled day!
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Origami
With Pimms & Needles
Hayley is going to be doing these fabulous origami style paper creations…
They are called Kusadama balls, a traditional Japanese paper sphere formed by modular origami construction techniques. Kusadama, meaning "medicine ball", originally holders for incense or potpourri, but these days more commonly used as decoration.
Sound Bath Experience
With Shirley Wells
The amazing sound of the crystal singing bowls inspired Shirley to start meditating a number of years ago. The vibration is clear, powerful and deep which really helps you to focus and ‘stop’, to a certain extent, that monkey mind and truly relax.
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This sound-based relaxation helps to reduce stress, anxiety, and to fall asleep. Over time, it can also help you change your brainwaves which are the patterns of electrical activity. This is why sound therapy has been used for many years to help people overcome insomnia, improve their mental health and generally improve their quality of life.
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Join Shirley for blissful and relaxing sound bath experience.
Creative Community
With Little Light Stitchery
Drop in to the Creative Community table with Janis and Nicky (from Little Light Stitchery) to work on any kind of project that you fancy. Bring something from home or carry on after a workshop. It can be anything! We are embroiderers, knitters, quilters, makers and menders and can offer conversation, company, space and an opportunity to just ‘be’. Retreat with us for as long or as little as you need.
In this shared community space there will be the possibility to contribute towards a communal project if you wish, with mindful prompts to take away for your future creative endeavours.
Makers Market
Curated by Hello! Hooray!
The Maker Marketplace will offer a range of thoughtfully curated craft kits and handmade gifts for those looking for something unique. We are passionate about supporting independent businesses and the market will showcase a selection of the brilliant makers in the North East.