Weald & Downland museum shows families how to be more eco-friendly

Something exciting is brewing at the Weald & Downland Living Museum for Sunday and Monday, May 5-6.
Weald and Downland Living MuseumWeald and Downland Living Museum
Weald and Downland Living Museum

It’s the first Big Weekender event for 2019, our Spring Show – The Good Life: Revive, Recycle, Restore.

The rural communities were the masters of up-cycling and sustainable living well before it ever became fashionable. Making the most of what you had and living in harmony with the natural environment were simply a given. In modern times we’ve lost this ability, but a ground swell of popular opinion and action has seen the idea of living a more eco-friendly life become a zeitgeist moment.

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The Good Life will join this movement and show visitors how to bring a new lease of life to themselves and their possessions.

Activities at The Good Life

The Swap Shop: A fashion exchange run by Transition Chichester.

The Repair Café: On-the-spot repairs by the Repair Café Foundation.

Knit and Natter: Have a go at knitting and crocheting.

Upcycling demonstrations: Featuring Salvage Sister as seen on TV, designed and handcrafted by Charis Williams and other fellow up-cyclers.

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A Wellbeing Tipi: Where taster sessions in yoga for adults and children are held and hosted by the Yoga Garden in addition to Tai Chi and mindfulness for adults and kids too.

Experience a soundbath to bring calm and relaxation to everyday life.

Kitchen theatre demonstrations: These will show how to shop smart and cook well, delivered by high-profile local chefs with a focus on high welfare, ethical produce.

Talks programme: Speakers across a range of eco-living topics, including talks on climate change, green action and the little changes you can make at home to reduce your carbon footprint.

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Calming massages and individual therapies in the beautiful surrounds of the museum’s millpond.

Talks about mindfulness, Biofillia, medical herbalism and paleo living.

Kids zone: Forest school inspired sessions; a bicycle powered sewing machine, kids-only yoga and other hands-on craft activities.

Among the backdrop of the Weald & Downland Living Museum’s wonderfully restored historic buildings and exhibitions, visitors will not only get to enjoy entry to the museum, but they will get to explore and learn about how to conserve their lives and our environment.

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The saying ‘one man’s rubbish is another man’s treasure’ can be brought to life as the Weald & Downland Living Museum’s The Good Life event welcomes The Swap Shop run by Transition Chichester. Visitors to the event are encouraged to bring items of clothing, books and/or children’s toys to swap on each of the days. No money changes hands and nothing goes into landfill. If a swap shop is not for you, then why not bring along your household items in need of repair for on-the-spot help at the Repair café, in partnership with The Repair Cafés of Worthing and Chichester?

Fast fashion challenge

Do you know how many miles your clothes have travelled? Hear from professionals about the impact of ‘fast fashion’ and open your eyes to the lifespan of our clothes, from plant to wardrobe and beyond.

Or perhaps test your peddle power and try a bike powered sewing machine to help make a piece of community artwork.

For more information about the event and information on what to bring for the Swap Shop and Repair Cafe visit www.wealddown.co.uk/events/springshow.

Contributed by Weald & Downland Living Museum