A mid Norfolk community is turning the tables on the ‘throw-way society’ with a planned upcycling festival.
And it is not just things such as clothes and furniture in the restoration spotlight, the villages of Briston and Melton Constable are also aiming to renew their two historic churches.
The Twin Tracks Upcycling Festival will take place September 12-17 at the churches of All Saints in Briston and St Mary’s in Burgh Parva, as well as at the Junction - the railway institute - in Melton Constable.
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There will be workshops, demonstrations and talks for children and adults on everything from making clocks from cartons and mosaics, buttons and collages to the Bog Oak Violin. There will also be talks on upcycling vintage vehicles, and another called Don’t Ditch it Stitch It.
The festival is part of the Twin Tracks Project, which aims to ensure both churches meet the needs of the communities in the future and celebrate the history of the railway village of Melton Constable.
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Rev Dr Trudie Morris said: “Worship is fundamental and will continue to be at the core of these buildings but we want these buildings to continue to be used by and for the community every day of the week.
“At the moment there are no toilet or kitchen facilities which makes accessibility an issue and makes it difficult to provide hospitality to people using the buildings.
“These buildings are so important for a number of reasons, they are of course a place of worship and history but also a place of welcome and friendship with inclusion and hospitality at the heart of what happens in them.”
A launch event will feature the Twin Tracks Community Choir led by Jane Laband, which has grown rapidly since forming in November.
Rev Morris said: “They practice in All Saints Briston and the group has become a real lifeline for people struggling with social isolation, loneliness, and social vulnerability in this time of post Covid recovery.”
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