During this year’s Wool Week, a couple from Derbyshire are making a stand for British farmers and British wool by taking their ‘The Woolly Roadshow’ on a tour of Great Britain. Last year, David and Karen Griffiths launched ‘The Woolly Roadshow’, an educational promotion of British wool, British sheep and the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST). The venues chosen each hold a special place in our wool heritage. For the duration of British Wool Week ‘The Woolly Roadshow’, supported by British Wool and the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, will undertake a 7 day tour of England, Scotland and Wales. At each venue ‘The Woolly Roadshow’ will be joined by members of the RBST, National Sheep Association and British Wool producers. Each day there will be a display of native sheep breeds local to that area together with hand-spinning and/or felting demonstrations.
On display will be Karen’s Black Wensleydale evening dress
The wool for this dress came from a Black Wensleydale ewe which at the time of shearing in May 2013 belonged to Sandra Brown of Ashford in Kent. The ewe is currently owned by David & Karen Griffiths. The fleece was shown at Kent Show before being sent to Griffiths’ Mill in July 2013. The fleece was then scoured, carded and spun at Griffiths’ Mill to produce a fine yarn.
The dress was designed, hand-knitted, crocheted and worn by Karen Griffiths for the Rare Breeds Survival Trust 40th Anniversary Dinner in October 2013.
The Venues:
Monday 9th October – Castle Square, Caernarfon 0900 – 1500hrs
Tuesday 10th October – Buchanan Street, Glasgow 0900 – 1500hrs
Wednesday 11th October – The Amphitheatre, The Forum, Norwich 0900 – 1500hrs
Thursday 12th October – Cathedral Green, Exeter 0900 – 1500hrs
Friday 13th October – Green Park, London (Opposite Hyde Park Corner). 0800 – 1500hrs
Saturday 14th & Sunday 15th October – Bakewell Wool Gathering, the Agricultural Business Centre, Bakewell, Derbyshire