Blue Patch visitor King of Hats
The Lambeth Country Show was massive! At a conservative guess 200,000 people swarmed across the green and pleasant lands of Brockwell Park, south London and partied like crazy for two days.
Nanna Gogglebox and Blue Patch’s Rachael Forbes
The sun shone, the sweat rolled, music blasted and finally at 5pm on Sunday the rain fell and fell like an entire reservoir was tipped on the park, yet no rain could dampen the ardor of the great people from the borough of Lambeth. Squeezed up ever so close in the Incredible Edible Lambeth tent, sodden people, from grannies to babies and all generations between, started singing Bob Marley’s ‘Three Little Birds’ almost making up for Aswad being ‘rained off’ – the party must go on……..
Brockwell Park’s Lambeth Country Show 2014
Blue Patch team had decided to dip their toe in the water by running a ‘pre launch’ stall (our launch is in Herne Hill this autumn). The Forest Enterprise Network kindly let us share the space, it was fun working alongside so many exciting and industrious local start up businesses. By 11 am on a steamy hot Saturday visitors flooded in and the park was buzzing.
Natty Peeps and her tea-cosies and upcycled indoor/outdoor frisbees or the ‘Discus of Delight’
Despite being at the back of a sauna, people made their way to our stall and it proved a good opportunity to explain how the Blue Patch ethical business model works. We are passionate about helping everyone to discover our country’s best kept secrets – the many talented artisans and designers that you’d struggle to track down without the help of our Blue Patch detectives sniffing them out.
Our stall
We exhibited an array of UK made products, including colourful handmade fused glass, fair trade, organic and palm oil free beauty products, books, written and made in the UK with FSC paper, Ohyo drinking bottles, greetings cards, upcycled frisbees and reversible hand knitted wool tea-cosies for that snug winter cuppa. Take a look Blue Patch’s latest selections.
Stepping outside our tent, Emma met Susan Sheehan, Senior Policy Officer for Lambeth, in the Incredible Edible Lambeth marquee. Susan is leading Lambeth’s work as a cooperative council and she has a great interest in coproduction and citizen involvement, plus, due to her work with the Transition Network, she’s hot on global warming. We hope Susan will like the fact that Blue Patch will be giving and investing 100% of it’s profits in to renewable energy and community programmes across the UK.
Susan Sheehan. Senior Policy Officer, Lambeth
The Remakery were there too, demonstrating how waste materials can be transformed into bird boxes, go-carts and funky chairs. We’re looking forward to paying them a visit to learn some wood working skills and ‘re-love’ some of the junk in our cellar. In the Village Green tent we found Irene Dickson, expert in restoring caning and rushing, she was demonstrating her skills. So no need to chuck out old chairs, Irene will save them from landfill and restore them to perfection.
Chair Caning & Rush Seating By Irene Dickson
Continuing the theme of sustainability Rev. Richard Dormandy’s running the marathon to raise money to build a low carbon, ‘straw bale’ neighbourhood hub attached to Holy Trinity in Tulse Hill. Blue Patch will be sponsoring Richard because the project will provide a green space for local people to meet and create local jobs too.
Richard Dormandy’s Eco Church
The Lambeth Country Show is a unique and wonderful experience, a place for pony rides, bumper cars, world food, music, sheep shearing, tea dancing, reggae…it’s where ancient traditions mix with future imaginings and everyone shares the power of positive celebration. We’re looking forward to seeing you at the 2015 Country Show.
Why not browse our fabulous British and ethical products and services in the Blue Patch directory?
