News | Mrs Smith’s Cottage

Earth Hour – Thanks to You

It was great to see so many residents and visitors at our ‘Lights Off Navenby’ event on Saturday, as the village was brought to life with light art, nature and astronomy!

Kicking off with a Bat Walk led by rangers from Hill Holt Wood, the evening continued with astronomical photography with Lincoln Astronomic Society, and painting with light using PixelSticks, enabling visitors to ‘print’ a picture in the air. The world, wildlife and even Mrs Smith herself were transformed into dynamic new images!

A big thank you to all involved in helping to organise and deliver the event, including the Lincoln Astronomical Society, Hill Holt Wood, The Hub, 1^st Wellingore Scout Group, Macy’s Brasserie and Navenby C of E Primary School.

Did you visit during the event? We’d love to see your photos – be sure to tag us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @MrsSmithsCottage #LightsOffNavenby

‘Lights Off Navenby’ was funded as part of the Mrs Smith’s Cottage Restoration project, through the National Lottery Heritage Fund and North Kesteven District Council. The National Lottery Heritage Fund ‘Thanks To You’ event enabled anyone with a lottery ticket or scratch card to get a free drink from Macy’s Brasserie.

Be a little bit more Hilda…

Throughout 2022, the team at Mrs Smith’s Cottage will be sharing practical everyday skills inspired by Mrs Smith’s low waste lifestyle and helping us understand seasonal eating, food production, and waste disposal methods to make more sustainable choices.

With a season of workshops, talks, and events at the cottage, online, and around North Kesteven, the programme will culminate in an almanac-style guide giving practical low waste advice inspired by Mrs Smith’s life, interspersed with quotes from Mrs Smith’s diaries.

Have a look at the ‘Be More…’ webpage for more information and a guide to all the events lined up!

Coming up in April

We’re open to guests on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Mondays, 12pm-4pm. Mrs Smith’s door was always open to drop-in visitors, and so are we! Due to the small size of the building we recommend booking your visit in advance to avoid disappointment.

As well as our usual opening, we have these great events coming up in April:

Throughout the Easter Half Term, have a go at Spring Bingo! A free trail to pick up from the Mrs Smith’s Cottage shop, take it with you on walks and see how long it takes for you to spot the signs of spring!

While you’re there you can also collect a Spring Flowers Craft Pack – This simple kit contains everything you need to create a set of adorable spring flowers.

Thursday 7th April is our Willow Weaving Workshop – create your own beautiful obelisk to add character to your outdoor space! Book your place here.

On Saturday 9th April there will be a Buzz About Bees at the cottage: The Artisan Honey Co. will be joining us in the garden, with observation and demonstration hives, talking about bee keeping and the fascinating world of our favourite pollinators!

On Tuesday 12th we are running a Rag Rug workshop, the ideal opportunity to learn a new skill as a family.

On Thursday 14th we’re having a Teacher’s Open Afternoon – join the education team at Mrs Smith’s Cottage for an exciting opportunity to experience our learning offers first hand. Explore the cottage, have a go at our Wash Day workshop, delve into our Loans Boxes and share your feedback over a cup of tea with our team. No need to book, simply drop in!

On Easter Sunday 17th, 12-4pm we’ll be holding a twist on a traditional Easter Egg Hunt – book your visit to the cottage and bring the little ones for felty family fun!

Poetry Competition Winners

Thank you to those of you who entered our Navenby themed Poetry Competition! The winning poems will be on display at the Cottage and on 11th April we’ll be handing out the prize to the competition winners.

We’re looking forward to a busy March at Mrs Smith’s Cottage…

Here’s a rundown of what we have lined up this month:

• Friday 4th March, 6pm-7:30pm is our Earth Hour taster event at the Venue in Navenby (more details below)
• Monday 7th March you will be able to pick up our Signs of Spring trail, as well as our new Spring Flowers craft pack.
• From Friday 18th-Monday 21st we’ll be displaying the entries for our Poetry Competition. Find details of how you can enter below!
• On Saturday 26th from 7pm-9:30pm we’ll be joining the rest of the world to celebrate Earth Hour with our Lights Off Navenby event. Read on to find out more…

Lights Off Navenby – celebrate Earth Hour with us!

For one hour on the 26^th March 2022, Navenby will join people the world over in celebrating Earth Hour as they switch off their lights and appreciate nature in new ways. Throughout March, a programme of activities will inspire residents, businesses and organisations to create a dark village for one hour, encouraging people to discover and celebrate nature.

Centered around Mrs Smith’s possessions and life story we will invite villagers to reflect, then write and seal their promise in illuminated jars. Bat walks led by Hill Holt Wood and star gazing activities will allow people to safely enjoy elements of nature which otherwise might not be appreciated. Villagers will bring these together on the night to make a series of community light portraits, using the dark night as a canvas.

Lessons from Mrs Smith’s Cottage will help people investigate their own use of resources and help them to ‘be more Hilda’ (#BeMoreHilda). We will be working with local schools and groups to share this and inspire people with the example of Mrs Smith’s sustainable lifestyle.

On Friday 4^th March (6pm-7:30pm) The Lights Off team will be holding a drop-in taster session at the Venue in Navenby where you can have a go using pixel sticks and long exposure photography to paint with light. Bring a jam jar and create a promise jar lantern ahead of the main event on Saturday 26^th March! This weekend also happens to be Discover Lincolnshire Weekend – another great reason to visit us!

#BeMoreHilda #NavenbyLightsOff #ActOnClimate

Families and Education at the Cottage

Have you heard about our Early Years group, the NavenBees? Join our Facebook group to find out more and book onto one of our sessions. We’ve also introduced a gardening group for those little green fingers!

We also have some great offers for schools – as well as school trips we can provide loans boxes, outreach visits and classroom resources. You can find out more here.

The best way to keep up-to-date with our education offer is to sign up to our regular email updates, which you can do by emailing your details to [email protected].

And later this year…

We can’t wait to share the events programme for our #BeMoreHilda project, running from April through to October. So far we’ve planned vegetable dye workshops, seasonal forages, pantry talks, edible flower workshops and much more.

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for all the latest details!

26-3-2022 SAVE THE DATE!

Every year, at 8.30pm on the last Saturday in March, millions of people across the world turn their #LightsOff to show their support for our planet, raising awareness of nature loss and climate change. This year we’re championing a more sustainable lifestyle inspired by Mrs Smith and her life with our ‘Lights Off Navenby’ event.

Keep an eye out across our socials and on our website for updates on activity and events in March. You could try your hand at painting with light stargazing or even go on a bat walk!

The team will be holding a taster session at the Venue in Navenby on Friday 4 March from 6pm-7:30pm. With the support of the Lights Off team you will be able to have a go with ‘pixel sticks’ and long exposure photography to paint with light. Participants are also invited to bring a jam jar along to the event and create a promise jar lantern to take home.

The main event will take place on Saturday 26 March from 8:30pm-9:30pm.

#BeMoreHilda#LightsOff#ActOnClimate#thankstoyou#EarthHour#Connect2Earth

January Craft Packs and Exhibitions

Thank you to everyone who collected one of our Promise Box craft packs or added to our Promise Wall throughout January – our craft packs will still be available from our shop throughout February, pop into our shop during opening times (Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, 12pm-4pm) and pick one up!

Our craft packs are free, but donations are always appreciated.

If you missed our winter exhibition ‘Life on the Land’, don’t worry! We have all of our previous exhibitions on our website, click here to have a look. While you’re there, don’t forget to look at the ‘exhibitions’ section to catch up on the ones you might have missed!

Embroidery Craft Packs

Our artist-in-residence, Nicki Jarvis, is transforming a wing-back armchair into a celebration of Mrs Smith’s community. The names of almost 200 of her most frequently-mentioned friends are to be embroidered onto patchwork squares, before being made into a chair cover with upholsterer Hannah Weston Smith from Hannah & Nails in Folkingham.

You are welcome to pick up an embroidery pack any time the museum is open. This contains four prepared squares, embroidery threads and a needle, plus guidelines on what to do.

Coming up in February

There’s lots to look forward to at the cottage in February; why not pop along to one of our fabulous family activities below? If you’d like to pop along for a tour of the cottage, don’t forget the best way to avoid disappointment is by booking your visit through our website.

• On Saturday 5th February, create your own unique and beautiful book with artist Nadya Monfrinoli. Explore different paper folding and simple book-binding techniques to make a book that is an artwork in itself. All materials are provided, and children must be accompanied by a helpful adult.
• Friday 11^th is our next Navenbees group session, and this month we’ll be making friendship cards!
• We’ll be celebrating Half Term Week with Rag Rug workshops and online Nest Box activities: book your visit on Monday 14^th or Friday 18^th to join us and learn a range of rag rug making skills, experimenting with different forms and techniques to create a colourful decorative work to take home with you. Pop along to the cottage shop during opening times to collect a Bird Box instruction sheet and create your own work of art using recycled materials.

Our Shop

We have a beautiful retail area at the cottage, stocked with lovely gifts and unique items made by local artists. Here’s our Heritage Assistant Andrea giving a tour around the shop!

Are you looking for a space to hire in Navenby?

The learning space at the cottage is available for hire for £10 an hour. Ideal for craft groups, team meetings, play groups or even a friendship club. For more information, or to book, simply get in touch with us.

Email: [email protected]

Learning at Mrs Smith’s Cottage

Bring our exciting learning programme into your school by booking a loan box, full of objects and resources to use in class! Don’t forget you can also book a group to visit the cottage, or we can come to you!

Click here to find out more about our learning offer.

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up to date with the latest news and information on upcoming projects!

Happy New Year from the team at Mrs Smith’s Cottage

Welcome to January’s bumper newsletter, where we take a look at what we have planned for January and have a look back at all of the great things that happened at the cottage in 2021!

Coming up in January 2022

Promise Box Craft Packs – available throughout January from our shop, this month’s craft pack marks an important part of Mrs Smith’s Methodist faith. Create your own promise box full of inspirational quotes for throughout 2022.

‘Life on the Land’ Lincolnshire’s Farming Experience Exhibition – Exploring the personal stories of those who have lived a farming life, this exhibition will be on show until January 31st.

‘Plough Plays of Lincolnshire’ Talk – On Friday 7th January, you can join Simon Garbutt and explore the interesting history behind the traditional English celebration of the beginning of the agricultural year.

Navenby Plough Jags Tour – On Sunday 9th January you can see the real play in action: from 12-4pm there will be a modern take on the play with the young actors from Duck Egg Theatre Co., and from 6pm-8pm the Navenby Plough Jags will be touring the traditional play through the village pubs.

Embroidery Workshops – On Sunday 16th and Sunday 23rd January our artist-in-residence, Nicki Jarvis, is transforming a wing-back armchair into a celebration of Mrs Smith’s community. Nicki will be holding two informal embroidery workshops at the Cottage – no need to book, just drop in between 12pm-4pm. You can also pick up an embroidery pack when the museum is open; this contains four prepared squares, embroidery threads, needle and guidelines.

Block Printing Workshop – On Saturday 29th January join artist Nadya Monfrinoli for a day of block printing for all the family. Combine techniques like Lino cutting and stamp making to create bright and colourful prints to take home or sign up to the book-making workshop to turn your prints into an artist book. All materials are provided, book your space through our website.

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A look back at 2021…

Thanks to all of those who visited us during 2021 – here are our highlights from a busy year at the Cottage, along with some quotes from Mrs Smith’s diaries!

Discover Lincolnshire Weekend Online – Livestream Tour of the Cottage

We had lots of fun opening up our digital cottage for everyone to enjoy at home. The video is still available on the Heart of Lincs Youtube channel for you to enjoy!

25^th January 1986: “A very cold morning…Jim came re papers & Bread. Butchers came..Cooked steak, swede & tates, jam tarts & Sago Pudd. Stephanie came but I didn’t have fish. Washed up & listened to “Any Questions”…Irene brought cake, cheese & Toffee…Dad came 8-9…A very bright & sunny day but very very cold.”

Artist of Navenby Exhibition

Our first Springtime exhibition at the cottage was given over to the Artists of Navenby. They were all sent inspiration packs through lockdown and worked hard to create artworks inspired by the cottage.

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Oral History Animations

We had some new animations made, helping us to share our oral history collection and image archive in a new and exciting way!

Here is one of our favourites, about visiting Mrs Smith: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8sBQh0_8ho

2^nd May 1979: “St  George’s Hospital 2.30. A very stormy day…dried clothes. Went to Lincoln 2-4.30. Rain & snow. Went to Sheila’s Tupperware Party for School funds.”

Summer Holiday Workshops at the Cottage

Thanks to the National Lottery Heritage Fund, we’ve been lucky enough to be able to offer a variety of workshops throughout 2021. With Witch Bottles, Clay Tiles, Willow Weaving and Wet Felting, there really has been something for all ages and interests!

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9^th July 1970: “Gathered first rasps…Senior citizens 15^th Anniversary. Concert Party from Sleaford Keep Fit Club. Mystery Tour. Home 8pm lovely weather, all very enjoyable.”

Mrs Smith’s Cottage Garden Fete

To celebrate our opening, with our local community, we were joined by Nigel and Teri, Tom Lane and Bourne Borderers Morris Dancers!

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School Trips

The autumn saw the welcome return of school trips, and it was wonderful to see children interacting with the story of Mrs Smith and the cottage in a hands-on way.

From School Trips, to Resource Boxes, and even Outreach sessions we offer a diverse range of activities which meets the needs of any school or education group.

Information about our learning offers can be found here: https://www.mrssmithscottage.com/learn/

12^th September 1963: “Found some beans near the door when I came home.”

Goodbye…and hello!

In November, Jade left us for pastures new, and we welcomed Andrea to the Mrs Smith’s Cottage team!

“Hello, I’m Andrea and I’m the new Heritage Tourism Assistant at Mrs Smith’s Cottage. I was delighted to be offered the position because I used to volunteer here myself, way back before the Cottage had to close for renovation. So, Mrs Smith and her story has been in my blood for a long time! Outside work I’m a mum to three humans and four cats and I enjoy reading, getting out into the countryside, live music and baking.”

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Santa at the Cottage

On Saturday 18^th December, we had a very special visitor to Mrs Smith’s Cottage – Santa Claus himself! He made himself at home in ‘the Room’ (as Mrs Smith called it; it was for the best guests, after all!) and brought a big sack of presents for all the local children. Several parents commented on how magical the event was, and for a number of the younger ones, it was their first visit to Santa, so it was extra special! A big thanks must go to Sally, our Learning Officer, for organising such a heart-warming event.

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24^th December 1968: “Another fine day. Nellie & I went with Jack to Horncastle in the a.m. got Christmas Tree. Went to church, Blessing the Crib. Trimmed Tree & put up decorations.”

Thank you!

Finally, the team at Mrs Smith’s Cottage would like to say a huge thank you to all of our visitors and followers for your support during 2021. Your help and feedback is always appreciated, especially by following us through Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and leaving us a review on Trip Advisor.

Happy New Year, see you all in 2022!