Newsletter – March 2022

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 26th 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 4th 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 26th 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!