Past Events

BOOK TALK

SOCKS Imaginative Mending
By Celia Pym
Thursday 30th April
6pm-7pm
£5 Book online or in the bookshop.

Celia Pym will be talking about her mending project ‘Socks’ that formed the work for her latest book.

In Summer Term 2024 Celia Pym taught the whole of Surrey Square Primary School in Southwark, Central London, how to darn a sock. All the children from Nursery Class (the four-year-olds) to Year 6 (the 11-year-olds), as well as several of the teachers, staff and family members. SOCKS Imaginative Mending describes the project, why it happened, how it was planned and the impact it had. It also celebrates the socks and stitches themselves with photographs of every mended sock – more than 500 in all. An encounter with craft and ‘making’ gives a child a key to opening their creative imagination. This book illustrates the joyful case for why craft learning must be embedded in the school curriculum.

MENDING

SOCK Mending Drop-In Session
With Celia Pym
Thursday 30th April
2-5pm
Free, all welcome

Holes in your socks? Bring them along to the SOCK mending meet up. Celia will be on hand to help you with your sock mending. Or if you are experienced, you can help others!

Mending curious? Never mended before no problem – come by and have a go at mending a sock. Spare ‘industry’ waste socks will be available to practice on

All materials and tools provided. Beginners to experienced menders welcome. Please come by for an afternoon of mending and hanging out.

ART

One Work Gallery
Jevan Watkins Jones
‘On Our Origin’
Wednesday 20 May
Talk, 6.30pm
Free

Our next artist is Jevan Watkins Jones, who will be showing a mixed media work called ‘On Our Origin’. Jevan’s work is characterised by a sensitive attention to different states of nature and playful interactions with the biophysical environment. He will be talking about the work at the later time of 6.30pm on Wednesday 20th May. See more of his work here:

One Work Gallery is a new programme of artworks and talks by professional artists to The Nose, exhibiting in the ‘One Work Gallery’. Located above the fireplace in The Nose, this single work showcase encourages visitors to sit and contemplate an artwork over the duration of a month. The artist is invited for an informal discussion to give people the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the work. The artworks are selected by artist Sue Bennett and are installed by technician James Barnard. The artworks are for sale.

WORKSHOP

Workshop: Hedgerow Healing & Home Remedies
Saturday 28th February
11am-1pm
12 Places available
Free, book a place

Join us for a workshop exploring the rich traditions of hedgerow healing and home remedies that have been passed down through Romani and working-class communities. We will dip our toes into the practical and nurturing ways these communities used plants for food, medicine and wellbeing.You’ll learn about common hedgerow plants, their healing properties and some folklore surrounding them. Such as Elderflower for headaches and Hawthorn for heart health. We’ll also discuss how these remedies were shared and adapted within communities through word-of-mouth and lived experience.

STORYTELLING

Story Comes, Story Goes
Friday 13th March
6.30pm–10pm
Free

Our March storytelling theme is ‘arrivals and departures’ for our final evening of hearthside storytelling and music. Join us on this fateful Friday 13th for tales from storytellers' Hannah Brailsford, Nicola Werenowska and Mer Richardson, with music by Song Circle with Sarah and Ethel Fled, plus open Mic spots. Hosted by Fae Well and Matthew Linley. Doors open at 6.15pm and we start at 6.45pm. There are three parts and two intervals.

Brought to you by Matthew Linley, Mer Richardson, Faye Rathe and Eleanor Brown, and funded by Tendring Shared Prosperity Fund.

MUSIC

Between the Shelves
Foxpalmer & Si Connelly
Friday 20th March 2026
Doors 7.30pm
Tickets £5

Between the Shelves’ is a live music evening for listening to talented musicians performing their original material in the intimate setting of the bookshop.

‘I’m all about the live performance. Those are the moments I want to distil, and my most honest moments are with an audience. They become part of the show. My records have all been pretty different so far. Ranging from alt-rock to country folk, my live shows should be described as direct and honest.’ Si Connelly.