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The Great Big Picnic Blanket Stitch-Up
A chance to come and see how it's all coming together!

FREE – Book tickets on Eventbrite - links below

There are two drop-in sessions to choose from - please book your place by clicking on either of these two links:

10am - 12 midday Book HERE

Or 1pm – 3pm Book HERE

In this workshop Mary Hearne will begin to stitch together the 600+ squares that will make up the Great Big Picnic Blanket. You are invited to come along and witness this momentous task as the blanket begins to take shape.

For several months now we have been working towards creating a Great Big Picnic Blanket for the launch of Future Fossil. The blanket serves as a metaphor; made up of many, many squares it represents a long anticipated time when we can all gather together again.

Each square has been individually decorated by school children from Oxley Park Academy and Willen Primary. Each one is unique with prints made using found and natural objects. Detailed stitchwork has also been added to some of the squares by members of the Textile Guild and community groups to compliment the print designs.

The squares will be on display in the barn at Westbury Arts Centre throughout the day.

Future Fossil is a new public artwork soon to be situated in Oxley Park, Milton Keynes.The launch of Future Fossil will be a place for informal gathering and meeting and a place to mark special and important moments in time.

Find out more about Future Fossil www.futurefossil.online

About Mary Hearne

Mary is a Luton based socially engaged arts practitioner, workshop facilitator and textiles artist.

Primarily operating in textiles to create her work, she has also painted public artworks and has led projects in other forms of arts and crafts.

Mary has a strong belief that everyone needs art in their lives and that the process of creating something artistic is good for wellbeing and health.

Future Fossil in partnership with Westbury Arts Centre

Future Fossil is bringing a series of special Covid: Secure free art sessions in partnership with Westbury Arts Centre. This particular session is designed for children, young people and families to share the work created for a special opening ceremony for Future Fossil.

If you have any questions, or need more information, please contact Moriam or Ursula takepart@futurefossil.online.

Covid secure information

  • Do not come to the workshop if you have any symptoms related to Coronavirus including a cough, high temperature or loss or change of taste or smell.
  • This workshop is being held in Westbury Farm barn and under Gazebos to allow for maximum ventilation to reduce the risk of transmission.
  • Everyone coming should, where possible, maintain social distance of 2m between different household groups/ support bubbles.
  • Please bring a facemask (unless exempt), so you can wear it when you are in closer contact with people outside your family group.
  • Please bring your own hand sanitiser and use regularly


Access information
We welcome disabled participants to take part and will do everything we can to make sure that there are no barriers to taking part. The Barn at Westbury Arts Centre is wheelchair accessible Please get in touch to discuss other access needs. Contact Ursula White / Moriam Grillo: takepart@futurefossil.online

Travel & Parking Parking is available. Where possible please travel by foot or bicycle. If using public transport, please take care to ensure you reduce your risk of covid: 19 transmission by wearing a mask, social distancing and using hand sanitiser throughout your journey.

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