Have you spotted the Woolly Wildlife for 30 Days Wild at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve?

Katherine Crowther
, 21 June 2023
Have you spotted the Woolly Wildlife for 30 Days Wild at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve?
Kathy Crowther, Barry Yates

We’re pleased to share the amazing success of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve Craft Group’s Woolly Wildlife display. The craft group is a team of volunteers and community members, who enjoy sharing and exchanging crafting skills at the Discovery Centre.

But that’s not all! This group also has another activity they enjoy: creating opportunities for educating and engaging the public about the joy of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, its role in conservation and the many species which thrive here.

Most recently, this has taken the form of a ‘yarn bomb’ installation in the Gooder’s Hide, where the group’s combined skills and considerable time, have resulted in a fantastic display of approximately 100 creatures.

Working from patterns and inspirational images, the group’s woolly wildlife display includes examples of all types of species, including sea life, birds and mammals, created during the group’s Wednesday afternoon meet-ups at the Discovery Centre. Many of the group members also carried on crafting at home in an effort to knit, crochet, sew and stuff the huge number of creatures.

In all, the a project took over two months to complete, with perfect timing to set up the display for June’s #30DaysWild. It took two volunteers approximately six hours to put it all up, as well as time spent checking on the display with a weekly ‘tickle’ and tidy up to keep it in place across the 30 days.

The display has delighted many visitors and group members are pleased with the end result and its role in educating and engaging visitors to the bird hide. One of the lead volunteers, Amanda Martin (pictured below) explained some of the group’s aims for the project: ‘Hopefully it gives children impetus to learn about wildlife, especially the wide variety that some children don’t get to see, and things they might hope to learn more about.’

Participant Debbie said she was also happy to yarn bomb the hide as something a little different for the reserve and its visitors: ‘It’s nice to create interest in the hide,’ she explained. ‘After all, if creatures aren’t visible outside, it’s good to have something else of interest inside.’

The display has certainly offered this and looks wonderful together, with the Bittern, sea gulls, sea creatures plus netting making a great focal point in the corner of the hide. There’s also the joy of ‘bird spotting’ inside, with many creatures situated around the hide, such as the wonderful Woodpeckers positioned as if in a tree.

Overall, the group are extremely happy with the display and feedback, as well as the joy of making the items. Ann, participant in the group, told us what she learned in the process: ‘Making Kingfishers taught me something because I didn’t realise the female had a different colour under the beak.’

Another participant, Elizabeth, said: ‘Belonging to the group and working together has been lovely, it’s been good to see it come together.’

Kathy Crowther, Volunteer Coordinator, said: ‘Our craft group volunteers have amazing insight into what’s important about Rye Harbour Nature Reserve. With this woolly wildlife project for 30 Days Wild, the volunteers and the group members have created more than exquisite examples of the species which rely on the habitats here; they’ve produced a real talking point and another way for families to engage with and enjoy the different species on the reserve, plus learn more about them. 

The display is available to see in the Gooder’s Hide until the end of June 23, so please make the most of this final chance to see it.’

The Rye Harbour Nature Reserve Craft Group meets weekly at the Discovery Centre on Wednesdays from 1:30 - 3:30pm. The group takes a summer break during July and August but will be back in September to work on their exciting new project - so look out for something special later in the year, towards Christmas.

The RHNR Craft Group is run by Sussex Wildlife Trust and Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve volunteers and is part of the Discover Rye Harbour project, made possible by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

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