WOOLLY WONDERLAND COMES TO PORTLAND: COLOURFUL YARN BOMB FESTIVAL SET TO ENGAGE THOUSANDS

 From pom-poms to park benches – a woolly takeover is coming to Portland

Organised by Island Community Action (ICA), the Woolly Wonderland Community Yarn Bomb Festival has seen around 1,500 people from across Portland, Weymouth and beyond create thousands of wool-based items to decorate Easton Gardens, Portland, throughout the Summer until Sept 2025.

The event showcases knitted, crocheted, felted, sewn, wrapped, and tied decorations and community art pieces, including mermaids, a giant lighthouse, umbrellas, hot air balloons, hedgehogs, seascapes and tassels. The pieces will be used to brighten trees, fence panels, gates, and benches throughout the gardens and play area.

Individuals, families, and community groups from across the area have been working for months creating their pieces, from young children like Flo, aged three, who created tassels with her childminder, to those who are housebound due to age and frailty, like Joan, aged 97, knitting at home in front of her TV.

Thanks to a range of funding, including £615 from Portland and Weymouth’s Town of Culture Launchpad Grants programme, every child attending school on Portland has been able to join in making pompoms, bunting, or other display items. This funding has also helped 21 children and young people, aged from 7 to 14 years, to learn how to crochet and/or knit during a 12-week club run after school, delivered by a fabulous, skilled team of ICA volunteers.

A range of local groups have also contributed, including 1st Portland Scouts, St. John Ambulance Badgers, Atlantic School’s SEN Club and Hedgehog Friendly Portland, The Sanctuary’s Wellbeing Group, ICA’s Hooked Crochet Club (for those in their 20s-40s), Women’s Institutes, Royal Manor Craft Workshops, and ICA’s Memorability Club (for those with dementia and their carers).

Local crochet enthusiast Tash Moore said, “I’ve really enjoyed working with the friends I’ve made at Hooked to create something people will enjoy looking at, especially children. This is something totally different for lots of us, as we usually make items like clothes, toys, and blankets rather than art, but I think we’ve all enjoyed the chance to be creative and pool our ideas to create a single piece.” 

Kim Wilcocks, ICA's CEO, added, “This truly intergenerational project has engaged every sector of the community, from older residents working with children to share traditional skills to volunteers helping those who are isolated to get involved and feel more connected to their community. Our Community Crafters have also spent hundreds of hours transforming thousands of items into a kaleidoscope of displays. A phenomenal achievement, made more special because it forms part of the Towns of Culture project, evidencing just how creative our community is. We hope everyone enjoys the displays this summer and thank all involved.”