In the summer, Elaine and I took a trip to London to meet
with HRH The Princess Royal who is Patron of the National Institute of Adult
Continuing Education (NIACE).
Since last Autumn Epiacum Heritage Ltd. has run a number of
Heritage Skills Courses which were funded by NIACE including ceramics, dowsing,
felting, peg loom weaving, basketry, rag-rug making, landscape archaeology, to
name but some.
Check out our 'Learning' Link on the home page
of the website for more info.
In total we reached over ninety 'new learners' which far
exceed our targets and everyone seemed to enjoy learning a new skill and
meeting with like-minded people.
NIACE supported over ninety projects this year and chose
thirteen to be showcased at the celebration event which covered a very wide and
varied spectrum and our project came under the 'Heritage' banner. We took a (very large) suitcase with a
selection of crafts from the learners as well as photographs and information
which we displayed on the day.
It was a great privilege to be invited to attend the
celebration and to meet with HRH Princess Anne who was so easy to talk to and
showed great interest in our Heritage Skills Courses as well as Epiacum and our
remote location. She was keen to hear
how the courses had impacted on the people involved and how they would carry
these skills forward in the future.
So, another feather in the cap for Epiacum Heritage Ltd.
Elaine and I had a great time fitting in a bit of
sight-seeing and even managed to do some work on the train!
In case you are wondering - we were not allowed to take
photographs of HRH.
Judith
