What Folk Have Said About Our Festival...
"Fabulous afternoon at Liverton village hall for the launch of the East Cleveland scarecrow festival - met some lovely community champions, got to try Denise E Nesbitt 's legendary corned beef pie and come away with lots of tombola prizes and home made cakes. I'm trying my best not to eat all at once - thanks for your hospitality and bringing the community together in such a fun way x"
Mayor of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council
Councillor Karen King
Mayor of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council
Councillor Karen King
"There was a definite buzz in the village on the run up to the scarecrow festival in Easington.
It started on the 4th August when we had our workshop. Some people had already begun their scarecrows and for others it was the start.
Lots of tips advice, sharing of materials and plenty of straw. Conversations like, "How do I get mine to stand up without it's head flopping?" and "Has anyone got any spare cling film/sticky tape/more straw as it's turning out bigger than expected!"
Our scarecrow festival began on the 26th August and we were lucky with the weather.
The bunting was up and there were 40 scarecrows up and around the village, we had an amazing array of sea themed scarecrows.
We had lots of visitors that had heard about the festival on social media, we had some from as far away as Stockton and Harrogate as well as many of the surrounding villages.
It was great to see people wandering around the village, following the scarecrow trail, spending time chatting to each other and people they met en route.
Back at the village hall there was refreshments, games (run by a group of children from the village) and entertainment from Easington Tappers and the Staithes Fishermen's Choir. We had lots of nice comments from visitors and those who had taken part, looking forward to next year."
It started on the 4th August when we had our workshop. Some people had already begun their scarecrows and for others it was the start.
Lots of tips advice, sharing of materials and plenty of straw. Conversations like, "How do I get mine to stand up without it's head flopping?" and "Has anyone got any spare cling film/sticky tape/more straw as it's turning out bigger than expected!"
Our scarecrow festival began on the 26th August and we were lucky with the weather.
The bunting was up and there were 40 scarecrows up and around the village, we had an amazing array of sea themed scarecrows.
We had lots of visitors that had heard about the festival on social media, we had some from as far away as Stockton and Harrogate as well as many of the surrounding villages.
It was great to see people wandering around the village, following the scarecrow trail, spending time chatting to each other and people they met en route.
Back at the village hall there was refreshments, games (run by a group of children from the village) and entertainment from Easington Tappers and the Staithes Fishermen's Choir. We had lots of nice comments from visitors and those who had taken part, looking forward to next year."
"Our scarecrow Lord Nelson.
We went round most of the villages seeing
so much talent and so many good ideas.
We found this year our scarecrow was easier to make after last year's "practise".
Good to see different age groups in our community coming together and having fun.
.
Since starting scarecrow festival I've met people in our village I'd never met before.
Hope it will grow bigger every year.
Well done for all your hard work.
Wouldn’t have happened without you."
We went round most of the villages seeing
so much talent and so many good ideas.
We found this year our scarecrow was easier to make after last year's "practise".
Good to see different age groups in our community coming together and having fun.
.
Since starting scarecrow festival I've met people in our village I'd never met before.
Hope it will grow bigger every year.
Well done for all your hard work.
Wouldn’t have happened without you."
“Thank you I've put loads of pics in FB and tagged a lot of my friends, it took us a good 2hrs to get round them all, we loved it and the map was perfect because we knew how many to find in each road... brilliant we loved it and will be back again. Thank so much again we had a fabulous day”
Rita Richardson from Dunsdale says, "Last year was our first year of being part of the festival. It really brought our village together. We only have 79 houses in the village and the scarecrow festival brought lots of people out into the community. We made it a competition and our local councillor Shelagh Holyoake judged it."
Rita Richardson from Dunsdale says, "Last year was our first year of being part of the festival. It really brought our village together. We only have 79 houses in the village and the scarecrow festival brought lots of people out into the community. We made it a competition and our local councillor Shelagh Holyoake judged it."
Sandra Young from Stanghow says, "After many years of entering Northumbria and Britain in Bloom competitions, and being successful in achieving many accolades, including the ultimate Champion of Champions in Britain in Bloom, the residents group decided to have a break from competition, whilst still maintaining their gardens and floral displays throughout the village.
After a few years break, a new residents committee, and a chance meeting where Denise Nesbitt told us of Liverton’s Scarecrow festival, we thought this was something that we could participate in. It could be fun!
The residents group visited every house in the village, explaining our plans, and we were pleasantly surprised that almost everyone was keen to support it. Though it quickly became evident that this was not going to be as easy as we first thought, for although residents were pleased to have a scarecrow in their garden, many of our elderly residents felt they were unable to make one themselves. Naturally the committee members offered to do one for them, which meant a small group meeting regularly every week to produce over 40 scarecrows. However it was definitely worth all the effort, for together with all the other scarecrows made by the residents, we had a great display.
Well here we are again 2019 and we intend to do it all again, we must be mad!"
Alison Atkinson from Loftus says, "I went to Denise's scarecrow-making workshop with an ulterior motive - I wanted to work out how to make a scarecrow sheep for the Loftus Wool Fayre. To say it didn't work using Denise's method would be an understatement - the method is great for people, not so good for animals - the shape and size was all wrong, it wouldn't stand on 4 legs, it looked like nothing on earth.
Eventually, with the addition of a wig, some wrapping paper and a set of flippers, it transformed into a creature never seen before - the Mer-sheep, Here seen sitting in the Repus boat at Skinningrove,
And, with a lot of experimentation, I did find out how to make a sheep out of mostly scrap materials. A good solid cardboard box (Wine and stationery are ideal), a pillow that's gone all flat, some purchased fleecy material, , some old thick black tights (or even a jauntily tied bin liner) and 2 googly eyes will do the trick!"
Eventually, with the addition of a wig, some wrapping paper and a set of flippers, it transformed into a creature never seen before - the Mer-sheep, Here seen sitting in the Repus boat at Skinningrove,
And, with a lot of experimentation, I did find out how to make a sheep out of mostly scrap materials. A good solid cardboard box (Wine and stationery are ideal), a pillow that's gone all flat, some purchased fleecy material, , some old thick black tights (or even a jauntily tied bin liner) and 2 googly eyes will do the trick!"