Walking Steps and Sewing Needles
The Coats of Hopes Pilgrimage Exhibition.
What a simple yet wonderful idea, started by one person concerned about climate change and who wanted to do something about it. And there could be no better way than to create something quite extraordinary, not with words but still with hands. This time the pen was exchanged for a sewing needle.
Welcome to the Coat of Hopes exhibition that I was fortunate enough to see, visiting two places near to where I live. I was so drawn to this story. In response to our ever-increasing concerns about the future of our planet, the coat was started as one piece of sewing to be worn on a walk starting from Newhaven in August 2021 to the COP 26 Glasgow, UN Climate Change conference.
Sewing hopes and feelings into the fabric:
As you can see from the pictures below, people have been invited to contribute to the coat, sewing, weaving and embroidering their hopes, grief, memories, tributes, and feelings into this living piece of work, as it walks its way along the UK. Covering over 1500 miles so far, and resting in various places as a pilgrim of peace whilst carrying an important message that climate change is urgent.
I first saw it in The Minster in King’s Lynn on February 7th and thought, why not follow its journey, as it moved on to Ely Cathedral? So, I made a short journey to Ely the next week to view it there, light a candle and pause to think about my place in the world, and within the environmental emergency facing us today, as we all live in our ever-consuming world.
A close friend and I went to The Minster together. We met an old teaching colleague who was with a school party from the local Greyfriars Academy. We had both worked there as teaching assistants. This was a very happy time of my work life, and it was so good to see children drawing their own patches in pencils and crayons that will be locally exhibited. Children are the future custodians of our planet and the more aware they are of the need to care for it, then our world may still have a chance.
The coat moved on:
On my next visit to Ely, my husband David came along with me. We spoke to a Guide who was from America and who had been living in the UK for a while. We had a conversation about the alarming political changes in the West, the awful conflicts going on and man’s desire to conquer and claim through bombs, terror and ideologies. Whilst this was a serious conversation, it was also uplifting to know there are so many kindred spirits who have a deep desire for justice, humanity, and care and who stand in unity for world peace.
However, what was a piece of serendipity was when we popped into the gift shop on the way out and saw a distinct display of, by now, familiar drawings waiting for me, as a nudge that we are all on our own pilgrimages.
“ Oh, look David” I said. “ It’s Angela Harding’s drawings from the book The Salt Path” having never encountered anything like them before. So many lovely gifts to choose from and I was tempted by the notebooks (but I have so many) that I chose a paperweight instead.
Freedom to fly, and freedom to just ‘be’ were the thoughts that came to mind. Come home and sit on my writing desk and write with me, I thought, as I looked at the beautiful glass artwork. We are all walking and flying together through life.
Where next?
The Coat of Hope Exhibition will leave Ely on the 21st of February and will be walked to Norwich Cathedral. You can see from the image below some information concerning the Coat’s progress.
The aim is to keep going with more people sewing and walking until finally a pivotal point comes when the whole world realises that we are all going to have to work together if we have any hope left of saving this planet.
In my own corner of the world, it is predicted that within the next forty years, with the increased warming of the oceans, King’s Lynn will be under the sea, most of Lincolnshire gone and my town in Southwest Norfolk will be on the edge of survival.
How can I leave this not on a sombre note?
People and projects, scientists and researchers are working hard to find solutions to our climate crisis. We must hope that it is not too late, and that we can find some way for everyone to have a place in our modern world. Where we can reap the benefits of civilisation, the progress in better health ( having just finished a course of penicillin myself) that man can thrive, but crucially that animals, wildlife and ecosystems can live with us.
There is enough for all of us, but we have to share and we need to respect all living creatures. We must challenge corporate greed, have practical and sustainable ways to work and travel, and where money and power are seen to be all races to the bottom.
Time to embrace a pilgrimage on thinking about what truly matters most.
What matters most to you?
Until next time, when I will continue this theme on the history of pilgrimages and why people walk on them.
