An unusual visitor is due to arrive on the Island on Monday 9th February – a coat made from 700 patches, including one from the Isle of Wight, which has already walked 2,000 miles around the Mainland.
Known as the Coat of Hopes, it was created to carry people’s hopes for the future of the planet. Its first trip was in 2021, when it was taken on a nine-week walk from Newhaven in Sussex to the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow.
‘The future of the planet is on all our backs’
Created by Barbara Keal, it started out ‘patch-less’, but along the way it gathered pieces of blanket into which people had sewn their hopes for the places they live.
Since COP26, it has continued to walk across Britain, collecting patches and inviting all who encounter it to wear it on the understanding that ‘the future of the planet is on all our backs’.
Isle of Wight patch
The patch from the Island was submitted by St Helens Eco Church.
It contains an image of the Island and a white-tailed eagle.
A five-week stay on the Island
There will be plenty of opportunities to meet the Coat during its five-week stay on the Island, the first when it is welcomed at the wet end of Ryde pier at 10.30 am on Monday 9th February.
All are welcome to this event, and to accompany it down the pier and up Union Street, where it will be installed in Department, the cultural centre in Cross Street.
Department will host it for the week – which is its ‘For the love of stitch’ week – and on Saturday, 14th February, it will be walked to St Helens.
Tour of the Island
It will then be walked in stages to Yarmouth, with visits en route to Newport (for Ash Wednesday services at St John’s Church (11.00 am) and the Minster (6.30 pm), then Independent Arts); Carisbrooke Priory; Brighstone (Wilberforce Hall and St Mary’s Church); East Cowes (St James’ Church); The Pearl; Ventnor (Exchange, Better Days Cafe, and St Catherine’s Church); Freshwater (Sports Centre); and Yarmouth (The Green Barn and CHOYD).
It will leave the Island on 16th March.
Bradstock: Really excited that the Coat is finally coming to the Island
Helen Bradstock of St Helen’s Eco Church, who helped make the Island’s patch, says:
“We’re really excited that the Coat is finally coming to the Island. It’s amazing how so many different groups have pulled together to make this visit possible in a short time span.
“We hope that many Islanders will want to meet with, walk with, and stitch their hopes for our Island into this Coat while it is here.”
Anyone wanting to help walk the Coat across the Island should contact: [email protected].
More information about the Coat can be found on the website – see the ‘NOW’ page for up-to-date information about events on the Island.
News shared by Andrew on behalf of St Helen’s Eco Church. Ed
