| Date |
Time |
Venue |
Theme |
| April 18th (Wed) |
1pm – 4pm |
St Michael’s Tower |
Painting stained glass images in watercolour: Explore the colours of stained glass windows from photos taken in Gloucester churches, using water based paints. |
| April 21st (Sat) |
10am – 1pm |
St Michael’s Tower |
The Three Priories: Using basic perspective, draw and paint from images of Blackfriars, Llanthony Priory and St Oswald’s. Images can be created in watercolour, pencil or ink. There is also the option of painting in cream acrylic on black card for a dramatic effect. |
| May 9th (Wed) |
1 – 4pm |
Gloucester Folk Museum |
Gloucester Folk Museum: Draw from life at the Gloucester Folk Museum in pencil and learn drawing and observational skills. Then paint your drawings in watercolour. |
| May 26th (Sat) |
10am – 1pm |
St Michael’s Tower |
Beatrix Potter Illustrations (for adults): Using images from Beatrix Potter’s books, create colour illustrations of your own. |
| June 12th (Tues) |
10am – 1pm |
The New Inn |
The New Inn, drawing from life: A great opportunity to draw in the historical courtyard and galleries of this ancient Inn which dates back to 1430. |
| June 30th (Sat) |
10am – 1pm |
Beatrix Potter Museum |
Children’s Workshop: Peter Rabbit. Listen to the story of Peter Rabbit then make a collage. For children aged 5 – 10. |
| July 10th (Tues) |
1pm – 4pm |
The Waterways Museum |
The Waterways Museum: A visit to the museum will be followed by life drawing of the canal exhibits and the chance to draw in the docks. |
| July 18th (Wed) |
10am – 1pm |
St Michael’s Tower |
Carnivals: A colourful community event in Gloucester every summer, work from photos to create your own images of carnival scenes. |
| August 11th (Sat) |
1pm – 4pm |
St Michael’s Tower |
Shop fronts and street scenes of Gloucestershire: Use picturesque images from the county to create drawings and paintings, with the option of drawing street scenes from life in the city centre. |
| August 16th (Thur) |
10am – 1pm |
St Michael’s Tower |
Gloucester Cathedral from photos: Create detailed images of the cathedral in a variety of materials including charcoal. Workshop is based in St Michael’s Tower. |
| Sept 22nd (Sat) |
10am – 1pm |
St Michael’s Tower |
Children’s Workshop: Drawing, painting and paper mask making, based on Gloucestershire rare breed animals. For children aged 5 – 10. |
| Sept 26th (Wed) |
1pm – 4pm |
St Michael’s Tower |
The 1643 Siege of Gloucester: Create paintings and drawings inspired by The Siege and Gloucester Day. |
Important Booking Information
- It is essential that you book your workshops in advance by calling Trudi Ochiltree on 01452 386007 or emailing info@trudiart.co.uk. If you do not book a workshop then it is presumed you are not attending that workshop. There is no booking fee.
- There are 12 places per adult workshop, places will be allocated on a first come, first booked basis. Please do not arrive at the workshop unless you have booked and confirmed your place with Trudi Ochiltree.
- All adult workshops cost £2.50, payable during the workshop. This cost includes art materials and refreshments.
- Adults can book up to 6 workshops each. If you wish to attend any further workshops your name will be put on a waiting list and you will be contacted should a space become available.
- There are 2 children’s workshops which cost £1 per child. It is essential that you book your workshops in advance by calling Trudi Ochiltree on 01452 386007 or emailing info@trudiart.co.uk if you do not book a workshop then it is presumed your child is not attending that workshop. There is no booking fee.
- In the event of a cancelled workshop all people who have booked will be notified as soon as possible through their contact details.
- 7. If you are unable to attend a workshop, please telephone 01452 386007 at the earliest opportunity so that your place can be allocated to someone else.
- We recommend that you book workshops early to avoid disappointment.
The art workshops are funded by the Arts Council of England and supported by Gloucester Civic Trust
Gloucester Civic Trust has launched their latest project “City Celebrations”.
The project involves re-instating a bell in St Michael’s Bell Tower; the repair and re-instatement of the City Flagpole on top of St Michael’s Tower and a new information board outside the building to depict the history of the St Michael’s Church and bell tower.
The bell tower is all that remains of the Church of St Michael the Archangel which was demolished in 1956. The Bell Tower itself dates back to around 1465 and is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. After laying uncared for for many years, the Bell Tower was restored by Gloucester Civic Trust in 2009.
Today it’s now the HQ of Gloucester Civic Trust and is 100% successfully run and managed by volunteers.
The Tower is a community heritage hub delivering heritage events, exhibitions, organising educational visits and promotes all things Gloucester.
Marilyn Champion, Project Leader, says “we’ve always wanted to have a bell back in the Tower and to get the flag pole repaired. We have pictures of the church in the early 1900’s with the flag of St George flying high over the City. It looked pretty impressive. Next year Gloucester Civic Trust is 40 years old; it’s also the Queen’s jubilee and the Olympics so we thought the project name of “city celebrations was a good one.
We’d like to thank all the Gloucester people who’ve been calling in to St Michael’s Tower this past year with their family memories of St Michael’s Church. Many of these will be included in the new information board outside the Tower. The bell will be rung out for city celebrations such as St George’s Day, the Carnival and other city events. The bell installation is quite complex and will involve heaving the bell up into the belfry in the traditional way through the collapsible ceiling in the Tower.
The repair and reinstatement of the Flagpole also involves engineering skill as health and safety rules have certainly moved on since the early 1900’s and we have to ensure the flagpole is safe in every way.
The cost of the project will be in the region of £18,000. The costs will be met through local sponsorship, grant aid and volunteer fund raising.
If you’d like to find out more about the “city celebrations” project or have more stories we haven’t heard yet about St Michael’s Church please call in to the Tower and share your memories with the Civic Trust volunteers”.
End of press release
There are over 100 venues open in Gloucester free to the public during this period. For full details of what’s available please call in to St Michael’s Tower on the Cross in Gloucester to pick up a brochure. This is a wonderful opportunity to explore your city at no cost.
Gloucester Civic Trust has a varied line up of events taking place, and also starting from St Michael’s Tower from the 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th September for Heritage Open Days. This is a national event across the UK where many historical buildings are open to the public free of charge.
The free events organised by Gloucester Civic Trust and based at St Michael’s Tower in September are as follows:
Thursday 8th: 11.30 am City Tour
Thursday 8th: 12 Noon Armchair Tour of Gloucester – sit back in a comfy chair and take a tour around Gloucester. Refreshments included.
Thursday 8th: 2.00 pm Geology of Gloucester
Friday 9th: 11.30 am City Tour
Friday 9th: 12 Noon “The History of St Michael’s Church and Bell Tower” – a talk
Friday 9th: 1.00 pm “Art Walk” – discover Gloucester’s hidden public art
Saturday 10th: ‘Women and Children First” STREET THEATRE – fast, family fun with local actors helping you to discover Gloucester’s famous folk. Performances at 11.00, 12.00, 1.00 and 2.00
Saturday 10th: 11.30 am City Tour
Saturday 10th: 2.00 pm Siege of Gloucester Walk – takes you back to 1643
Saturday 10th: 2.00 pm Historic Pub Walk
Saturday 10th: 4.00 pm Siege of Gloucester Tour
Sunday 11th: 11.30 am City Tour
Sunday 12th: 2.00 pm Historic Pub Tour
TEAS/COFFEES AND CAKES SERVED ALL DAY
Thursday 4 August 1.30 – 4.30
Art Workshop – “The Architecture of Gloucester”.
At St Michael’s Tower. Call Trudi on 01452 386007 for bookings.
Saturday 6 August 12 Noon
“Roundheads V Cavaliers” with Captain Curzon.
A thrilling tour that takes you back to 1643 during the English Civil War.
Starts from St Michael’s Tower.
Tickets £3.50 available from St Michael’s Tower and the TIC.
Friday 12 August 7.00 pm
“The Greyfriars Story”.
This has it all – water wars and friars with attitude!
Meet on site – includes a brief history on the surrounding heritage
area, and St Mary de Crypt.
Tickets £3.50 available from St Michael’s Tower and the TIC.
Saturday 13 August from 12 noon
Gloucester in Poems, with former County Poet Laureate Peter Wyton.
A light hearted look at Gloucester in verse.
At St Michael’s Tower.
Tickets £3 available from St Michael’s Tower and the TIC.
Thursday, 18 August 11am, 12 noon, 1pm and 2pm
“The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”.
A street theatre performance by Spaniel in the Works Theatre Company.
A re-enactment of some of Gloucester’s best known stories.
Great family fun for the holidays. Takes place outside St Michael’s Tower.
FREE
Saturday 20 August 12 Noon
“The Joe Meek Story” – this was sold out last year, and many were disappointed – so it’s back again. Our local pop svengali; with new material, music and archive footage.
In St Michael’s Tower.
Tickets £2 available from St Michael’s Tower and the TIC.
Thursday 25 August at 1.30
Art workshop for children – Making Mosaics.
At St Michael’s Tower. Call Trudi on 01452 386007 for bookings.
Thursday 25 August 7.00 p.m.
“Saxon England and Gloucester”.
Gloucester’s own warrior Queen springs to life once more with tales of Viking raids, saints and miracles. Venue: St Michael’s Tower.
Tickets £2 available from St Michael’s Tower and the TIC.
Saturday 2 July 11 – 3
Water, Water Everywhere
at St Michael’s Tower
sea shanties,rope making, morris dancing
Free Entry
01452 526955
Tuesday 5 July 7.30
Historic Pub Tour
with local atuthor Darrel Kirby
£3.00 Starts at St Michael’s Tower
Tickets available at the TIC and Tower
01452 526955
Wednesday 6 July 1.30 – 4.30
St Michael’s Tower
Art Class – Theme – Gloucester Docks
To book a place call Trudi on 01452 386007
£2.50 includes materials and refreshments
Saturday 9 July 12 Noon
“The Romans are Coming”
A lecture at St Michael’s Tower
Tickets available at the TIC and Tower
£2.00
01452 526955
Tuesday 12 July 7.30 p.m.
The Robert Raikes Story
with Hugh Worsnip
includes a trip to the Robert Raikes Pub garden
£3. Starts at St Michael’s Tower
Tickets available at the TIC and Tower
01452 526955
Saturday 23 July 10 – 1
St Michael’s Tower
Art Class – Theme is Seagulls
To book a place call Trudi on 01452 386007
£2.50 includes materials and refreshments
Saturday 30 July
“The Rise and Fall of Gloucester Spa”
A lecture by Nick Rowles. Includes an
exhibition of old photos. £3
Tickets available at the TIC and Tower
01452 526955
Saturday 5 August 12 Noon
Roundheads V Cavaliers
Pistols, Prisoners and Pigs
The Siege of Gloucester tour
Starts at St Michael’s Tower
£3
Tickets available at the TIC and Tower
01452 526955
