Lichfield residents are being urged to get involved with an uplifting community project which will see windows around the city come alive with illuminated artwork this weekend, February 26 to 28.
Led by local resident Gemma Stewart and a team of volunteers, Lichfield Window Wanderland aims to bring neighbourhoods together, reducing social isolation and inspiring creativity in and around the city.
Gemma first encountered Window Wanderland when living in Bristol, where the project was originally launched. When she returned to Lichfield, she thought that Window Wanderland would be an ideal community project for Lichfield and set about organising a local event.
One of the most prominent displays already on show in the city centre at The Hub at St Mary’s on Market Square has been created with the help of some of Lichfield’s youngest residents.
Artwork is already on display around the city.
The parents of more than 100 local babies born during the coronavirus pandemic have joined together, creating inspiring artwork from tiny hand and footprints. The display was masterminded by Helen Campbell, who runs the Lichfield 2020 Babies and Beyond Facebook group, a group set up to connect and support local parents and parents-to-be throughout the pandemic, which now has more than 1,000 members.
Helen says: “When I first heard about the Window Wanderland, I jumped at the opportunity to be able to introduce many of the local babies born through the pandemic to the community of Lichfield. Very kindly, The Hub at St Mary’s offered us their window so we could create a stained glass window display for over 100 hand and foot prints of babies within the Lichfield 2020 Babies and Beyond Facebook group.
“It has been heartwarming seeing all of the prints and the creativity from parents as many of the hand and footprints have been turned into animals or flowers, making the display fun for all passers by to admire. The project has created a superb buzz amongst the group and a much needed mood uplift. We are thrilled with how the display looks during the day, and it will be lit for the evening event so everyone will be able to see a very pretty stained glass window effect.”
More than 100 local babies have created artwork for the display.
Gemma adds: “The idea behind Window Wanderland is for people to have fun creating a display for their window that neighbours will see if they walk past. Just like the rainbows in our windows last year, it is a way to put a smile on someone’s face and to feel a little bit more connected even when we can’t actually be together.
“Obviously because of current covid restrictions Window Wanderland might be a bit more limited than usual, and we want everyone to enjoy it safely. That’s why we are asking everyone to please respect Government guidelines by adhering to social distancing and only going out to view windows in their local area as part of their daily exercise in their household group. We will be posting pictures of some of the displays on our Facebook page so that people can also see the displays without having to leave home.
“Window Wanderland is free to take part and you don’t need any special materials. Displays can be as simple as fairy lights in a window or be a more creative piece of artwork. There are lots of ideas on the Window Wanderland website and on our Facebook page. With everyone spending more time at home at the moment because of lockdown this could be a great activity to get involved with.”
Lichfield’s Window Wanderland is running over the weekend of February 26 to 28, with the aim of seeing as many windows decorated as possible over this period.
For more details visit the Lichfield Window Wanderland Facebook page.
