VISITORS to the Whitchurch Food and Drink Festival over the weekend were treated to a surprise visual delight, courtesy of the town’s Women’s Institute.

The bottom of the high street, where it meets Green End and the top of Watergate Street – traditionally known as the Bullring – was ‘yarn bombed’ by members of the group in Whitchurch.

The move was to celebrate the centenary of the Shropshire Federation of Women’s Institutes, as well as supporting the weekend’s festivities, and Christine Bolton, press secretary and vice-president, admitted she was thrilled with their final result.

“We wanted to do something different,” she said.

“We wanted to do something for the 100 years anniversary of the Shropshire federation of Women’s Institutes and Lesley Downward, who co-leads the craft club at Whitchurch WI, has aways wanted to do something like this. So everyone in the craft club just got on and did it.

“It took us about three months to do it and get it out.

“I wanted to do it; I’m the co-leader of the craft club. We did well to keep it a secret and as we have been working on it for months.

“The reaction has been great – we got out at 7am and set everything up before going over to Benjamin’s for a coffee. We sat in the window and watched people.

“It was largely a positive reaction. We had some of the yarn bombs taken and spread out around the town as we saw them pop up somewhere else.

“We’re really happy with it and to be honest, we had a great time and fun doing it.

“We had to beg, steal and borrow from people to make the yarn bombs, but the Blackberry Fair has been in touch to take out bunting for the fair in the autumn, which is really nice to see.”

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