The Rugby Re-engage Group has been meeting since 2012 and, apart from the Covid lockdowns (and two heavy snow falls) has not missed a monthly tea party since then. However, after the pandemic, we found we had lost some of our previous tea party hosts and were finding it more difficult to recruit new ones.

Then along came the Rugby Yarn Bomb, which has taken place for the first time in our town, and celebrates the tale of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. The Yarn Bomb was the idea of Ceri Line, a local retailer who was keen to get more people involved in their communities, Ceri brought together enough like-minded souls to establish craft groups dedicated to creating the various installations of bollard toppers, tree wraps, shop window models, and some life-size recreations of scenes from the novel, such as the Queen of Hearts' croquet game.

One of the key installations was the Mad Hatter’s tea party and the idea for the link with Re-engage was born, with the aim of promoting the charity’s work and helping us to recruit new tea party hosts.

Our group also yarn bombed a tree - this was a first for us! The wrap for the tree was worked on by several members of the group and friends using a base knitted by Rita, knitted squares from Sarah, knitted flowers and sewing on from Sally, and crafted leaves from June’s daughter Nicola, and, in keeping with the tea party theme, some knitted cakes and tea cups!

Thanks are also due to the Warwickshire County Councillors’ Small Grants Fund which has kindly enabled the group to continue meeting in the months where we did not have tea party hosts.

The Yarn Bomb will be in place until 9 August and has already generated interest, with three potential hosts and also new guests who are looking for a friendly group to join.

by Elaine, Volunteer Coordinator for Rugby Re-engage Group