With clothing in the UK typically worn just seven to ten times before being discarded, and around 40% of wearable items ending up in landfill, the wildlife charity is hosting a special visible mending workshop at Hauxley Wildlife Discovery Centre on Thursday 20 August to help people give their clothes a new lease of life.

Taking place from 10am to 1pm, the workshop will be led by textiles and crafting expert Jane Creighton, who will guide participants through the creative process of making distinctive visible repairs to worn or damaged garments.

Suitable for beginners and experienced crafters alike, attendees are simply asked to bring along an item of clothing in need of some attention. Whether it has a hole, a torn seam, a frayed hem or another imperfection, participants will learn techniques to repair and refresh their garments in a unique and eye-catching way.

Not only will visible mending breathe new life into favourite clothing items, but it will also help reduce textile waste by preventing wearable garments from ending up in landfill.

To find out more and book a place, visit www.nwt.org.uk/events.

Frances Smiles, Northumberland Wildlife Trust's Community Events Officer, says:

"Many of us have clothes tucked away in wardrobes because they have a small tear, a missing hem or another repair that we simply don't know how to fix. This workshop is all about helping people rediscover the value of the clothes they already own and giving them the confidence to repair and personalise them rather than throw them away.

“Visible mending is a creative and sustainable way to breathe new life into well-loved garments. Not only can it save money and reduce waste, but it can also turn an ordinary item of clothing into something completely unique. 

“We hope people will come along, learn a new skill and be inspired to make their wardrobes last longer while helping to reduce the amount of clothing ending up in landfill."