BRITISH heritage crafts conservation centre, Grandey’s Place, is holding its annual open day on Sunday 28th June between 10am and 4pm. Visitors will have the chance to tour the site and meet the master craftspeople who work there – including the design duo making Harlow’s next public sculpture.

Located about 15 minutes’ drive from Harlow near the village of Green Tye, Grandey’s Place Heritage & Craft Centre is a philanthropic venture established in 2019 to help preserve the UK’s exceptional and endangered heritage crafts.

Since then, the centre’s artists and makers have gone on to complete prestigious projects for the Royal Family, Westminster Abbey, the Royal Albert Hall and more.

Visitors to the open day will have the opportunity to learn about the astonishing range of heritage crafts practised on-site including stained glass making and conservation, globe making, sculptural ceramics, antiquarian horology, corsetry, lettercarving, heritage knitwear, musical instrument restoration, designer floristry, and much more.

Following last year’s open day, there has been even more success for the centre’s craftspeople.

Last December, bespoke metal fabrication specialists, Daniela Rubino and Lauren Wilson, won the commission to make Harlow’s next public sculpture.

The sculpture, which references Harlow’s Roman past, was created under the umbrella of the pair’s Ore Projects mentorship scheme in association with special educational needs students from Harlow Fields School and College. It is expected to be unveiled in July. It will be the latest addition to Harlow’s impressive collection of artworks by sculptors such as Henry Moore, Auguste Rodin and Barbara Hepworth.

There was success, too, for milliner Rose Collins, who saw four outsized ostrich feather hats she made for internationally renowned fashion designer, Tamara Ralph, exhibited at Paris Couture Week. The Tamara Ralph look, topped with one of Rose’s stunning headpieces, was later worn by Rita Ora at the world famous post-Oscars Vanity Fair party.

Entry to the Grandey’s Place open day is free, although there is a charge of £5 to park on site, with all the proceeds going directly to the craftspeople of Grandey’s Place. .

Car parking must be booked in advance due to limited space on-site.

Two heritage craft sessions are available starting at 10am and 1.15pm respectively. You can bring as many friends and family as you like.

If you’re arriving by public transport, taxi, on foot or by bike, there is no need to book anything and there are no time restrictions; just turn up when you fancy between 10am and 4pm. Bike racks are provided, but please bring your own lock.

Light refreshments, including sourdough breads, pastries and hot and cold drinks, will be available to purchase from Grandey’s on-site heritage grains bakery, Micro Bakery.

For more details and to book your parking space, visit www.grandeysplace.co.uk or www.ticketsource.co.uk/grandeysplace.