The Parish Rooms

The Parish Rooms

Community

A village meeting place for parish events

The Parish Rooms at St Mary's the Virgin consist of a main hall and the Brightwell Room, both available to hire for public and private functions on a regular or one-off basis. The main hall has a full sound system with hearing loop and a large wall-mounted projector screen. Hire includes use of kitchen facilities, and table, chair and crockery hire for up to 120 settings.

The rooms stand at the edge of the recreation ground, adjacent to the churchyard.

To book: 01621 869039 or clerk@tollesburyparishcouncil.gov.uk

Graham Richards

Leather Work

Graham Richards is a traditional leatherwork craftsman who has been honing his craft for 13 years. Inspired by a visit to a Western store in Durango, Colorado, he decided that if he couldn't afford to buy it… he'd make it himself!

From key fobs and wallets to belts, bags and book covers, Graham creates a wonderful range of handmade leather goods. He carves, tools, hand-stains and saddle-stitches each piece, combining practical craftsmanship with beautiful artistic designs.

Graham will be demonstrating his craft in The Parish Rooms – come along and watch him create the optical illusion of the serpentine border pattern.

Sophie White

Felting

Sophie White — The Crafty Moose — is a felting artist based in Tollesbury, specialising in custom-made miniatures of pets. She has been felting for around 11 years and, while she spends most of her days crafting pets, she also loves to make more whimsical creatures and framed 2D felted pictures.

Her felted keepsakes have become a unique way to remember furry friends who have passed over the rainbow bridge, and she can even include real fur for a really special touch.

Sophie will be demonstrating her needle-felting work on the day, alongside examples of pets she has made and other felted pieces that make lovely gifts. Do pop along and say hello.

Peter Deans

Ceramics

Peter Dean's love of pottery began in New Zealand, inspired by his landscape-artist father, who taught him to make pots as a child. After studying ceramics and gaining experience with highly skilled potters, Peter moved to England in 1983 and spent four years at Chelsea Pottery developing his throwing skills.

In 1994 he set up his own pottery business in Tollesbury, where he continues to work today. A traditionalist at heart, Peter creates beautiful, functional stoneware including bowls, platters, jugs, vases, casserole dishes, teapots and garden pots. His work is inspired by early Chinese, Japanese, Greek and Roman pottery, as well as natural forms such as seedpods, poppy heads, pumpkins and the New Zealand kowhai flower.

Much of his work is reduction-fired in a gas kiln, creating rich, distinctive colours from metal oxides. Traditional pottery, beautifully made and made to be used. ❤️🏺

Andrew Frost

Woodwork

After retiring from 46 years at sea in the Merchant Navy, I’ve finally had more time to concentrate on some of my other passions — including woodworking and woodturning.

I’ve always loved working with wood, and I suppose it’s in my blood! I grew up with both my father and grandfather, who were Shipwrights and Carpenters here in Tollesbury.

From a family with such strong connections to the sea and traditional craftsmanship, it’s been a natural progression to continue enjoying the skill and creativity of working with wood.

Willow Frost

Fibre Art

Willow Frost is a disabled fibre artist, knitwear designer and professional dabbler. She has made knitting patterns for sharks, embroidered pomegranates from carrier bags, recreated historic clothing, and spent an alarming amount of time persuading yarn to cooperate.

Her work celebrates slow craft, natural fibres and British wool. Whether she's designing a sweater for a shark, stitching detailed embroideries, or turning clouds of fleece into yarn, she loves exploring the possibilities hidden inside traditional textile techniques. Everything is handmade with plenty of tea, determination and occasional yarn-related chaos.

Immortal Ink

Tattooing & Oil Painting

Jason Butcher is one half of Immortal Ink. With over 25 years in black & grey tattooing, he has developed his own distinctive style and is the creator of Death Romantic – where mortality, emotion and beauty collide.

His work explores themes of love, loss, decay and rebirth, using incredible contrast, depth and detail to create hauntingly beautiful pieces.

And it’s not just tattoos – Jason’s artwork carries the same unmistakable Death Romantic style, bringing his dark, atmospheric imagery from skin onto the canvas. 🖤

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Martine Farrant

Weaving

Essex born and bred, Martine Farrant has called Tollesbury home for many years. She is a self-taught weaver and spinner with a passion for colour, pattern and the natural world. Working from her home studio in this beautiful waterside village, she uses mainly natural fibres — occasionally adding a touch of sparkle — to create unique handwoven fabrics, which she makes into one-of-a-kind scarves, jackets and accessories, each thoughtfully crafted to celebrate the beauty of handmade textiles.

Watching a skilled weaver at work is a real treat, so don't miss the opportunity to meet Martine, discover the traditional craft of weaving and browse her stunning collection of handmade textiles.

Lauren Spindler

Decoupage Shells

Lauren Spindler creates hand-crafted coastal treasures, made with love from shells hand-picked and sourced locally from Mersea. 🌊 She loves that every shell is completely unique – no two are ever the same – and each piece is lovingly handcrafted, making every creation truly one of a kind. A little piece of the coast to bring into your home. 🐚

Amanda Gannon-Martin

Stained Glass

Amanda Gannon-Martin is an artist, yoga teacher and Tollesbury resident, inviting you to step into her magical world of glass.

For the past eight years Amanda has been creating beautiful hand-painted and stained-glass pieces using the traditional Tiffany copper-foiling technique, allowing her to create intricate, detailed designs. She also works with lead for larger pieces such as doors and windows. Many of her pieces can be personalised with names, dates and special memories, making them truly unique gifts for life's milestones and celebrations.

Amanda's work is all about the magic of light, colour, texture and symbolism, creating beautiful pieces designed to inspire calm, contemplation, joy, love and peace. So take a slow breath, move the glass in the light, catch that little bit of magic… and exhale.

Colour Walk

Community art

Derek Burchell & friends

Meet Derek Burchell and the London Colour Walk. The colour walk gather in Spittalfields Market on the third Thursday of each month. Their purpose is to celebrate colour by the way they dress. When this group of artists and creatives come together they form a vibrant, living installation of colour.

Their stand will include Sari wrapping demonstrations from Nidhi Uppal, 3D pen art from Aless Bester and a chance to meet Rosie Sandler a local author. We would like to encourage you all to put on your most colourful clothes as you explore the amazing work of Tollesbury’s creative talent.

Tollesbury Climate Partnership

Community group

Our next Tollesbury Climate Partnership Bring & Buy is all about Arts & Crafts!

Have you got paints, brushes, wool, fabric, craft kits, art supplies or other creative bits and pieces sitting unused at home? Bring them along and give them the chance to inspire someone else.

Or come along and have a browse – you might find just what you need for your next creative project!

A great way to reuse, share, save money and reduce waste – while supporting our local community. 🌍

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Pat Frost

Pat has always loved art, but it was on her 60th birthday that having been given some birthday money, Pat knew exactly what she wanted to spend it on! As soon as she could, she headed off to Tindals Art & Graphic Shop in Colchester – a place many will remember as Trinity Art, the much-loved art and artists’ supplies shop on Trinity Street.

For anyone who loved drawing and painting, it was absolute heaven! Rows and rows of papers, paints, brushes, and every imaginable art supply. You could easily lose yourself in there for hours! Having sought advice on the right paper, brushes, and paints, Pat then joined the art classes of self-taught artist Annie Tabour here in Tollesbury.

And so began a wonderful new chapter. Pat gradually developed her confidence and her own style, eventually finding herself selling her paintings around Tollesbury and becoming a much-loved local artist.