Wellington’s pop-up shop is a literal and metaphorical shop window for artists, entrepreneurs, cake bakers, charities and craftspeople to showcase their wares. Set up by the Town Council in 2019, it has become a focal point for the high street. It is booked out pretty much all year round.

From 6-12th September, this space was transformed into a hub for TTW. How to give enough space to each of our many different activities and subgroups was tough – but Anita Corbin and the team rose wonderfully to the challenge. Along one wall was the apple juice display (complete with hand-operated press), information and leaflets about community gardening and the water guardians. At the back was a cosy corner for TTW Bookworms and Team Tree, while the other wall was devoted to the Oral History Project, with a selection of beautiful photographic portraits of the townsfolk interviewed along with a slideshow with headphones where visitors could listen to their voices.

The centrepiece was an excellent spread of all TTW’s maps and leaflets. The latest in the map series on Wellington’s Waterways was much appreciated and quickly snapped up.

Many folks came for the party on the Thursday evening, mainly to celebrate the oral history project and watch two films specially made for the pop up shop week by Jem McCluskey/Reflexeye: one for the Oral History Project and one called ‘What 3 Words?’ which asked people what 3 words came to mind when they thought of Transition Town Wellington (to be released online soon!).

Drawing everyone in was the fantastic window displays. There was an impressive cornucopia of pumpkins and squashes harvested from the forest garden on Fox’s Field. Local wildlife artist Lucy Pendrick had lent her charming felt sculptures of woodland creatures. These certainly attracted younger visitors and their parents to come in and look around.

Over the course of the week, we had over 240 visitors, collected £66.50 in donations and many new members and potential volunteers. All in all, the TTW pop-up shop week was considered a great success – and one that we may well repeat next year!

TTW would like to thank Wellington Town Council for giving us this space for the week, and for all their continued support for our work.