Coat of Hopes arrives in Frome during nationwide climate pilgrimage

A patchwork coat highlighting the climate emergency has been walked into Frome as part of a nationwide pilgrimage around Britain. 

The Coat of Hopes began its journey in 2021 to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), and has travelled more than 2,150 miles. As it moves from place to place, people are invited to sew and add new patches sharing their hopes for the places they live.

The coat will remain in Frome until 4th May after arriving at St Mary’s Church on 17th April, where it was welcomed by the local Earth Choir before being walked to Christ Church on Monday 20th April.

The coat has been brought to Frome by local woman Wren Shackleford, part of Edventure’s Everyone Needs Pockets clothing and textiles reuse network. She helped carry the coat from Dorset into the town.

During its time in Frome, events will include a stitching and repair session with Everyone Needs Pockets, a visit from local MP Anna Sabine, activities with Frome Connects and visits to local primary schools.

On Friday 1st May, the coat will be walked from Christ Church to the Boyle Cross where it will be welcomed by the community and Frome’s Town Crier.

During the pilgrimage, one person wears the coat while others hold its train and a standard identifying the project. Wren said, “People we pass are asked if they want to try on the coat so they can feel the weight of people’s hopes, griefs in a time of ecological breakdown.

“Sometimes it takes quite a long time to walk through a town because people want to try the coat on. Then we tell them a story and sing them a song.”

The project began with a continuous nine-week walk from Newhaven East Beach in Sussex to Glasgow for the COP26 climate conference. Organisers have continued the pilgrimage since then and say they intend to keep the coat moving until the climate and ecological situation is no longer an emergency. The coat will head next towards Land’s End in Cornwall.

Wren also joined the original walk to Glasgow, which she joined in Birmingham. She said, “I got to know Barbara Keal the instigating artist and people that were coat guardians. After the conference the coat carried on walking. I knew it was coming west and I asked if it could come to Frome.”

For more information, visit: https://www.coatofhopes.uk/now