We meet at Helsby Community Centre, Lower Robin Hood Lane, Helsby, Cheshire, WA6 0BU. There is a car park on site but the community centre shares this with the library and health centre (please don’t park in the car park for the apartments next door).
From January 2026 all our meetings will be on a Saturday from 10.00 am to 3.30 pm on the 2nd Saturday of the month. Some meetings will have a speaker and supplier, others will be lace and chat meetings with a members sales table, we will meet every month (including August). The beginners bobbin lace table will be supported from 10.00 – 12.00 and is limited to 6 people, places must be booked with Susan in advance. The beginners table recognises that all but one of the groups and clubs in our local “catchment area” are currently self help groups where there may be a bit of help for beginners.
Our 2026 meetings are all on Saturdays, where there is a speaker it will be at 1.30pm, the details are:
- 10 January 2026 – Speaker: Karen Quickfall – Ruskin Lace, Supplier: Eddy Faber Bobbins
- 14 February 2026 – Lace and Chat, and Members’ Sales Table
- 14 March 2026 – Speaker: Diana Blackburn – Bucks Point Lace – Old Prickings to New Lace, and Members’ Sales Table
- 11 April 2026 – Lace and Chat, and Members’ Sales Table
- 9 May 2026 – AGM, Competition and Exhibition, Buffet Lunch – Speaker: Angharad Thomas – Lace from the Knitting and Crochet Guild Collection, no supplier, no members’ sales
- 13 June 2026 – Lace and Chat, and Members’ Sales Table
- 11 July 2026 – Speaker: Danelle Deane – Wool marketing Board, Supplier: Tatting and Design
- 8 August 2026 – Lace and chat, and Members’ Sales Table
- 12 September 2026 – Speaker: Teresinha Roberts – Sustainability in Textiles, Supplier: Roseground
- 10 October 2026 – Lace and chat, and Members’ Sales Table
- 14 November 2026 – Speaker: Susan Roberts – Lace and that Social Media Thingy, Supplier: Cathy Pinnock
- 12 December 2026 – Lace and Chat, and Members’ Sales Table
Our next AGM will be Saturday 9th May 2026. The competition theme will be Seasons, there are now 4 categories (bobbin lace, non bobbin lace, novice, any other textile worked with thread). Note that the Novice category is for anyone who has been making lace for less than 2 years, it can be used for bobbin lace, tatting etc but not to someone who has started a different bobbin lace.
Please bring your own mug, we will provide the tea, coffee and, of course, biscuits. Members will need to take all rubbish home with them.
We have an area were members can share what they have made since they last visited (we are looking forward to a very full display of your lockdown work very soon). Lies, our Librarian, will also have a selection of our library of books on display to tempt you, please make sure all borrowings are recorded before you borrow a book.
We have a raffle at most meetings. Our raffle queen, Muriel, will visit all tables with tickets, tickets are one per person with a minimum donation of 50p. The committee are reviewing the future of the raffle and we are not currently accepting new raffle prizes.
Non NCLG members are very welcome to join us at any of our meetings. However if you are looking to visit to try bobbin lace please let us know you are looking to join us so we can check if there is space at the beginners table and have equipment for you to use on the day.