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).
In September and November 2025 we will meet from 10.00 am to 3.30 pm on the 2nd Saturday when we usually welcome a speaker and often a supplier, speakers normally start at 1:30 for a maximum of 1 hour.
In October and December 2025 we will meet from 10.30 am to 3.00 pm on the 2nd Friday when we make lace, share ideas and chat. There is usually no meeting in August.
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)
From our September 2024 meeting we have a beginners table at our meetings for the first hour or so of a meeting, this is aimed primarily at beginners. This recognises that all but one of the groups and clubs in our “catchment area” are currently self help groups where there may be a bit of help for beginners. This is the first of a number of initiatives the committee are currently looking at.
Our remaining 2025 meetings are:
- Saturday 13 September – Speaker: Vicky Williams – Elizabeth Hoare Collection of Ecclesiastical Embroidery, Supplier: Chris Parsons
- Friday 10 October – Lace and chat with Members sales table
- Saturday 8 November – Speaker: Fiona Smithson – Victorians Unbuttoned, Supplier: Cathy Pinnock
- Friday 12 December – Lace and chat with 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.