Jennyruth workers bring joy to Ripon city centre and surrounding streets
🌟💛 Behind the scenes in their workshops at Red House Farm on the Boroughbridge Road, a highly talented and motivated team of young men and women are playing a crucial role in the creation of Ripon’s biggest‑ever display 🎨🛠️
The hand‑crafted goods made at Jennyruth Workshops are seen in many gardens across the city and surrounding areas, and now the workers have a fantastic platform to showcase their artistic skills with colourful displays supporting Ripon in Bloom’s 2026 entry 🌺🌿 — as the city goes for gold for a second successive year 🥇✨
The mammoth task of assembling the displays that can be seen throughout the city centre, at the Bedern Bank roundabout and the five roundabouts on the bypass, began in late April (as exclusively reported by this blog) and is being coordinated by Ripon Community Poppy Project 🚗🌼
Project joint‑founder Stuart Martin told Tim Flanagan of the Rejoicing in Ripon blog:
“This is a huge collaborative effort being carried out with the theme of ‘Fill your boots’ and as well as giving the city’s 2026 entry some extra wellie, the displays will remain in place throughout the coming months to be enjoyed by residents and visitors alike.” 👢🌸😊
The tireless Jennyruth workers 💪🎨
Stuart added:
“We are delighted to have been able to employ the services of our friends at Jennyruth.
They have worked tirelessly cutting out and painting silhouettes of characters, both real and imaginary, that play a part in Ripon’s history and heritage.” 🐎🎩📜
Hazel Barker — whose work as joint founder of the poppy project earned her Freedom of the City in 2019 — pointed out:
“The displays, which also include thousands of knitted items made by our Knit and Natter group, are designed to make people smile.” 🧶😊🌼
She added:
“Our knitted city centre bollard brigade were on post in time for last Sunday’s Freedom march by the Royal Engineers and Mayor Andrew Williams’ installation at the cathedral, and will remain alongside the silhouettes during events such as Ripon Theatre Festival at the beginning of July and the St Wilfrid’s Day Procession on August 1 when thousands of people will be in the city.” 🎭🎺👣
Jennyruth publicity and media officer Anna Mitchell said:
“Every person at our workshops has been involved in production of the displays and it is great to think that their eye‑catching work will bring joy to people of all ages who see them in the city centre and surrounding streets.” 🌈💖
Ripon BID manager Lilla Bathurst pointed out:
“As well as making the city a more attractive place to live and work in, the fabulous displays installed by Ripon Community Poppy Project attract wide‑ranging media attention and are a magnet for tourists from across the UK and further afield.” 📸🗺️✨
- Jennyruth workers Vee (second from the left) and Hannah (second from the right) are pictured with Stuart Martin, Carol Dunkley and Hazel Barker of Ripon Community Poppy Project, and Jennyruth’s publicity and media officer Anna Mitchell 😊👥
- The silhouettes of Ripon’s historic hornblowers produced at the Jennyruth Workshops stand alongside knitted displays featuring famous city characters and organisations, including sports clubs 🎺🧶🏉
- The eye‑catching and amusing Mad Hatter’s Tea Party in the Specsavers window on Market Place West was handcrafted from wool and wood 🎩🐇☕✨
All photos by Tim Flanagan of the Rejoicing in Ripon Blog for Ripon BID.
