The Making of The Wombles Stories exhibition in Newcastle
A free pop-up exhibition at the BottleWorks in Ouseburn from Seven Stories, The National Centre for Children’s Books, featuring items from their Wombles collection which have never been on display before.
The exhibition is in partnership with Newcastle City Council and will highlight the importance of recycling in the city - championed by the original recycling advocates, The Wombles.
Kris McKie, Head of Collections at Seven Stories, said:
“Highlighting recycling gives us the perfect opportunity to showcase our Elisabeth Beresford and Barry Leith collections and material relating to Beresford’s best-known creations, The Wombles: the original sustainability champions.
“Beresford hoped that the stories would encourage children to fight pollution and think up ways to help the planet, and 50 years later this exhibition will continue her legacy, with support from our friends at Newcastle City Council.
“In the pop-up exhibition, visitors will see the evolution of the Wombles’ depiction from cartoonish teddy bears in the original 1960s books to the distinctive, pointy-nosed characters of the 1970s BBC programme we’ve all come to know and love.
“The display also features the author’s notes from the original book drafts from 1968, as well as letters from Wombles fans to the author, and production photographs from the set of the 1977 film Wombling Free.”
When: 29 September to 4 October 2022, 10am to 4pm
Where: BottleWorks, 8 Riverside Walk, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 1LX
Cost: free