The Great Woolly Hugs’ Hugathon in Edinburgh takes place on Saturday 4th March 2023, between 11.00am and 3.30pm, at St Columba’s by the Castle Church Hall in central Edinburgh, just off the Royal Mile, close to Edinburgh Castle. If you are coming, look out for the big blue door, it really does stand out! The full address is below.
Our Venue is fully accessible. Access to the venue is via a gentle and wheelchair-friendly ramp from the street pavement and there is a lift to the level of the hall and garden area downstairs. There are accessible bathroom facilities.
Tickets cost £15 each. On Sale from 7pm on January 1st 2023.
Our Hugathons are a wonderful opportunity to meet fellow Woolly Huggers who share a love of crafting.They are very friendly and inclusive. It is a great time for chatting with your fellow Woolly crew and sharing ideas. If Tortie behaves we will let him come too! We’ve included some testimonials from folk who have been to one before, which might be useful if this is your first time.
During the Hugathon we will attempt to get as many 6 inch squares made. In Edinburgh we are focussing on our Chernobyl Project 2023. We will provide all SSDK, but please remember to bring your 4mm hooks/knitting needles, you will need them! If you have any squares already made for THIS project, please bring them, it may be that we can get some kits out for construction.
Link to the Chernobyl Project is here….
We will also be running a rather fabulous Lucky Dip (£1 a go) and our legendary Gin Raffle (£1 a ticket) We will also be running a DeStash table. If you have crafting items to donate to our DeStash table please do bring, remember one person’s destash is another person’s treasure!
And finally we will play our Yarn Bingo game, you will not want to miss this!
We have use of the kitchen area, and will provide the wherewithal for making tea and coffee for a donation. Bring a packed lunch, snacks and drinks, we won’t judge if that is alcohol!
COVID – Covid is here to stay and we must all be mindful and work within the local guidance.
A few pics from 2022!
Do join us, we’d love to meet you or see you again. And if you are worried about not knowing anyone, let us know and we can get you seated and chatting as quick as a flash.
From folk who have been to a Hugathon before…
Walking into a room of people you might have never met could be daunting … but at the Hugathon you are surrounded immediately with love, purpose and wool! What better way to spend a day? Alexsis
A warm woolly welcome to all. I travelled there alone, anxiously entered, not knowing a soul. Within a few mins I felt so welcomed and part of this wonderful group. A room full of like minded people, wool galore, cakes, tea, coffee, and probably gin
Julie
A wonderful experience meeting friends and like minded people. Like sinking into a warm bath of friendship I’ve always known but never met before. Jen
Attending the Woolly Hugs Hugathon was an amazing experience, putting faces to the names you had made friends with online in the pursuit of a common goal to spread yarn love around the UK and the World. Paula
A fabulous day meeting ‘strangers’ I have known online for years. Sharing yarn, craft skills, cake and laughter. Returning home full of love for the wonderful Woolly Huggers! Jo
It was lovely to meet all the folk I have made virtual friends with online . It gave me a real sense of us working together helping to make something beautiful and worthwhile . It was also lovely for the chat , laughter and to admire the amazing craftmanship going on around me , and how everyone was happy to share their expertise Steph
The hugathon is where the WH virtual community crosses over into a face to face community, meeting others who you may have got to know online. It’s so lovely to be able to sit and work and natter together, comparing notes and making friends. It epitomises the spirit of WH, crafters working together to benefit others. Alison
I’ve only been to one but it was brilliant and had gin
Anna
How to get there…
Lothian Region Transport buses run along nearby George IV Bridge and Lothian Road. The venue is also close to Princes Street and George Street, further bus information can be found at the City Council website.
The venue is also reasonably close to Edinburgh’s Waverley station for rail services.
Parking is limited in the area:
Metered On-street parking: Johnston Terrace 8:30am – 6:30pm Mon-Sat (charges apply)
Closest NCP Parking: Castle Terrace, Edinburgh EH1 2EW https://www.ncp.co.uk/parking-solutions/cities/edinburgh/
St. Columba’s by the Castle, 14 Johnston Terrace, Edinburgh, EH1 2PW ( Big blue door!)
Looking at what has just happened. Early in December 2022, 100 Ukrainian children were driven to Lubin in Poland by our friends at the Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline for a respite break with Christmas treats and Father Frost! We can only imagine how much this was needed. We have included a few pics from their trip. So delighted to see our name on their fireplace. These children already have very little, still with the threats from the legacy of Chernobyl , now with war looming all around and the impact that has on every part of daily life. Each child was given one of our blankets. This is overwhelming. What the Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline have done here is extraordinary, so glad these children and families have a warm blanket full of love from us. So glad we can do this. These kids are now all going back into Ukraine with the uncertainty, dangers and chaos. But they’re all taking love and woolly warmth from us. It doesn’t fix anything but it’s a tangible sign of love and care.
