Dress to impress: Fashion-themed afternoon tea in aid of special Christmas grotto
The Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust is hosting a fashion-themed afternoon tea event to raise money to give local children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) the chance to have a magical experience this Christmas.
Funds raised from the ‘Afternoon Tea Through Time’ event on Thursday, 26 September, will be used to create an adapted grotto at Blists Hill Victorian Town suited to children with special educational needs and disabilities.
Guests will enjoy a feast of finger sandwiches, delicate cakes, and scones with jam and clotted cream, washed down by a complimentary glass of Prosecco.
They will also meet one of the Trust’s curators who will talk about the history of afternoon tea and related social etiquette. Alongside this, there will be a display of historic costume dating from the 1840s and 1850s representing what people would have worn to afternoon tea in the past, and a selection of replica costume, handmade by the Costume Project based at Blists Hill Victorian Town, that they will be able to try on, the perfect opportunity for a souvenir photograph from this special afternoon.
Throughout the afternoon there will also be more opportunities to help the Trust raise money including a champagne raffle, sponsored by Tanners Wines.
Karen Davies, Museum Development Director at the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, a heritage conservation and education charity, said: "Over the last few years the Christmas Grottos at Blists Hill Victorian Town have been hugely successful, but we are aware that the grottos and lively atmosphere of our Christmas Weekend events can be overwhelming for some of our visitors.
"At this special afternoon tea event we want to raise funds to help us provide grottos tailored to the special educational needs and disabilities of local children, to give them an extra special Christmas."
The event starts at 1.30pm to 4pm in the Covered Bays in Coalbrookdale, all proceeds will go towards providing a Christmas grotto at Blists Hill Victorian Town adapted for children with special and educational needs this December. Companies or individuals that wish to know more, or to book a ticket, please head to: ironbridge.org.uk
By Sarah Watson - Contributor
