THE LAND OF OAK & IRON IS PROUD TO HOST A WIDE RANGE OF WONDERFUL EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES, FROM EXCITING CHILDREN'S TRAILS AND SCHOOL HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES, TO MUSIC EVENTS, CREATIVE WORKSHOPS AND HERITAGE TALKS.
Date & Time - Saturday, 1st November 2025 - 10:00-16:00
Come and meet Natalie from Awesome Botanical at the Heritage Centre for another of our ‘Meet the Maker’ events.
“Our story starts at the dining room table in 2020, Natalie had nothing but a passion and a dream to create indulgent naturally scented bath & body care products.
All of her products are handmade in Gateshead. From Energising Whipped Soaps, to nourishing lip balms. It’s a time to give your skin the spa-like treatment it deserves.
Whether it’s pampering yourself or curating a special gift, our Awesome range is sure to impress.”
Award Winning Products! In the Top Sante 2025 Awards, these 3 products won awards:
Citrus Humbug Foot Balm - Best Foot Treatment; Sweet Orange Whipped Soap - Best Body Wash; Energise Body Butter - Best Body Butter
Also winner of Theo Paphitis Small Business 2021 and winner at Women Inspiring North East Awards, with the Best New Business 2022
A selection of Awesome Botanicals are available to purchase for a short 2-week period in our Heritage Centre shop from 17th October, or directly from Natalie on her Meet the Maker Day (Saturday, 1st November 10:00-16:00), where you can ask questions about her products, browse, purchase and say hello to the maker herself.
More information can be found here.
Date & Time - Wednesday, 5th November 2025 through to Sunday, 4th January 2026 - 9:00-16:00
This exhibition showcases and celebrates the achievements of the Land of Oak & Iron Wednesday painting group, based here at the Heritage Centre. This is their third annual exhibition in our Inside Out Gallery.
The Wednesday acrylic painting sessions have been led by local artist, Katherine Rodger since 2021 and are now a regular weekly activity, open to everyone from the complete novice to the experienced painter.
All the paintings you see here in the exhibition have been produced by amateur painters, many of whom had never tried acrylic painting before, while others have become more accomplished through the course and own practice.
Encouraging participants to find their own style and develop techniques which suit their own artistic individuality has been a key aim of the sessions. Friendship and mutual support have made them so much more than a mindful activity for a weekday afternoon.
This year’s artists are Marian Shilston, Christina Kay, Heather Stone, Laura Frederiksen, Lyndsey Blake and Sue Hill.
“We hope you enjoy viewing a selection of the art group’s paintings as much as we’ve all enjoyed producing them.”
The art exhibition is visible from our Courtyard to the rear of the Heritage Centre in our ‘Inside Out Gallery’. All artworks are available to purchase - please speak to a member of our team.
More information can be found here.
Date & Time - Wednesday, 5th November 2025 - 14:00-16:00 - every Wednesday for FOUR weeks
Experienced and friendly art tutor Kath will guide you from blank canvas to finished landscape artworks using demonstrations and individual assistance to improve your skills and confidence. The aim is for each student to produce artworks they can feel really proud of.
This course takes place every Wednesday for FOUR weeks and is suitable for beginners and for those who have painted before and would like to learn more techniques or continue with their art projects.
Become part of this friendly painting course, learn how to paint and make new creative friends along the way.
Four week course costs £80, price includes tuition and a tea or coffee each week.
Please bring basic painting materials such as brushes and acrylic paints (we can advise you of this when booking). The Land of Oak & Iron will also have some basic brushes, paints, water jars etc that you can use too if needed.
Places limited to allow quality teaching and learning.
Any questions please get in touch, email landofoakandiron@groundwork.org.uk
Book your place here.
Date & Time - Saturday, 8th November 2025 - 10:00-13:00
Join local artist and tutor Gail for this creative needle felting and embellishment workshop - learn how to turn a bundle of fluffy wool fibres into something beautiful and festive for Christmastime!
Gail will teach you how to turn bundles of colourful, fluffy wool fibres into your own Christmas baubles and badges. You can then embellish and add detail with stitching and beads if you would like to.
The workshop will run in our private Map Room and includes a cuppa to enjoy during the session.
After the workshop why not treat yourself to a spot of lunch from our café or go for a little wander in the beautiful lower Derwent Valley from our doorstep.
Your felted creations would look perfect on your Christmas tree - or make the perfect gift for someone special. Why not buy the workshop as a gift for a friend or loved one (we can create a gift voucher - please get in touch after booking your ticket).
Booking essential as places are limited, tickets £28 including a tea/coffee freshly brewed from our café.
Please note: this class is for adults only, please do not bring dogs (for their safety in case we break any needles, which sometimes happens).
Book your place here.
Date & Time - Sunday, 16th November 2025 - 12:30-14:00
Ever thought about learning to play a musical instrument - what about the ukulele? Then come along to our uke’ sessions and learn how.
There are a number of sessions planned until the end of the year, all on Sunday afternoons between 12.30pm – 2pm. This one is for Sunday 16th November, please see separate listings to book the other sessions.
Tutor Philip has played ukulele for longer than he can remember. Having ran uke’ workshops at JG Windows Music in Newcastle, as well as being a full time guitar/uke teacher, he’s now bringing his workshops to the Land of Oak & Iron Heritage Centre in Winlaton Mill.
Each session will involve learning some songs from scratch, with parts for beginners to more complex parts for those with previous experience. All the songs guaranteed jams that will be stuck in your head all week!
If you have your own ukulele please bring it along - let us know on the booking form if you would like the tutor to provide one for you.
Booking essential as limited places available. £9.50 per session. Please add in the booking notes if you have played before and if you can bring your own ukulele (or not).
Please note - tickets for our workshops, sessions and courses are non refundable. We may at our discretion transfer your ticket to another similar event.
Book your place here.
Date & Time - Saturday, 29th November 2025 - 10:00-12:00
This was such a popular workshop last year and was fully booked quickly - so we thought it would be a good idea to run it again this year too!
Get festive and creative with this fantastic workshop which will show you how to weave with natural willow, developing skills and techniques to create your own unique Christmas Wreath for your home.
Under the guidance of outdoor education leader and experienced basket maker Liz (a member of the Northumbrian Basketry Group), you will learn step-by-step how to twist and weave the natural base from willow, then attach a wide range of natural seasonal materials to create an eco friendly, welcoming wreath for your door this Christmas.
After the festive season, you can take off the greenery and re-use the willow wreath again - decorating it for Spring, Summer and Autumn.
Only 8 places available on this workshop to allow space and quality teaching.
Cost £58 including willow and lots of natural greenery to choose from, and a hot drink from our café.
Date & Time - Saturday, 29th November 2025 - 10:00-16:00
Come and meet Shore and Tide at the Heritage Centre for another of this year’s ‘Meet the Maker’ events - Simon Haworth has been with us before and his seaglass creations are really popular with our visitors.
Inspirations from seaglass – Immerse yourself! Shore and Tide uses seaglass, seashells and sea-washed pottery fragments to produce beautiful unique jewellery and fabulous framed pictures. Inspired by seaglass from the famed Seaham beach, and using materials collected along the north east coast of England, and from beaches across Scotland, Simon from Shore and Tide will be bringing his creations to The Land of Oak & Iron Heritage Centre this summer. Simon says (!!) “Everyone goes to the beach and comes home with a pebble, or driftwood, or a shell. This is how it started for me after lockdown. I picked up some seaglass and thought what can I make with this. Now here we are . . ." Find out more:Facebook: @ShoreandTide Instagram: @ShoreandTide #ShoreandTide
A selection of Simon’s work is available to purchase for a short 2-week period in our shop, 14th - 29th November 2025, then directly from him on the Meet the Maker Day, where you can browse, purchase or maybe even commission a bespoke piece of artwork.
More information here.
Date & Time - Sunday, 30th November 2025 - 10:00-16:00
Come and meet Sam Carter at the Heritage Centre for another of our ‘Meet the Maker’ events.
Sam Carter is a Child Minder, and when she’s not spending time looking after the children in her care, Sam loves being creative with her ‘Little Fingers Crafts’ making whimsical and imaginative miniature worlds.
Sam’s creations are hand-made, using many different mediums to make her magical miniatures, bookcases, cabinets of curiosities and fungi. Sam also uses foraged materials like fallen bark, wood, seeds & berries collected on her walks in local woodlands. Many of her items have little lights in them - everything looks more magical and beautiful with a bit of a sparkly light!
So, pop down to the Heritage Centre to meet Sam at her pop-up stall - you can browse and purchase your own miniature and chat to Sam about where she gets her ideas from and how her beautiful creations are made. Her creations would make wonderful gifts (we’re heading rapidly to Christmastime) or keep just for yourself!
Further information can be found here.
Date & Time - Sunday, 30th November 2025 - 12:30-14:00
Ever thought about learning to play a musical instrument - what about the ukulele? Then come along to our uke’ sessions and learn how.
There are a number of sessions planned until the end of the year, all on Sunday afternoons between 12.30pm – 2pm. This one is for Sunday 30th November, please see separate listings to book the other sessions.
Tutor Philip has played ukulele for longer than he can remember. Having ran uke’ workshops at JG Windows Music in Newcastle, as well as being a full time guitar/uke teacher, he’s now bringing his workshops to the Land of Oak & Iron Heritage Centre in Winlaton Mill.
Each session will involve learning some songs from scratch, with parts for beginners to more complex parts for those with previous experience. All the songs guaranteed jams that will be stuck in your head all week!
If you have your own ukulele please bring it along - let us know on the booking form if you would like the tutor to provide one for you.
Booking essential as limited places available. £9.50 per session. Please add in the booking notes if you have played before and if you can bring your own ukulele (or not).
Please note - tickets for our workshops, sessions and courses are non refundable. We may at our discretion transfer your ticket to another similar event.
Book your place here.
