When is a jumper not a jumper?
When it holds feelings, memories and family stories. And when it is the catalyst for a ripping yarn.
Those thoughts and emotions connected to articles of clothing form the backdrop to a project showcasing the work of Dundee actor and storyteller Jade Anderson.
And through the week-long Wee Wardrobe event, a city community project hopes to change people’s thinking around the meaning of our clothes and how we use them
Gate Church initiative
Jade has been working with the Gate Church carbon saving project’s community wardrobe to stage the Wee Wardrobe at Dundee’s Wellgate Centre.
She visited community groups throughout the city for the Oor Stories exhibition.
Young and old shared stories about special items in their wardrobes.
Jade said, “Over the past six months I’ve been working with a variety of groups across the city and I have learned a lot.
“I’m very excited for them all to come along and see their work on display.”
And there will be opportunities for visitors to take clothes from the community wardrobe’s rails.
For this week, it has been re-named as Ab’dy’s Wardrobe.
Visitors will learn new ways to upcycle fabric, have a knit and natter and repair their own clothes.
They can take part in storytelling workshops where boring old t-shirts will turn into fantastic tales.
It is all part of the Gate Church carbon saving project’s ambition to encourage the people of Dundee to lower their carbon footprint.
Inspiration
Project assistant Joyce Reid said: “It is becoming increasingly obvious we need to cut down on our waste.
“An important part of that is looking at our clothes differently, valuing what we have and finding new uses for items when we no longer want to wear them.
“Jade has inspired us, and all those she has visited over the past six months, and really got us thinking in a new way.”
Wee Wardrobe expansion hopes
Groups who would like to run their own scheme will receive a Wee Wardrobe starter pack.
“We would love to see a number of Wee Wardrobes running throughout Dundee,” Joyce said.
“Those who visit can swap the clothes they no longer need, thereby extending the life of those garments.
“It would be ideal for community groups, scouts, brownies or even a workplace.”
Jade is taking part in Cultivate, a pilot project run by Creative Dundee to bring artists and climate challenge groups together.
The project uses creativity as a springboard for sharing and growing the skills, knowledge and confidence to change things.
Wee Wardrobe runs daily until Friday from 11am to 4pm on Level 2 of the Wellgate Centre.
