POETRY IN THE PARK

Before CoCoMAD begins

The trees stand with a hundred years’ worth of patience under their belts – but even they are beginning to itch for the festivities to begin; for the first song to ring out through the leaves and for laughter to be shared like bread between strangers and friends. The trees are waiting for us to join them, to walk between them in this: divine celebration of a thousand front doors opening and coming together across concrete to the grass. They wait for this community to lay spread out for a day – singing in the rain if it falls and basking in the sun if it comes. Sharing smiles. Feasting on the day together. These trees of the park stand in waiting for our footsteps to be cast in the ground surrounding them. Hundreds of us. Overlapping, as One.

CoCoWOOD will celebrate all things wooden, with activities for all ages. The wood festival will be a fun way for you to learn about the importance of trees and how to use wood and tools. CoCoWOOD will also promote environmental awareness.

CoCoWOOD will have spoon carving, tree poems, bowl turning and axe demonstrations. You’ll find knife skills workshops, a handmade wooden craft

Volunteers

CoCoMAD is entirely run by volunteers, since our first event in 1997.

Would you like to volunteer for CoCoMAD, or for Cotteridge Park?

There’s always something to do, including gardening, litter picking, festivals stewards, and shifts at The Shed. We’re always looking for more volunteers to help spread the workload, and we’re a really friendly bunch.

Email Emma, FOCP on: info@cotteridgepark.org.uk

If you see our volunteers at the festival say hello and give them a wave. The festival couldn’t take place without them!

How is it ‘FREE’?

CoCoMAD isn’t ‘FREE’, it’s paid for by a mixture of sponsorship from local businesses, fees paid by traders and your donations.

The festival costs about £22k (most of the work is done by volunteers). If every person (adults and children) put at least £3 in the buckets we can keep CoCoMAD going.

The rest of the cost is covered by the lovely organisations that sponsor the programme (please take some time to read through their adverts later), and the fees from stallholders. Please chip in - via textgiving or donation buckets. BRING CASH TO COCOMAD!

market and nature games. Not only that - experience fire lighting techniques, folklore and willow crowns. As part of the CoCoWOOD area, there will be a place to carve and chat and an area to chill out and take a breather. There’s something for everyone!

To book on to the knife skills workshop please email info@pathcarvers.co.uk, £10pp or pay what you can.