Dominique here today! Last week was extremely busy and we spent Saturday having a general tidy up. We had a helping hand from Kathryn, one of our volunteers. She spent a good few hours ironing all the red clothes which had been worn throughout the week, washed, and still slightly damp. I bought a beautiful hat from the charity shop round the corner and my afternoon was taken up painting it red. Teresa painted another hat and she gave her boots another coat of paint which will now take until Christmas to dry, never mind September. We had fun dressing up Kahn, St. John’s security man, in a red hat and tie! On Thursday for the launch, all his colleagues will be joining him in wearing the red accessories.
It was really lovely coming into a tidy shop this morning. We made a brew and had 30 seconds to admire Saturdays hard work, then in walked our first customer. Not only our first customer of the day but the first person also to have an adverse reaction to our shop and our project. Quite an old lady, about 70ish, and quite adamant that our project wasn’t art. She launched her attack and we spent 10 minutes defending ourselves and our opinion of what we think art is. Not good enough an explanation(i don’t think she was even listening), off she stomped, tutting and shaking her head. I don’t think she’ll be back to do the walk. Pity. A breath of fresh air when Celia Cross came in to dress up in red and she looked fantastic, and despite the wet and windy weather, we set off on the walk. We almost made it to the square when we spotted some red things in the window of a charity shop. In we went and came out with two red bags, a red dress and a skirt for me which will look nice with boots in winter. Peter(Mr Cappuccino) seemed in a good mood which is always a bonus. We engaged in conversation with a young man who would be ‘up for wearing red’ if he can find a red Henly’s t-shirt. A lady from Manchester whose car was being serviced came over and asked us why we we’re dressed in red and if she could take a photograph. We asked her if she was interested in doing the red walk and she explained how she never normally comes to Preston but she does go to Bury so she’ll come and see us there. We then went back to the shop and Elaine came with the projector and a big piece of plasticky material to be put up in the window which sounds easy enough. Two hours of smoothing out creases, creating more, smoothing them out, creating more….. and eventually, we sort of got there. We shall finish it off tomorrow as we had to leave before the gates to the centre were closed and we were locked in.
Teresa here. Today was another mad and busy day. Philippa called in to see us and we had Adele and Gemma to help us. Thank goodness for those two. We all walked together with Catrina who came in prepared in her very short red mini dress and brought new shoes to be dyed. We had a very interesting time painting the shoes, my old boots (they’ve not a hope of drying before September due to my over excitement with the lovely red paint) and we all sang along to David Bowie, happy in our madness. We bought a new cd as my lovely grandson snapped the needle on the record player on Tuesday. I resorted to my boots and trousers, which I dyed last night, due to my feet killing me with all the walking round in silly shoes. The afternoon was great as the rest of yesterday’s family came in minus one brother. Try as I might I just couldn’t convince the 14 year old niece that it really is a cool thing to walk around Preston dressed totally in red. I can so understand her as she’d seen endless mates around town and even in her ordinary clothes she kept a discreet distance from us and insisted she was the only sane one around. Not to worry, I don’t think I’m losing the knack and I remembered my own 14 year old experiences with my 3 children and gave up gracefully and admitted defeat. We ended our Friday on a lovely note with fish, chips and mushy peas as looking at the photographs of me, I simply couldn’t get any worse – famous last words. They were gorgeous though and it has to been done sometimes.
Teresa and Dominique here today. We didn’t blog yesterday as we were victims of our own success. We left the shop, after another hectic day, at 5.30 just before they locked us in and we were both shattered when we finally returned home. Shona from Clitheroe, Rebecca and Robina walked yesterday, Shona being the first brave lady to venture forth on her own. She certainly got into the spirit of the project and had a red makeover, including a manicure. Robina took an hour off work especially for the occasion and Rebecca had been DIYing with her friend in Manchester and was seriously not looking forward to dressing up – thank you Rebecca. Today, we were totally intent on tidying up our mess, ironing the clothes and generally having an easy day. No, it didn’t turn out that way. We had to go in search of red tights (can’t get enough of them actually) and red clothes in general (people do believe its a real shop and its getting painful). Even with all our meaderings and turning up at the shop 40 minutes later than our normal prompt selves at 10am we still managed to beat Martin (only joking Martin) but we did. Sorry Jenna for being late and we promise next Tuesday we won’t be. Anyway, all our efforts with total strangers are paying off as another lovely family came bouncing into the shop this afternoon, that we’d spoken to previously. Just as we decided that we’d have to drag someone in and forceably dress them up, in they came and willingly too!! Lawrence, Gail and their son Simon. We had a really great time and we think they did too, we’re hoping so. They did say they were going to try and enlist their daughter and all come back on 1 August for the mass walk. On the last minute just as we sat down for lunch (or funch as it is now known, because it becomes quite a joke trying to eat and almost impossible) in came 2 more people. Wanting to buy our red clothes again. Tomorrow at 10.30am the whole family are coming in to dress up and as tomorrow is another day we shall see.
Dominique here. Today we were interviewed at Preston FM by two lovely ladies in an incredibly hot room, made hotter by my nerves as it was my first time on the radio. I was hoping to stay quiet and let my mum do the talking; anyone who remotely knows her knows she’s good at talking. Unfortunately i wasn’t so lucky and had a few questions thrown in my direction but it seemed to go ok. The interview will be aired between 8:30 and 10:30 on Friday morning.
It was a very busy day again, and despite the terrible weather we had three eager walkers in Red. James, Wednesday and Adele all marched off in Red with a spring in their step and their umbrellas at the ready. They all enjoyed themselves and spent a good while sat on the square, drinking their coffee and soaking in the experience. Job well done and we’re looking forward to tomorrow!
Teresa here again. Yesterday, Saturday, Julie came along to the St John’s Centre to give me a hand. First thing was the usual tasks of ironing and hanging the clean clothes. It feels almost like a real shop when we arrive in the mornings and I have to remind myself at times that this is an art project and not a commercial venture. I can almost imagine opening a ‘red cafe’ and, judging by the interest we’ve had from passers by, we could possibly do well. Just a few tables and chairs, open up the cafe serving mostly red food, selling red things, dressed in red and who knows? Anyway, I digress. We received some more red clothes, from people interested in the project, to join our ever growing collection. They will come in handy without a doubt and it seems our handouts must be working. Just when we were getting peckish and after we’d bought butties from the local shop, our lovely family came bounding full of life into the shop. I just knew they’d come back with their 2 beautiful little boys whose clothes were ready, clean and dyed, awaiting their arrival. We had great fun dressing them all up and I must say they look fabulous as they ventured forth on the circular walk around Preston. Julie (who had entered into the spirit and picked some clothes earlier) decided she would get her walk over and done with – she’s a bit reserved and said afterwards she felt a bit self conscious at times, as the total red clothing and the collection of people dressed in red presents quite a striking image, on a miserable day especially, and is always guaranteed to provoke a great deal of attention. I have noted the comments which the stallholders on the market are making and they have definitely noticed that the red walkers are coming from the St John’s Centre. In fact 2 actually came in later in the afternoon to have a look around the shop and find out what we were up to. They both said they loved it and it felt quite rewarding to hear that. Well, I must say the Saturday walkers all looked pretty good to me and as I followed or ran ahead to take photos I was aware of how the group encourages onlookers to smile as a response to their passing by and I have only ever heard positive remarks en route. It was a rewarding day for me personally and I believe that all 5 participating in the day’s activities had a unique experience and I’m looking forward to seeing them all again on 1 August when we will be having the mass ‘red’ walk around Preston.
