CarFest sell out surprise for Newbury's family of T-shirt screenprinters

After a busy summer, which has seen Berkshire Printmakers run workshops at Russell Brand’s community festival in Hay on Wye, with Berkshire Youth at The Waterside Centre, Salisbury Council and City Arts, Newbury. As well as during term time visiting a number of local primary and secondary schools.

The Newbury family-run business took their children’s T-shirt printing workshops to CarFest South.

CarFest was set up nine years ago by Virgin Radio’s Chris Evans as a family-friendly festival raising funds for children’s charities including Children in Need and the Teenage Cancer Trust. This year’s music headliners included Rag and Bone Man and Paloma Faith.

All of Berkshire Printmakers 12 workshops and three pop-up printing sessions across the three days were sold out. With 180 children, printing their own T-shirt to take home as a souvenir of the festival.

Sarah Martinez of Berkshire Printmakers said: “We love silkscreen printing, but we have found it is being taught less and less in schools. This year we thought we try something completely different but we couldn’t have believed it would be so popular.

"Printing in a field does have it difficulties, with the hot temperatures this summer meaning extra washing as the dry conditions made the ink block the screens.

"Working at the festivals has meant we have met families from all over the country and it so rewarding watching the children seeing their own printed T-shirt design for the very first time.”

Autumn brings more new local collaborations, with Berkshire Printmakers taking their adult workshops to Buick Mackane in West Mills for an evening of creating, tapas and wine and running a tote bag printing session for children at The Elcot Park Retreat.

They will be returning to run workshops at The Base, Greenham and City Arts, Newbury.

For more information you can get in touch with Berkshire Printmakers email@berkshire_printmakers@yahoo.com or find them on Facebook and Instagram