CREATIVE residents are being invited to take part in a public art project for this year’s Harwich Festival of the Arts.

A free textiles workshop is being held at Harwich Library, in Kingsway, on Tuesday, March 26, from 10.30am-noon.

With the theme of this year’s festival being Turning over a New Leaf - the public are being asked to create textile leaves which will creep up Ha’penny Pier’s lamp-posts as part of the summer celebrations.

Michael Offord, Harwich Festival’s general manager, said: “We’ll be celebrating the beauty of nature in the shape of magical vines which will creep up out of the river and ramble up around the lamp-posts on Ha’penny Pier. I’m hoping plenty of people will turn their hand to making a leaf or two to help me create this natural wonder.”

A template will be given to residents so they have the correct size and shape of the leaf.

They can they use any textile technique they fancy and make the leaf whatever colour they want. It can be as simple or as intricate as desired.

Finished leaves can be handed in at the Box Office in Harwich Library, no later than the end of May.

Mr Offord added: “Last year the urban textile project was a huge success with around 600 pieces submitted by local residents and displayed on Ha’penny Pier. This year we hope to do even better.

“Monique de Vlieger has run a number of workshops which have been well attended with people of all ages taking part. I am really excited to see all the work displayed during this year’s festival which will run from June 20 until June 30.”

If you cannot attend a workshop templates are on the festival’s website. For more information, see www.harwichfestival.co.uk, or call Monique on 01255 556517.