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TurboCharged webpage

The Turbine House at Blake’s Lock is a fascinating piece of Reading’s industrial history. It is also a beautiful space, enabling you to step out over the River Kennet to see the weir originally created by the monks of Reading Abbey, and it’s a great place to view the river’s wildlife. The space is available for exhibitions through Reading Museum. It’s a unique Reading arts venue.

TurboCharged is a project running in 2017 to help everyone appreciate a little more of Reading’s culture and heritage by making the Turbine House area better known, helping those running exhibitions and activities there and evaluating its usage.

Reading-based charity RG Spaces (registration number 1160023) is collaborating with Reading Museum and Bel and the Dragon to deliver a TurboCharged summer at Blake’s Lock.

If you are interested in holding an exhibition please contact elaine.blake@reading.gov.uk

Here’s a plan of the Turbine House interior

And click here to see what it’s like inside

CLICK TO GO TO THE MAIN TURBOCHARGED PAGE

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All of a Twist webpage

A collection of info on various twisty/turny stuff.

Inspired by the turbine itself and aided by Reading-based scientists, local charity RG Spaces is mounting this exhibition to explore various aspects of twisting in, on, above and beside Reading’s rivers.

Exhibits touch on:
twisting in the natural world – DNA, spirogyra, structure of willow,  spiralling plants, the weir & river flow itself
twisting for strength – wool spinning, towrope
twisting for transport- rowing, paddling (canoing and coracle), narrowboat propeller
twisting in air – Reading as tornado alley, red-kites & thermals
twisting for power – past (the Abbey watermill and the Blake’s Lock turbine), present (the Archimedes and syphonic turbines at Sonning and Mapledurham), future (the Reading Hydro plans for Caversham weir).

The exhibition is open to everyone 10am-6pm 2-15 September 2017 which overlaps with the national Heritage Open Days and much of the new Reading-on-Thames Festival. We are also arranging various group visits and hope that some local schools can walk to the site to explore twistiness and this quirky corner of Reading’s industrial heritage.

Over the national Heritage Open Days 7-10 September there will be ‘Extra Twists’.

Thursday 7th & Friday 8th morning Jelly Tots All of a Twist workshops [booking advisable]

Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th 10am, 10.30am, 11am, 11.30am, 12noon mini drop-in drop-spindling workshops

Saturday 2.30pm Spinning wheel demonstration

Sunday 10.30am Willow weaving demonstration

Sunday 2.30pm Spinning demonstration

PRESS RELEASE

All of a Twist at Reading’s Turbine House and Bel & the Dragon

Taking inspiration from Reading’s Victorian Turbine House on the River Kennet, “All of a Twist” is an exhibition taking a lighthearted look at twisty-turny stuff in, on, above and beside Reading’s rivers.

Visitors can try out twisty water-based experiments, learn about twists in science from DNA to whirling red-kites, take a Reading-based look at rowing history, find out about Reading’s use of water-power from the Abbey mill to the planned Caversham turbine and have a go at drop spindling.

Two dozen Reading-based scientists, artists and techies have contributed to the exhibition which is also set to be yarn-bombed by the Thames Path Together Community Art Project.

During the national Heritage Open Days 7-10 September there will be “Extra Twists”, demonstrations and mini-workshops on twistiness, ranging from Jelly Tots sessions on wind spinners to a willow-weaving demonstration.

All of a Twist runs 2-15 September open 10am-6pm daily at the Turbine House, Riverside Museum and Bel &the Dragon, off Kenavon Drive RG1 3EQ. Admission Free. There are some slots available for school and group visits 11-14 September.

Contact: Annette Haworth, trustee RG Spaces (Registered Charity number 1160023)

website: http://turbocharged.org.uk/

email: info@rgspaces.org.uk

phone: 07704251105

image: http://turbocharged.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/All-of-a-Twist-and-Turbine-House-1.jpg

poster: http://turbocharged.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/all-of-a-twist-poster.jpg