The day The Crocus Gallery flew

93 days after being conceived in the Crocus Café, the bird (or the 'gallery' as it is better known) took to the air. A remarkable achievement by any measure, which has been achieved without any money as such. Everything to make the project happen has been either given, begged or borrowed. By far the most significant gift has been the time and efforts of all the volunteers which have got The Crocus Gallery community led arts project to the point where it was able to open yesterday.  This blog was started with the intention of being as much as a chronicle as about publicising the project. As for yesterday. Well, what a day! Truly enjoyable and with its moments. If Lenton has a glitterati, then yesterday was the day to see it — Nottinghamshire Life eat your heart out on this…

Fiona was there an hour before the opening preparing a table of 'nibbles' for the guests and volunteers, who were due to arrive for 12 noon, when the gallery would officially open. Doesn't she look like 'Amelie'?

Perhaps this pic shows it better. If only I had a better camera and had time to pose the shot instead of taking a quick snap. Thanks Fiona for all your hard work.

There were other preparations going on before the moment when Dave Trimble, one of our local Nottingham city councillors who represent Dunkirk and Lenton ward, cut the ribbon and declared The Crocus Gallery 'open'. There was Robert cleaning the windows (unfortunately there was too much reflection in the pics I took, so I have been unable to use one). Alex, Steve, Usuf and Alyn busied themselves with last touch finishes and I did my bit as well — which is why there are few pics of the final hour before opening.

You see what I mean about 'glitterati'? Nottinghamshire Life, where the county set and the new money pose every month to show off their wealth and superiority, couldn't match this for class in a hundred years. Dave, Jacqui and Danushka soak up the mid-day sum before going inside.

Three Lenton stalwarts, Patsy, Marion and Sarah, capture the mood of the occasion. All smiles and clearly enjoying themselves. Between them, they have put in many years of effort, along with others, to ensuring that Lenton's 1960s shopping precinct has survived far better than nearly all the other precincts in Nottingham of a similar age and style.

A few feet away and another small group enjoy the opening. Parbinder and Caroline 2nd from right ( I will have other names tomorrow).

It looks all quite leisurely in this pic, but, at times, everyone was rubbing elbows, which made being able to take pics, talk and eat the odd samosa (and lovely they were) very difficult.

On such occasions, there are always folk the camera seems drawn towards and this special group is no exception. I could tell you things about all of them, but to have them in one spot and to capture them altogether. Well, that is quite a feat. Jacqui, Lesley, Dave and Sarah are part of the glue which bonds Lenton together and makes it a great place to live.

My last pic from the day shows Danushka preparing for the first-ever workshop in The Crocus Gallery. I never got back to photograph the participants, as I went off with Dave and Sarah to get some local Labour Party 'campaign' pics for next year's Nottingham City Council elections, when Dave will be seeking re-election and Sarah will be the other Dunkirk and Lenton Labour Party candidate.

I want to end on a light note. This is Alyn posing beside his exhibit — 'A Damian Penny', 'one of a limited edition of 100', price £10. It was found on the gallery floor whilst cleaning up and became the first exhibit to go on display. Stranger things than this have made fortunes for artists. Maybe Alyn will get lucky!

All in all, a great day. Alex from the Forum was also taking pics, so I will she if she has any I can add.  In the meantime, enjoy what I hope is a lovely memory of the day The Crocus Gallery 'flew' for the first time.