Rockbourne Fair open for business at Salisbury Racecourse

The Rockbourne Fair opened today, Wednesday, October 18  at the Salisbury Racecourse and is on until Friday, October 20 with late-night shopping on Thursday until 8pm and money is raised for the Stars Appeal. 

Committee Chair, Bev Moulding said: "We're looking forward to seeing familiar faces and meeting new people who make the journey to ‘Shop the Rock’. Let's make it a fair to remember. "

Read more: Rockbourne Fair officially opens

New to The Rockbourne Fair, Becky Berry who is based in Durrington has been making tree ornaments for about five years. 

She hand sculpts her intricate mouse ornaments using a Victorian method called spun cotton.  Each item is unique and takes up to two weeks to make including its drying time. 

Becky Berry at Rockbourne Fair (Image: Newsquest)She said: "It is labour intensive but I love it. I am getting more experimental and love my time in the studio. I have more ideas than I have time.  I make cards too, these are all my images, each one is unique and I hand-paint on the gold."

Becky has two daughters and admitted that their imaginations spark new ideas. 

Susie Highfield Ceramics (Image: Newsquest)

Susie Highfield only started creating her ceramics this year and has been attending the Salisbury Arts Scene events at the Sunday Markets.

This is her first time at the Rockbourne Fair and her stand is filled with a variety of art-linked chain links.  Each piece goes through three different processes and she never knows how the glazing will work out. It is an aspect of the process that appeals. 

She said: "These are live sculptures. "

Read more: New Forest rules broken by 700 people

Cockles and Heart is based in Devon and for Shona Duncan, it is a labour of love. She used to grow herbs pre-covid but when that did not work as well, she began to make candles using old china as holders.  

Cockles and Heart (Image: Newsquest)She now attends auctions all over Wiltshire searching for the right china holder. 

Shona said: "I didn't want to use new containers, it made sense to recycle and I can refill the candle. We use sunflower and olive wax blended with beeswax with essential oils."

Oxton Liqueur Company (Image: Newsquest)

The Oxton Liqueur Company from Nottinghamshire started seven years ago in an unexpected way. 

Christopher Eadie said: "We were given a plum tree in 91 when we moved into the house and about 10 years ago, we had a glut of plums. We needed to do something with them and I made gin."

They attended fairs and the products began to sell out. For Christopher, the rest is history and there is now a variety of gins, vodkas and whisky. 

Each purchase made at the Rockbourne Fair helps the Stars Appeal at Salisbury District Hospital which has a target of £1 million.