On the Sunday 29th of June 2025 the Coat of Hopes – an ever evolving, community created patchwork coat, on a pilgrimage through Britain towards the end of the climate and ecological emergency – will be arriving in Folkestone, after a walk of nearly 1800 miles.
The Coat’s Story
The Coat of Hopes is now in the 4th year of pilgrimage, with no end in sight. The Coat is committed to keep walking whilst we remain in a state of climate and ecological crisis. Wherever the Coat goes, it carries an invitation. It calls all who are willing to wear it, hear its song, and stand for a moment in consciousness of our connection – with each other, all who have made and worn the Coat before us, and all life. The Coat invites us to stop, to be present, and consider the way we live. Thousands of people have participated in this way.
The journey began in August 2021 with a blank coat, setting out from Newhaven (on the south coast of England). The Coat journeyed to COP26, the United Nations Climate summit in Glasgow. Since then, the Coat has gathered blanket patches, stitched with people’s hopes for the places they live in the face of climate breakdown. Local people sewed the patches into the Coat at overnight stops all along the way. Currently consisting of at least 700 contributions, this practice continues with the walk.
Welcome the Coat of Hopes
Along with the pilgrims accompanying the Coat, we invite you to come and welcome, see, touch and wear this extraordinary and well-travelled garment at Folkestone Museum from 1.30pm.
This is not a funded project, but a free movement of people for hope in our shared future. It happens only through the good will of people who choose to walk, sew, sing for, feed or shelter strangers. All are welcome to join this work in any of those ways.
