On Friday 27th August, visual artist Hayley Louise Goodsell held a workshop at Metal Liverpool 'Online life drawing - how to draw strangers'. Participants were given materials and a drawing board and used the random strangers that came up on a Chatroulette style website as models.  

Chalkwell Hall Kitchen Garden is looking is looking green and lush from all the rain this week and last week and we are starting to enjoy the fruits of our labour.

The Kitchen Garden has four plots which are looked after by Metal, a group of willing volunteers from the local area, as well as the nearby Chalkwell Hall Primary School pupils who have taken on two beds as part of their curriculum learning. The last bed is used in the NVQ training for new recruits to Southend on Sea Borough Council Parks team and also some students on a short learning course at the local college.

If you are interested in helping volunteer sow, plant in, weed, water and share in the produce, or would like to find out more, please contact Grace by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or by calling 01702 470 700

Metal Liverpool was featured live on BBC's breakfast show this morning! Liverpool director Ian Brownbill was interviewed by BBC reporter Susannah Streeter and theatre collective The Suitcase Ensemble performed in front of cameras as well as our resident artists Adrian Jeans and James Quin.

Watch a summary of the feature here.

Summer Sundays, 18th July

On the 18th July, Metal opened the doors to Chalkwell Hall for a Vintage Summer Sunday, which saw the dining room transformed to a 1940s inspired tea-room by artist Tanya Day Falco. There was plenty of cakes on offer for the public, aswell as board games for children, and big kids! Our project room was an artist-led workshop where anyone could come in and help build a paper garden. In the park, there were plenty of activities from NatureSpaceCreative and a drum workshop for members of the public to learn new skills. A big thank you to all those involved, and we hope to see many of you at the next Summer Sunday on August 8th 11am - 4pm.