‘Romance and Reality’ Costume Exhibition By Andrea Galer Supporting the Power of Hands Foundation 25th June - 23rd July 2009 Open Monday - Saturday 11am-5pm and Sundays 11am-4pm at Wells and Mendip www.wellsmuseum.org.uk

In 2008 ‘Romance and Reality’and the world of Jane Austen is an exhibition which uses her costumes to bring awareness to the plight of the lace makers in Galle and the development of social conscious products.

Andrea went to Sri Lanka 3 months after the 2004 Tsunami to help the crafts workers rebuild their lives this has lead to her being the founder of the charity ’Power of Hands Foundation’. Currently raising funds for impoverished female craft workers in Sri Lanka. They desperately need decent living conditions work facilities and training, to help them out of the poverty and to become self sufficient. Even though the unique skills of the crafts women enable them to produce some of the most beautiful lace in the world, they struggle to survive. ‘Power of Hands Foundation’ is raising funds to improve the lives of these women.