Memory quilt inauguration at New Larchwood

By Nicola Benge

Steve Andrews inaugurates the memory quilt

Photo from WRVS Heritage Plus Archive

Opening speech

Photo from WRVS Heritage Plus Archive

Cakes and quilts

Photo from WRVS Heritage Plus Archive

The New Larchwood group

Photo from WRVS Heritage Plus Archive

Project photo presentation

Photo from WRVS Heritage Plus Archive

Sandrine Case artist and Steve Andrews Community Development worker for Trust for Developing Communities

Photo from WRVS Heritage Plus Archive

Memory Quilt' unveiling

When:         Thursday 28th February 2008 at 2pm

Where:        New Larchwood Centre Community café, Waldron Ave, Coldean, East Sussex BN1 9EZ

Who:New Larchwood Heritage Plus reminiscence group, Coldean over 50's History Group, Steve Andrews Activities Coordinator, Sandrine Case Artist, Kirsty Henshall WRVS Heritage Plus Manager, Nicola Benge WRVS Project Coordinator

What:          The unveiling of new 'memory quilt' designed and made by New Larchwood & WRVS Heritage Plus over 55s reminiscence group in conjunction with artist Sandrine Case, commissioned by WRVS through the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Further information:

The event took place at the New Larchwood community café which has only recently opened to the public and which currently houses Coldean library. It is a beautiful way to help inaugurate the space and helps to support the Coldean over 55's community and promote positive aging through WRVS input. The second quilt will be held by the WRVS and used for travelling exhibitions and displays in other venues.

The participants of the project have created the wall hanging, over a set of 10 week reminiscence activities, during which time they looked at the theme of 'leisure' and their own experiences of play. They learnt different printing and textiles techniques and used these to create the panels which form the quilts. Two large quilts have been made with the support of the artist.

"I have been immensely impressed with the support I have received at New Larchwood from the WRVS with our Coldean Local History group who have now become rejuvenated and ready for a very positive 2008 thanks to the project's input. It has been just brilliant. I'm really impressed with the artwork completed, they really got stuck in, and I can't praise the WRVS highly enough ". Steve Andrews, New Larchwood Activities Coordinator