Stitch Story 16 - Montage

Stitch story was an ambitious project, that brought together over 8,000 Tewkesbury residents in one wonderful new community embroidery. People were invited to take part and add their handiwork and history to this impressive fabric piece, over 6 metres in length.

At the heart of the project is Tewkesbury community artist and embroiderer Jo Teague, who conceived the initial idea and has been leading sessions and helping residents with their stitching.

Jo said: “It has been great fun to do the workshops. I am telling stories that many people already knew about our town, trying to remind people of all those who have lived here before us and the impact they had and continue to have on the town and our lives.

“From five-year-olds acting out the Battle of Tewkesbury to sitting with the older generations being told their stories of characters such as John Moore, it has been a great privilege to be part of those conversations.

Tewkesbury artist, Sam Morris, created the embroidery illustration and has been documenting the project with photos and weekly video vlogs. Sam believes that the timing of the project, following two years of living within the boundaries imposed by Covid-19 has contributed to its success.

Sam said: “At a time when isolation had robbed us all of social confidence, I’ve personally witnessed Tewkesbury’s community spirit create an outlook of hope through art and storytelling. Tewkesbury is a town made up of creative people and places which I am so proud to be part of.”

Community Engagement Producer, Megan Dunford added: “The Stitchstory project as evolved into something I could have never dreamt about when starting this during a dark and gloomy December last year.

“Five months down the line and we have had, literally, over 8,000 people, come to us, hold their hand out, take a needle and poke it into the fabric, find it and pull it through and bring it back up again, and many of these 8,000 have done it again and again, adding many stitches.

“Such a simple act, but something bigger than that - they have given us their time, shared their memories and by doing so shown an act of solidarity and of support. We've been warmly welcomed into all the schools, into shops, into churches, into community halls, into close-knit groups, into people's businesses and homes.”