As The Fabric of Winchester passes the halfway point, dozens of Winchester locals have already participated in the project, either attending one of the four Community Sewing Days held or by donating a piece of fabric, clothing, or bespoke sewn blocks for inclusion on one of the memory quilts.

Community Sewing Days have been held at St John’s Winchester, BellaCrafts, Theatre Royal Winchester, and The Winchester Bakery, with upcoming sessions at the Winchester Sports & Leisure Centre (October 13) and The Arc Winchester (October 22).

Given the demand, two final ‘drop-in’ sessions have been planned for Thursday, November 9 and Friday, November 10 at the St John’s Winchester Community Room, to enable participants to finish their blocks prior to the donation phase ending on Friday, November 10.

Speaking about the initiative’s success thus far, St John’s Winchester’s head of fundraising and Fabric of Winchester project lead, Maddie Cowell, said: “It’s been heart-warming to hear and collect the stories of Wintonians from across the district. We’ve felt so privileged every time someone has shared a special memory with us, even more so when it is expressed in a beautiful piece of fabric of handmade quilt block.”

The project has been a large-scale demonstration of community collaboration, with nearly 20 charities, local businesses and corporates providing support. This has included hosting Community Sewing Days, providing materials and resources for participants, and helping to spread the word across popular media, digital and print channels.

With just four weeks to go until the deadline for submissions, individuals, families, community groups, and schools are encouraged to donate a piece of fabric or clothing for inclusion, or to sew a square representing a memory or personal story.

This can be done at a Community Sewing Day or independently. Local businesses can also purchase a block to be made with their company logo or can submit a pre-branded piece of fabric (for example an item of clothing or uniform). All block donations should be accompanied by a Block Donation Form which will collect the stories alongside the individual squares.

The finished quilts will be displayed at The Arc Winchester between January 12-14 before being donated to Winchester Hospice as a gift from the community and St John’s Winchester.

Hampshire Chronicle: Community sewing day Community sewing day (Image: Peter Langdown)

DONATE A PIECE OF MEANINGFUL FABRIC

St John’s Winchester is encouraging members of the Winchester community and local businesses to donate a piece of fabric that holds a special memory to The Fabric of Winchester.

Recently donated to the project, a member of the Winchester community spoke about their fabric, a ‘krama’. 

They said: "My fabric represents a memory of a great exploration trip through Cambodia nearly 20 years ago.”

Kramas are sturdy traditional Cambodian garments with many uses, including as a scarf, bandanna, face covering, for decorative purposes, and as a hammock for children. Sometimes, they are also used as garrote by Bokator fighters, who wrap them around their waists, heads and fists. They are worn by men, women and children and are the Cambodian national symbol.

Alongside stitched blocks, fabric donations will be crafted into blocks by volunteer quiltmakers and then added to the memory quilts. There is no cost to donate a piece of fabric or a sewn square, although they should be submitted with a Block Donation Form to capture the story behind the fabric or clothing.

Hampshire Chronicle: Donated fabric Donated fabric (Image: Peter Langdown)

DEMENTIA SERVICE WALKING GROUP

At the beginning of 2023, St John’s Dementia Support set up a monthly walking group to recognise the need for regular activity for those with dementia and their carers.

The concept of ‘walking and talking’ is simple and fits with the philosophy of the St John’s Dementia team; to walk alongside the carers of those with dementia.

The group, supported by St John’s admiral nurses and a dementia support officer, walks and talks freely outdoors, often within the Hampshire countryside, as in many cases, those diagnosed with dementia find it more comfortable to talk without the constraints of being indoors.

One member, who regularly attends St John’s Memory Wellbeing Centre and often joins the walking group, said: “The walking group has had immeasurable benefits in terms of physical and mental health for both myself and my husband. It’s created companionship, support, and a lovely social occasion to enjoy the countryside a coffee or a pub lunch. It helps us feel normal when we can do everyday things with people who understand the challenges of doing this.”

Hampshire Chronicle: Walking group Walking group (Image: Peter Langdown)

COMMUNITY SEWING DAYS

1.30pm-6.30pm, Friday, October 13 – Winchester Sports and Leisure Park

11am-5pm, Sunday, October 22 – The Arc

NEW DROP-IN SESSIONS ADDED

10am-1pm, Thursday, November 9 and Friday, November 10 – St John’s Winchester Community Room

All Community Sewing Days are free to attend but registrations are advised. Attendees are encouraged to bring along any fabric with sentimental value, although materials and sewing machines will be available for use. The project’s memory artist, Katy Rundle, will be on hand to assist participants in translating their memories and stories into bespoke block designs.

HOW CAN YOU PARTICIPATE? 

  • Stitch your own 9” x 9” ‘block’ (the squares that make up a quilt) – you can do this independently and in your own time, or at one of our Community Sewing Days
  • Donate a piece of fabric of clothing – make sure to include a Block Donation Form with your fabric so that we can collect the story behind your contribution.
  • Join one of the free Community Sewing Days being hosted around Winchester.
  • Purchase a ‘Business Block’ for your business. Free of charge for charities and non-profits.
  • Share your memory or story along with any photos of your block on social media and use one of the hashtags: #FabricOfWinchester or #StitchedTogether
  • Sign up to receive Fabric of Winchester updates via the St John’s Winchester website.

SUPPORT THE ST JOHN’S DEMENTIA SUPPORT SERVICE

In recognising the power of personal stories, Fabric of Winchester participants are asked where possible to consider a gift of any size towards the St John’s Dementia Support service, donating for those whose memories are cherished.

With the support of the community, St John’s will be able to answer every call for help, meeting the unprecedented demand for the free service and transforming the quality of life for all those in Winchester living with dementia.