Following the launch of the new Battle Twinning Association's Tapestry project last month, the first public stitching session opened last Thursday (15th February 2018) at an event held in Battle Library.

Among the visitors who came to the well-attended stitching session Chairman of the Twinning Association, Michael Betts, welcomed East Sussex High Sheriff, Mrs Maureen Chowen and her husband, Michael, and Bexhill and Battle MP, Huw Merriman. The visitors first had to make a few practice stitches under the watchful eye of Tina Greene, designer of the Battle Tapestry and initiator of the joint Tapestry projects with the Battle Twin town of St. Valery-sur-Somme. Several experienced stitchers who helped Tina create the Battle Tapestry also attended. Both Twinning Associations are stitching copies of scenes from the Bayeux Tapestry: Battle Twinners are recreating the arrival of William and his troops in Pevensey and their friends in St Valery are preparing the scene where William is embarking his army prior to setting sail for England.

A good community spirit developed during the course of the afternoon and this positive atmosphere was noted by all the visitors, who found the stitching experience relaxing, in spite of the concentration required to make accurate stitches! Michael Betts expressed his thanks to all the visitors for coming along to help make this first public session a great success. He and Tina thanked Mandy Baldwin, Manager of Battle Library and the local staff for helping to create a real community event in the Library, noting that the refurbished facilities in the Library, particularly the new lighting, are really suitable for these stitching activities. Future sessions of the project will be held in the Library from 2-4pm on each Thursday and, in addition, some Saturday sessions are being organised, the first of which will take place on 10th March.

Tina will help initiate the St Valery part of the project when she takes the Battle Tapestry to St Valery for a special exhibition (running from 13-20 March) and helps the St Valery team to start their section of the tapestry. The aim is for both projects to be completed by the end of August in time for the 2018 annual joint Twinning Associations' meeting, taking place this year in St Valery-sur-Somme.