WFWP Birmingham/UK, Tapestry Group produces blankets for disaster relief

“Our Women’s Tapestry Group has been meeting on a regular basis since it began, more than 10 years ago! I think a big reason for this is combining the bigger public purpose of doing something practical to help others with the deepening of our individual friendships. The depth of our friendships is something very special to all of us.

The group was formed after one particular WFWP Women’s Peace Meeting on the topic of ‘Art and Spirituality’ around 2005, and our first project was to create a large tapestry, sewing our places of worship together with various scenes from around Birmingham.

The tapestry has been hung in various places, including the entrance to the city’s Council House and in the Interfaith Prayer Room of the newly built Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

We then moved on to making blankets for the victims of natural disasters, which have been sent to various parts of the world. In the process, we have had countless conversations and discussions, and drunk a very large number of cups of tea and coffee!

We have been meeting in different homes, but Gillian and Touria have been our main hostesses over the years.

Some of us have been through considerable personal difficulties during these years, and the group has been an invaluable support and a great comfort during those times. Both the practical side of sewing and crocheting, and the social side of chatting and discussing, have proved to be very therapeutic in their own way. We would have to say it is all ‘highly recommended’!”

Reported by Patricia Earle WFWP Birmingham/UK