NEWSLETTER 11

MARCH 03

The high point for us in 2001 was the visit of Her Majesty the Queen to the Walled Garden when she inspected the embroidery and took tea with our embroiderers and helpers. The most significant event last year was the exhibition of the embroidery at the House of Commons, which was preceded by our attendance at the Teddington Landmark Centre when we supported the exhibition put on by the Arts organisation whose members all worked in the past for Thames Television. Our hope this year is to make a start on our building in the Walled Garden - - - but more of that later.

HOUSE OF COMMONS EXHIBITION

Members of Parliament are allowed to arrange exhibitions in the Upper Waiting Hall of the House of Commons to attract attention to activities taking place in their constituencies. Such opportunities are in great demand and are allocated following a secret ballot. In 2001 our MP David Wilshire was successful in the ballot and we were due to exhibit soon after Her Majesty’s visit, but, the calling of the General Election prevented this from happening. Following his re-election David Wilshire asked whether we would like him to try again, which he did, and was lucky enough to be successful again. As was the case with the Queen’s visit this exhibition took a lot of organisation and a great deal of contact with Officers of the House of Commons, and our MP and his partner Ann Palmer. Invitations had to be designed, printed and set out, and all the logistics of safely transporting and setting up the embroidery all had to be thought through as well as coping with the security matters involved. Understandably our embroiderers are concerned that whenever the embroidery is moved it is completely protected. For this journey we had to take extra special precautions to ensure not only its secure transport, but its safety within the House of Commons, as it had to be moved along lengthy corridors and up a number of flights of stairs. We were lucky enough to have the help of Mark Edwards who made up a number of tough travelling cases complete with carrying handles at cost. Mark is one of the top builders of traditional boats, and he built the shallop ‘Lady Mayoress’ (now owned by the Company of Watermen and Lightermen) at Turks Boat Yard in Thames Street, so he has good Sunbury connections. We are most grateful for his help. Having wrapped the embroidery it had to be taken to Westminster and we needed a van large enough to completely take the longest elements, stands, models, lighting and tables. Again local help was given by Mark Perton of Perton Signs who provided a capacious vehicle and safely took us up and brought us back once the exhibition was over, and we are deeply appreciative of his help which was freely given. We are also very grateful to local taxi driver Peter Leadbeater, who cheerfully ferried embroiderers and stewards up and down from Sunbury to Westminster twice a day in his very comfortable car.

To display the embroidery and the new explanatory panels we needed more stands, and in view of the condition of the original ones it was agreed to build five new ones in beech. These were made in the Boathouse at Riverbank by Robert Shaw and David Brown, with the expert assistance of David Charnock who brought a knowledge of joinery without which our work would have been much more difficult. The stands required special hinges to allow them to fold down, and again David Tompkins, husband of our Deputy Chief Embroiderer Carol came to the rescue and made the necessary items. All this work cost money, but luckily David Wilshire kindly arranged funding to cover the expenditure, and we express our great thanks to BP International who gave us £1,500 to cover much of our costs, and the British Airports Authority who funded the catering for the exhibition’s formal opening ceremony.

The interior of the House of Commons is highly decorated with carved stone, mosaic tiled floors and many wall paintings, and this was the case in the Upper Waiting Hall. We were concerned that the embroidery might not be able to compete, but we need not have worried as we were able to lay it out in a similar fashion to that we will use in the Walled Garden Centre and it looked magnificent. Our resident photographer Vic Kettle took some wonderful photographs, one of which has been made into a new card now on sale in the Workshop. The exhibition was formally opened by Penelope Keith after which David Wilshire hosted a reception in the Jubilee Room. Refreshments were prepared by members of the Sunbury Manor School’s catering staff and expertly served by senior school students. We are grateful to Mrs. Louise Duncan the School’s headmistress for allowing the staff and students to help in this way, and were delighted that she and her Deputy Head were able to attend. We were equally grateful to the Sunbury Guides who, under the leadership of Anna Peck handed out refreshments and information leaflets and generally helped make the opening such a success. David Wilshire kindly took the students and guides on a tour of the House.

The exhibition attracted many people and embroidery members talked to many MPs, Lords and Ministers as well as business people and other interested parties. A number of Officers of the House commented on what an outstanding exhibition it was, and more than a few felt it was the best they had seen put on there. For those of us who acted as stewards it was a most interesting and enjoyable event, and well worth all the effort involved in putting it on. A number of good funding leads are being followed up and some donations were received whilst we were there.

THE LANDMARK CENTRE EXHIBITION

As an ex-employee in Thames Television’s Graphic Department, John Stamp was instrumental in getting us to exhibit at the Landmark Centre in Teddington. Once again we were concerned that the building might overpower the embroidery as its internal space is so lofty and cathedral-like, but again we need not have worried. Fully lit it looked magnificent, and the organisers had insured that it would have a central location as the focus of the exhibition. Many hundreds of people attended and it was another most enjoyable occasion. The organisers subsequently thanked us with a donation of £250.00. John Stamp’s personal work, which he also exhibited, looked outstanding and was as good as anyone else’s on display.

THE EMBROIDERY CENTRE

Having got the exhibitions out of the way the Trustees and Committee have once again concentrated on fundraising, and have carefully reflected on ways of getting the building work underway. We have been loath in the past to consider phasing the building, but think we have found a way of getting things going later this year, as long as our fundraising meets the financial targets. After much discussion between ourselves and outside authorities such as Lisa Dawson, a National Trust Textile Conservator, we are now pursuing Phase 1 that will give us the dedicated gallery in which to display the embroidery, sufficient area for refreshments and the necessary back-up facilities. We feel sufficiently optimistic that we will be able to instruct our consultants to proceed to tender stage on 1^st May 2003 so that estimates can be obtained in the autumn, and if funds permit a start on site soon after, with an opening on the 1^st May 2004. Obviously everything depends on raising the money, but the gap is now much narrower, and if we can raise a further £60,000 - £70,000 by September this year we can get things underway.

EVENTS – PAST and TO COME

Gerry Cook, our events organiser, did brilliantly last year and arranged many enjoyable evenings which culminated in the "Carols, Pies and Punch" event just before Christmas. This was organised by him with Corinne Sharp who brought together musicians and performers in the Riverside Arts Centre. Earlier, in October, we enjoyed a light musical evening conducted by William Godfree and Simon Lane, and it was so enjoyed by both audience and performers that they will return with a further offering later this year. In October Norman Willis, who has been a great supporter of our efforts, gave an "Irreverent Audience" at Sunbury Cricket Club, which was followed in November by our now traditional "Life and Soul" evening at St. Paul’s School.

Already this year Moira Edwards has kindly arranged a celebration of St. David’s Day with "Words and Music on a Welsh Theme", and this was thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended. This is the second event organised by Moira and our thanks go to her and her other performers for so willingly giving their support in this way. Her evenings are so completely well organised and rehearsed, and the results are always so professional.

On the 26^th April a Quiz Night will take place at Sunbury Cricket Club for those of you who wish to sharpen your brains by searching their remotest crannies for the answers to those questions which you somehow know you know but have difficulty in recalling. In May Corinne Sharp hopes to arrange a special evening in collaboration with local restaurants, and in June her mother is opening her special garden in Finchampstead for our benefit. Later in September, probably Sunday the 21^st, Della and Alan Pascoe will be once again allowing us to hold our garden party at Monksbridge, and later still Simon Lane will give us another evening’s entertainment, as will Norman Willis. We intend holding another Dream Auction in the autumn, and another "Carols, Pies and Punch" event just before Christmas to end the year on the right note.

As usual we will attend the Sunbury Regatta in August. We are indebted to the Regatta Committee for donating £250.00 from last year’s event towards our new Centre.

Medieval Fair in Orchard Meadow, 19^th April 2003. Late last summer Orchard Meadow looked outstanding with wild flowers fringing its central lawned space. The walk across from the car park to the Walled Garden is a delight, and as the landscaping matures, Orchard Meadow can only become more and more impressive. We are therefore delighted to support its opening on the 19^th April and hope that at least some of us will wear appropriate ‘garb’. We intend running a "Roll a Groat" stall as well as illustrating our embroidery and selling our merchandise. Please support this community occasion which will be the inaugural "happening" on this great new public open space.

THE WORKSHOP

The workshop continues to welcome visitors four days a week between 10am and 4pm., and now that the colder months are hopefully over, more people are coming along. As ever they receive a warm welcome, and if it’s their first visit they receive a good explanation of the embroidery and how it was created.

In addition to the new House of Commons card, two new long cards have been designed so that now both the village panel and all the eight side panels are fully illustrated in a similar format. We are investigating limited editions of commemorative 10" decorative plates which will carry images from the embroidery and hope these will be available by mid-year. If these are well appreciated we will create further limited editions with different graphics when the first design has sold out.

The Sponsor-a-Square scheme continues to gradually move to completion, and our mugs, jigsaw puzzles and other cards are still available, so please visit the Workshop and continue your invaluable support.

The senior embroiderers carry on giving their evening, and sometimes daytime, talks to all manner of groups, and they have dates already arranged for 2004. The talks are accompanied by slides and the ladies provide a most entertaining evening, so if you know of a group who would like to receive a talk, please let Shirley Gray know on 01932 787370.

AUDITOR

Up until this year Sheila Passey has expertly audited our books and this has enabled us to ensure that our book keeping has been carried out correctly. It was one of our original Aims to keep records of our finances in such a way to ensure that anyone who wishes to can inspect the books and see that we endeavour to keep them meticulously. The Steering Committee and Trustees are happy to have this opportunity to publicly thank Sheila for all her help.

IN MEMORIAM

Mrs. Yarrow.

In early February we were saddened to hear of the death of Mrs. Yarrow, but delighted to be informed that she had provided us with a legacy of £10,000, and equally pleased that she had thought of Riverside Arts fundraising in the same way. We were pleased to be able to be represented at her funeral on 12^th February and express our thanks to her executors.

Mrs. Yarrow lived in the Avenue and had been largely immobile for a number of years. We understand that she was taken out by one of our embroiderers, Cherry Clark, to attend the Sunbury Diner’s Club, and also went to the local shops occasionally in her ‘buggy’, but unfortunately she never saw the actual embroidery. This makes her help all the more meaningful, and we are very appreciative of her kindness in thinking of us.

Mrs. Juby.

We have recently heard that Mrs. Juby who lived in Dax Court has also died. Her relatives asked non-family mourners not to send flowers but to make contributions to the Sunbury Embroidery if they wished, and we are very grateful for their thoughtfulness.

Gifts that are represented by legacies etc., brings home to us the importance the project holds for many people in our community. In such difficult times they encourage us to work harder to ensure that the embroidery, as a creation of so many local people, is given a proper home in which its future conservation can be ensured for the benefit of future generations.

RETURN TO FUNDING

We greatly appreciate the support our community gives and continues to give the project, particularly when the Riverside Arts Centre and St. Mary’s Church have such worthy fundraising needs. We each represent different aspects of our diverse community, and satisfy a wide variety of needs. Thank you for your support, and please continue to help us get the building on site by coming to our events, supporting our workshop and purchasing our merchandise.