An early opportunity to see the quilt & buy tickets
The unique quilt is currently hanging in the window of the Salvation Army Shop on Wandsworth High Street and you can pop in an dbuy your raffle tickets at the shop.
Inmates at Wandsworth Prison created the patchwork hanging as a tribute to the 357 men and women in the armed forces who have lost their lives in the Afghanistan campaign between 2001- 2010, and the 100 fallen heroes of 2010.
The beautiful artwork is embroidered with the names of the many regiments involved. In its centre is the Union Jack, with a bugler and a medal and the words ‘Honour these brave men and women for they have given the ultimate, their lives for their Queen and Country’.
The work utilises fabrics that represent the regiments’ colours, tartans and insignia in the composition. The project was initiated by inmates participating in the Fine Cell Work scheme at HMP Wandsworth– one of whom is himself an ex-serviceman.
The quilt is being raffled in aid of Help for Heroes, and the draw takes place on 25th May 2011.
Tickets are £1 and can be purchased from Fine Cell Work by sending in a cheque made payable to Help for Heroes to:
Help for Heroes Raffle
Fine Cell Work , 38 Buckingham Palace Road, SW1W 0RE or alternatively you can buy tickets at the Salvation Army Shop 199-201 Wandsworth High Street, SW18 4JE until 22nd May (shop is open 10 - 5.30 Monday - Saturday).
After the draw the quilt will be on display for two extra days in June. The beautiful commemorative artwork will be displayed in the Fine Cell Work studio - ‘Workshop 3’ - at Wandsworth Prison during the National Gardens Scheme Open Squares weekend of 11th and 12th June, when members of the public will be able to enjoy an escorted tour of the prison’s gardens lasting up to two hours. Advance booking is essential and conditions apply.
About Fine Cell Work:
Fine Cell Work is a social enterprise that trains prisoners in paid, skilled, creative needlework – undertaken in the long hours spent in their cells – to foster hope, discipline and self esteem. This helps them to connect to society and to leave prison with the confidence and financial means to stop offending. Stitchers spend an average of 20 hours per week doing embroidery in their cells. The highest earners stitch for as long as 40 hours. It’s a way of life that enables them to serve their time with dignity and purpose and the earnings give them hope, skills and independence. Fine Cell Work is done in 29 prisons with 420 prisoners and 75 per cent of the stitchers are men. www.finecellwork.co.uk
About NGS Open Squares – opportunity to view Wandsworth Prison:
Dates: June 11th & 12th
Opening hours: Saturday 10:00–12:00 + Sunday 14:00–16:00
(tours to be booked via Open Garden Squares scheme)
The hanging will be displayed in the Fine Cell Work Studio in ‘Workshop 3’
Entrance on Heathfield Road. Postcode SW18 3HR
Conditions:
The garden can be visited only on an escorted tour lasting up to two hours. Advance booking essential. See guidebook supplied with tickets for details. One prison tour per ticket holder. Visitors must be over 21 and provide two forms of identification, one with a photo and one with current address. No recording equipment or backpacks. No mobile phones or cameras. Visitors will be subject to search procedures.
For further information please contact:
Elena Hall, Fine Cell Work; 020 7931 9998;
Or
Karoline Newman, Fine Cell work; 020 7420 7738; knewman@articulate.co.uk
April 20th, 2011