Photo credit: Finnbarr Webster
As The Longest Yarn 2: Britain at War comes to a close at Nothe Fort, we are taking a moment to celebrate not only a remarkable exhibition, but also the extraordinary volunteers behind making and stewarding the exhibition.
Over the course of the exhibition, visitors have been able to experience a unique and moving tribute, told through hundreds of handcrafted knitted and crocheted panels.
The exhibition would not have been possible without the talented volunteers who spent countless hours creating the panels themselves. Their skill, creativity, and commitment transformed individual pieces of yarn into a powerful collective work that has inspired visitors from near and far.
Thank you to all The Longest Yarn Team members!
The Longest Yarn team are such a dedicated and inspiring group of creatives – coordinating two travelling exhibitions of epic scales is no easy feat! Click here to learn more.
I’m very honoured to have taken part in this exhibition. It’s been an incredible experience helping to tell the story of the Blitz and what life was like for ordinary people.
The panel began as separate pieces before being brought together as one powerful and poignant tribute to the impacts of the war on everyday life.
– Tanya Roper, who helped make #41 Balham Bus Crash along with Perry Roper, Shirley Fidge, and Dorothy Arnold.
“There’s months and months of work that goes into each panel. I loved sharing with visitors how panel #39 was made.
I made use of many different unexpected mediums, from scrabble tiles to cheese packages, and I am very fond of the scruffy-haired blonde character – he is my favourite.”
– Jean Wood, the maker of panel #39, Buckingham Palace Bombed.
Thank you to all our Woolly Stewards!
Behind every display was a team of dedicated volunteer Woolly Stewards who welcomed guests, shared stories, and helped make each visit memorable. Nothe Fort is very grateful to each steward for giving up their time to share this fabulous experience with visitors.
Read some of their stories below:
We also want to thank Paul “The Trumpet Wise” and Glenda Hayes, who made panel #1 Kinder transport trains and children, for travelling to attend the final day of the exhibition with a moving bugle playing performance in the Nothe Fort Parade Ground.
Paul “The Trumpet” Wise performing on the final day of the exhibition.
As the exhibition comes to an end and travels to Welshpool this Wednesday, we extend our sincere thanks to everyone from the local community and knitters near and far who gave their time, enthusiasm, and expertise to this exhibition. The impact of their efforts will continue long after the final panel has been packed away.
Thank you to all our Nothe Fort Volunteers!
Last but not least, thank you to all the Nothe Fort volunteers for all your help in setting up, stewarding, and packing down the exhibition. We are so proud of our team and what we have accomplished.
