Rochford Town Team had already successfully completed a project to create a Heritage Trail, available via booklet, mobile app, website and guided tours.
The question was: What next?
As chair of the Town Team, Geoff Durham gave this considerable thought and prayer. He felt a strong prompting from God that there was another project to do – to create a local tapestry as a community project, highlighting the immense heritage in this area.
Soon afterwards, Rochford District Council (RDC) announced their Discover2020 initiative, focused on the 200th anniversary of the launch of the Beagle but also celebrating other local events.
St. Andrew’s church in Ashingdon was built in 1020, so would be exactly 1000 years in 2020. The first priest, Stigand, later became the Archbishop of Canterbury and is shown on the Bayeux Tapestry, so this was obviously the link that was needed to inspire our own tapestry and therefore start this journey of discovery and community spirit.
