Rochford Town Team celebrates £10,000 National Lottery Heritage Fund grant

Being held at Ashingdon Elim Church

Rochford Town Team celebrates a £10,000 National Lottery Heritage Fund grant to create a Rochford District Heritage Tapestry as a community project

Rochford Town Team today announces a £10,000 National Lottery Heritage Fund grant, awarded for an exciting community project, “Knitting Our Heritage Together”. This will create a Heritage Tapestry to celebrate the last 1,000 years of history from across the 14 parishes of Rochford District.

The community project, also being sponsored by the Elim Estuary Church Group, will encourage groups and individuals from all 14 parishes to take part in creating hand-crafted ‘tapestry’ panels. This is a vast undertaking and the finished work will measure over 10 metres long, in 10-12 separate panels. The scenes will be designed by local artists and historians, then interpreted using a wide range of techniques, including embroidery, appliqué, knitting and felting. Anyone interested in participating, whatever their ability, should email  2020tapestry@gmail.com  or leave contact details at Rochford District Council (01702 318111).

 

             

 

 

The panels will be exhibited as part of Rochford District’s “Discover 2020” celebrations next year and afterwards will be available for groups in Rochford District to display. This will enable residents of all the parishes, as well as visitors, to discover and learn more about the District’s rich and colourful heritage.

Commenting on the award, Geoff Durham, chair of Rochford Town Team, said: “It’s fantastic to be awarded this grant, as individuals and community groups are eager to get started. The first priest at Ashingdon Church is depicted on the Bayeux Tapestry, so it seems fitting that the church’s millennial anniversary will see a modern day heritage tapestry created for the Rochford District.”

Anne Jenkins, the Heritage Fund Area Director for the Midlands and East, said: “Thanks to National Lottery players we’re delighted to support the creation of a heritage tapestry for Rochford District, which will allow people of all ages to explore and celebrate the heritage of these communities.”

David Redbond, Senior Pastor of the Elim Estuary Church Group said: “It is thrilling to be able to identify with this community project, which connects our past with the present and touches the future. It reminds us that God’s love is revealed throughout the ages to all who desire to discover His love for themselves.”

Rochford District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Enterprise, Cllr George Ioannou, said: “I’m delighted that this fantastic community project is part of the Discover 2020 festival. It’s not often that we get to be part of making history and the tapestry will create a lasting commemoration to Rochford District’s rich heritage to be enjoyed for years to come.”

 

About Rochford Town Team

Rochford Town Team is a not-for-profit community group which focuses on initiatives to improve the activities and opportunities that will attract local people and visitors to the town and its surroundings. The group’s previous major project was also funded by a Heritage Lottery grant to develop a series of Heritage Trails, which are accessible via the website, a free mobile app (Historic Rochford), an A5 booklet and guided tours. The Town Team is funded by donations and sponsorship from district council, parish council, local groups and businesses.
Follow us at @rochford_town on Twitter, RochfordTownTeam on Facebook, our website www.rochfordtown.com or on our free mobile app Historic Rochford.

 

About the National Lottery Heritage Fund

Using money raised by the National Lottery, we Inspire, lead and resource the UK’s heritage to create positive and lasting change for people and communities, now and in the future. www.heritagefund.org.uk.
Follow @HeritageFundUK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use #NationalLotteryHeritageFund

 

About the Elim Estuary Church Group

Estuary Elim are three Essex-based Elim Pentecostal Churches in Ashingdon, Rayleigh & Southend-on-Sea, with a shared leadership team. We are a group of people responding to the love of God and the life-changing message of Jesus Christ. We are passionate about connecting with and serving people in our communities.
www.estuaryelim.church

 

About Discover 2020, Rochford District Festival

The Discover 2020 Festival will navigate the rich heritage of the whole of Rochford District - to explore, chronicle and celebrate its vivid history.

The inaugural event will be held in May 2020 at RSPB Wallasea Island, to mark the 200thanniversary of the launch of the HMS Beagle. This trail-blazing vessel carried Charles Darwin as a passenger, and ended its career as a Customs watch vessel at Paglesham in the Rochford District, having led the way with key discoveries in the fields of science, meteorology and even space exploration. 

To find out more about this multiform festival visit www.discover2020.co.uk or follow us on Twitter @Discover_2020, Facebook Discover 2020 or Instagram discover2020festival.

 

For further information, please contact:

Rochford Town Team on rochfordtownteam@gmail.com 

Rochford District Tapestry on 2020tapestry@gmail.com

Rochford District Council communications department on communications@rochford.gov.uk

Elim Estuary Church Group on info@estuaryelim.church

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