Following the completion of the large Friendship Quilt that was made during ‘Lockdown’ by  people seeking sanctuary, their supporters at  Swansea Asylum Seekers Support [SASS]  and the people of Hay and its visitors, a group of volunteers has developed the quilting project further . They meet most Saturday mornings in Hay Castle to make small quilts that are given to SASS for distribution   to sanctuary seeking families with small children. The splendid, original ‘Lockdown Friendship Quilt’  is on display in Hay Castle main hall.

The original Friendship Quilt on display in Hay castle.

“It’s wonderful that the project has been able to grow like this. We have been to some of the HBTSR Welcome Days this year.  The  visiting people seeking sanctuary have helped in making patchwork pieces for a number of little quilts that have been completed  at the Saturday  morning sessions with our volunteers together with visitors to Hay Castle,’ commented  Emily Hedges, HBTSR member and lead quilter. ‘In October some of us went down to a Friday night drop-in in Swansea and helped SASS Volunteer Beverley Dobson set up her own quilting group. She’s had a positive response and this morning sent through a picture, to show how the Swansea quilt is progressing. This is very exciting!’

HBTSR are grateful to Hay Castle Trust for its ongoing support.

Swansea Quilting groups first quilt in progress

The basket of completed quilts from Hay delivered to Swansea