A patchwork quilt commemorating the lives of women who died because of domestic violence will be on display at The Workhouse, Southwell, from International Women’s day on Sunday, 8th March.

‘The Women’s Quilt’ is made up of 598 patches, one patch for each woman killed because of domestic violence between 2009 and 2015 – approximately two women a week.

This emotive and evocative quilt commemorates the lives of these women. The quilt, brought to Parliament on International Women’s Day 2017, acts as a poignant reminder that domestic abuse is unfortunately still the norm for too many women.

The brain child of Labour councillor Roxanne Ellis, ‘The Women’s Quilt’ remembers each woman as more than a statistic, with every patch telling a unique tale about that person’s life.

She said: “The idea of the quilt came about because it is a traditionally feminine skill and one that is accessible to everyone; we have had women draw on their patch with pens, paint, stick, appliqué and embroider their patches.

“It is also one where people could work on their patches wherever they wanted before being brought together.”

At The Workhouse, visitors will have the opportunity to take part in activities and talks over 2020 that investigate the links between the skilful work involved in the creation of the quilt and the types of work that women of the time of The Workhouse may have been involved in.

For more information on this project visit: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/the-workhouse-southwell/features/the-womens-quilt-at-the-workhouse-