International and local quilter from Mouswald Ann Hill, BEM is in Brno in the Czech Republic this week taking her Alzheimer quilt collection “Changing Minds around the World” to exhibit in the Annual Czech Quilt Show 2024.
Ann said “This is a huge honour but mainly it is an opportunity to spread the word about Alzheimers and Dementia and how it impacts on family life. Working with Alzheimer Scotland we have visited over 12 countries so far with the first collection “World Wide Whispers” and now we have moved on to our second collection which has involved 40 quilters from 40 countries around the world.
We started in Mouswald and ended in Korea. No one travelled. We did it by email including through Covid. The quilters were happy to post it to me when they finished their 18” x 24” piece”.
Henry Simmons, Chief Executive of Alzheimer Scotland said “For over 14 years, Ann has sewn memory quilts and inspired people all over the world to get stitching for dementia. Notably, Ann covered the pitch of Scotland’s National Stadium at Hampden with a recordbreaking 5,012 quilts which displayed memories of people with dementia as part of her engagement in the Football Memories project. As well as exhibiting her quilts locally, nationally, and internationally, she has also raised over £160,000 for Alzheimer Scotland, which is a remarkable sum of money. Ann, who was recently awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) by HM The Queen for her tireless work in Dumfries and Galloway, motivates, inspires, and educates wherever she goes.”
Ann is also Quilter in Residence at Shambellie House in New Abbey which will open another exhibition at Shambellie during ‘Quilt Fling’ classes week in May. “Stitching and Making Stars” is another project with Alzheimer Scotland is made up not only of quilted star items but also ones made by knitting, crochet, woodwork, paper cards, photographs, silver, etc. Most of the items on show will also be for sale with the funds going to Alzheimer Scotland.
Quilt Fling runs from 11 – 19 May 2024 at Shambellie House. Classes are open for booking. More information at Shambelliehouse.org
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