Ashbourne Comes Together in Stitch — Help Bring a Community Masterpiece to Life

The Stitching Ashbourne community art project launched last week with a packed and lively workshop that saw more than fifty people come together to celebrate creativity, connection, and community spirit.

Queues out the door and a room full of colour and conversation marked an unforgettable start. Participants began designing textile squares that tell the story of Ashbourne through stitch — from favourite gathering places to local traditions and friendships that make the town unique.

If everyone who took home a stitching pack returns their finished square, the project will already be halfway to its goal of 100, but organisers are keen to encourage more submissions to help reach the full target.

“Your story matters,” says project lead Laura Burrill. “We want every voice, experience and memory of Ashbourne to be represented in this community artwork, reflecting the town’s rich heritage, diverse stories and shared sense of place. Whether you’ve lived here for generations, just moved, shop, work or go to school in Ashbourne, this project is for you.”

Help Fund the Next Chapter

The launch was made possible through generous seed funding from the Methodist Church, alongside £500 in support from Ashbourne Arts, which is enabling Ukrainian photographer Helen Yakutina to document the project’s progress.

To keep Stitching Ashbourne growing, and to ensure everyone who wants to take part can, we’re aiming to raise £6,000 to support materials, workshops and facilitation, project management, venue hire, documentation and exhibition of the final work — “plus all the tea, coffee and biscuits that keep creativity flowing!”

Local venues including Cornerstone Café, House of Beer, Sticky Fingers, the Town Hall, Betty’s Sewing Box and the Library have already stepped up, donating workshop space worth more than £1,000, but more support is urgently needed to sustain the project.

• Residents and local businesses are encouraged to:

Donate to the crowdfunder – every contribution, large or small, makes a real difference https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/stitching-ashbourne

• Donate materials or refreshments (creativity, after all, is fuelled by tea, coffee and biscuits!)
• Spread the word – tell friends, neighbours and community groups how to get involved

“We’ve had such an incredible response to the launch,” says Laura. “Now we need help to keep the project growing. Every donation and every stitch helps us make something truly special for Ashbourne.”

Get Involved

There are 18 workshops planned, offering friendly, creative spaces for people of all ages to take part. Details of upcoming sessions and booking links can be found www.everystitchastory.co.uk/textile-work/workshops/

Those unable to attend in person can still contribute through postal packs – these are available for collection from Annie at Betty’s Sewing Box.

Whether you join a workshop, make a square from home, or support the crowdfunder, now is the moment to get involved and help Stitching Ashbourne grow. Together, we’re creating a lasting portrait of the town — stitched by its people, for its people.