Local Faces - Sue Reddington MBE

Sue Reddington is the director of Meanwood Valley Urban Farm in Leeds which provides an escape route for inner-city children where they can experience rural life and develop an awareness and concern for their environment. She has worked for the organisation for more than twenty years and in the year 2000 was awarded an MBE for her work there.

She was hand embroidered by Val Gomersall (26 hours)
Above is the Meanwood Valley Urban Farm sign from the Environment Panel, forgotten in yesterday's post. This was hand stitched by Valerie Horner (5 hours)

Community Spirit - Skippco

Skippco is another Charity, this one based entirely in Leeds. They have been working with groups in the community since 1988, devising arts activities to meet the needs of each specific audience.

I believe they're always on the lookout for volunteers, so if you have any spare time.........

The embroidery was hand stitched by Val Gomersall.

Community Spirit - Morris Dancers

Are these the Ladies of Briggate Morris Dancers? Hopefully someone may be able to identify the individuals.


The girl's dancing were hand stitched by Val Gomersal (28 hours) and those waiting for the show to begin were hand and machine stitched by Betty Bertrand (30 hours). The original photograph had dustbins rather than bushes in the foreground; photoshop and french knots and voila not a bin in site.

Arts for All - Oakwood Fisheries

Just across the road from Oakwood Clock is Oakwood Fisheries. Its been a Fish and Chip shop since 1934 when the Art Deco frontage was built and it's now a Grade II listed building. The shop front was added to a row of shops built in the late 1800s - it must have been stunning when it was first added. Has anyone got a picture of the parade from the late 1930s? We need a photograph of the buildings just to the left of this link. While I've been looking on Leodis site for images I came across this one of Oakwood Clock in its former position in the market.

The piece was hand stitched (modern crewel work) on printed fabric (though there's not a piece of it visible) by Val Gomersal. I particularly like the pigeon on the pavement. When the final panel, Arts for All was being embroidered each of the pieces was scanned at a much higher resolution and we are able to get really close-up pictures of the stitches.

...and, after last friday night, I can highly recommend the fish and chips.

Local Faces - Willis Hall (1929-2005)

I think there will have to be two postings today. Something happened in Hunslet in the 1930s, the friendship of three families, the Halls, the O'Tooles and the Waterhouses.

Willis Hall was a prodigious writer with works including 'The Long and the Short and the Tall' and the Vampire series of children's books. He started writing professionally at the age of 12 when he would attend weddings and funerals for the now defunct Leeds Guardian, noting down the guests and mourners.

Both he and Keith Waterhouse had successful separate writing careers but when Billy Liar, the book, was published Willis contacted his friend, suggesting it would make a fine play. This was the beginning of a prodigious collaborative play writing phase in both of their lives.

The piece was hand stitched on printed fabric by Val Gomersall (6.5 hours) and was sponsored by the Yorkshire Post.