Lasting Impressions

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, in partnership with Tunbridge Wells Hospital, are creating a quilted memory tree wall hanging; collecting and sharing the community’s reflections, memories and experiences of living through the Covid-19 pandemic.

We invite you to create and send us your own memory leaf so it can be included as part of our tree. The quilted memory tree will be displayed at The Amelia when it opens in Spring 2022, before taking up permanent residence at Tunbridge Wells Hospital.

You can download the digital worksheet here

How to make a memory leaf:

Step 1 – Select your fabric to create your leaf. We recommend using recycled fabrics/materials to make your leaf. This can be old unwanted clothes or old bedsheets or fabric scraps.

Step 2 – Using the template provided, draw and cut out your leaf. A seam allowance has been included in the template as a dotted line and it is best to include this when cutting out your leaf. If your fabric frays, create a seam around the edge of your leaf by folding over the seam allowance and sewing or sticking it down on the back of your leaf.

Top-Tip – to make your seam easier to sew, fold your seam over and iron in the crease before you start creating your design.

Did you forget to cut your leaf with a seam allowance? – Don’t worry! You can seal the edge of your leaf with clear nail polish, so the fabric doesn’t fray or come apart. Gently run a light layer of nail polish around the very edge of the fabric to bond the fibres together.

If your fabric is not a fabric that frays (such as felt) you will not need to finish the edges of your leaf with a seam, so you do not need to include a seam allowance.

Step 3 – Using any method you want, create your design, telling us something about your experience of the Covid-19 Pandemic, on the front of your leaf. Through your design, show us something you learnt or experienced, or a key memory. Your design can be made with fabric, paint, embroidery, pen drawing or buttons – it’s up to you, but it must be well secured.

Step 4 – Send us your leaf. We will do our utmost to include every leaf created in our display. Leaves must be submitted by 6 March 2022. You can either submit your leaf through a local collection box around the Borough or by post to:

TWBC Lasting Impressions
Town Hall
Mount Pleasant
Tunbridge Wells
Kent
Tn1 1RS

The Leaf Drop off boxes can be found in the following locations:

  • Tunbridge Wells Gateway centre:
    8 Grosvenor Rd, Tunbridge Wells TN1
  • Tunbridge Wells Borough Council Town Hall:
    Monson Way, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Tunbridge Wells TN1 1LS
  • Cranbrook Library:
    Carriers Rd, Cranbrook TN17 3JT
  • Hawkhurst Library:
    1 Queen’s Mews, Rye Rd, Hawkhurst, Cranbrook TN18 4EZ
  • Paddock Wood Library:
    9 Commercial Rd, Paddock Wood, Tonbridge TN12 6EN
  • Pembury Library:
    70 Henwood Green Rd, Pembury, Tunbridge Wells TN2 4LN
  • Rusthall Library:
    22 Gladstone Rd, Tunbridge Wells TN4 8SA
  • Showfields Library:
    Showfields Rd, Tunbridge Wells, Tunbridge Wells TN2 5PR
  • Southborough Library:
    137 London Road, Southborough, Kent TN4 0NA

Discovery Days – Lasting Impressions memory leaf making workshop:

Free workshop for 6-12yr olds

Come join us for free community craft activities in both Royal Victoria Place Shopping Centre and Tunbridge Wells and Cranbrook Library.

We are offering free 60 minute workshops with local Children in February half term to create memory leaves for the Lasting Impressions quilted memory tree. We will ask that the leaves created are left behind to be included as part of the quilt.

Lasting Impressions – Tunbridge Wells Pandemic Memory Tree is a community project run by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, in partnership with Tunbridge Wells Hospital. We are creating a quilted tree wall hanging, with leaves made by members of the local community depicting their memories, reflections, and experiences of living through the Covid-19 pandemic.

Due to Covid there is a limited group number, therefore places to the sessions will need to be pre-booked.

This is a session where we are not asking adults to stay with the young participants, so please be prompt when dropping off and picking up your children.

Join us at POP IN: POP UP – Royal Victoria Place Shopping Centre on Tuesday 15th February at 10am, 11.30 am or 1.30pm:

10:00: Get tickets here

11:30: Get tickets here

13:30: Get tickets here

Join us at Cranbrook Library on Friday 18th February at 10.30 am or 12pm:

10.30: Get tickets here

12:00: Get tickets here

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