HARE AT TRUMPINGTON MEADOWS COUNTRY PARK
by Vicky H

What’s your name? Vicky Haywood (was Hathrell)

Where do you live? I work full time in Trumpington but live about 20 miles away.

How long have you lived in Trumpington? I have worked here for four years, supporting the local community as it goes through a period of rapid growth and change.

Can you tell us a bit about your panel?

My panel is of a hare, sitting in Trumpington Meadows Nature Reserve, looking out over the homes that are under construction.

What inspired you to make a panel on this topic?  

I have been involved with the Stitch in Time project for some time, as I had originally helped kick-start some workshops and community classes around re-using, learning new skills and skill-sharing on the theme of textiles, making new from old etc. This tends to bring people together who might not necessarily find common ground and shared interests.

When I was asked if I could produce a section of the quilt, I was happy to help. I wanted to capture something that shows the new and old elements of Trumpington, without focusing on a particular building. One of the benefits that new development brings to a community is that land has been opened up for local people that was not accessible in the past. Trumpington now has a series of open spaces and nature reserves and these can now be enjoyed by all.

Protecting wildlife is often used as a reason to not develop land. However, the wildlife in Trumpington is now much more diverse as a result of the development of new lakes and ponds. The hares, hawks and other birds watch on as development takes place around them –  drawing on parallels to how some residents may be feeling about the fast-paced change happening around them

What materials & techniques did you use?

I used a mixture of machine quilting and appliqué, using a mixture of fabric types to create a variety of textures.