REC partnership working

The museum has collaborated with Plymouth and District Racial Equality Council (REC) and freelance textile artist Helen Round on a number of successful projects. All of our projects have involved women of various ages, backgrounds and cultures and were designed to encourage more women into the museum and break down some of the barriers that can exist between cultures. The projects were so successful that many of the women wanted to carry on meeting and formed a traditional craft group to share and learn vanishing skills such as needlework, knitting and crochet.

Unity quilt

This project was inspired by the Family Album exhibition from the National Portrait Gallery which was on show at Plymouth Museum in autumn 2008. In partnership with REC, as part of an equalities and human rights project, the exhibition acted as a starting point to explore women's relationships within the family. The women involved came from all over Plymouth and the world, and it was decided that a quilt would be made to celebrate what women, from all backgrounds and cultures, have in common. The project encouraged the participants to challenge their preconceptions of people from other cultures and gave them an opportunity to socialise. The quilt is now on display in the museum's Learning Centre.

Bringing patterns to Plymouth

As part of the Ground Floor Redevelopment (GFR) project at the museum during 2007 to 2008, four new permanent galleries were created. The community team worked in partnership with Plymouth and District REC Women's Group and freelance artist Helen Round to design and make the seating covers for the 'Bringing the World to Plymouth' gallery. The designs bring together patterns, stories and proverbs from all over the world. The seats are now available to see (and sit on) in our new World Cultures gallery.

Julie Paget, Community Development Worker said: "This has been a fabulous project, enabling the group to explore their own cultures and come up with these spectacular designs. We have all had a great time and hope to work with the museum again."

Joanne Gray, Community Outreach Officer said: "This project has been a successful first partnership with the REC. It was great to see the participants so dedicated to the project - even taking work home with them after sessions! The final products really reflect their hard work and look very professional."

A project participant said: "This is the Chinese symbol for 'Healthy'. I got the idea from a red envelope which we give at Chinese New Year."

Another project participant said: "I enjoy sewing and embroidery and got the designs for the seats from Indian and Pakistani design. I preferred doing this to the lino printing."