This video from STV recently came up on our Facebook-timeline and reminded us of the beautiful textile banner that Broomhill community members made a couple of years ago.

The story of these inspiring women is remarkable, and is represented in our banner by the sections of denim, and multiple small fish to hint at the story of the women buying themselves 240 fish suppers to eat for on the first night of the sit-in. The American corporation had told the women that the factory would close, and were not open to any negotiations.  So, they barricaded themselves in the canteen.

At that point, little did they know, that they would take it in 12 hour shifts for 7 months to sit-in.  In August 1981, the 240 workers-cum-protestors, got the news that their jobs were saved by a management buy-out.

The banner was made during our Recycle Upcycle project, that had professional arts and makers come to the Broomhill Art Flat and teach residents how to look to find ways we can all save money by choosing not to buy new things but recycling and upcycling our old furniture and clothes, creating not only useful products, but unique ones to our own tastes.

The fabrics, colours and threads were all chosen for specific reasons, and related to the piece that they were depicting.  For example, the shades of blue denim for the Lee Jeans Factory, speaks of the light blue overalls that the factory workers wore as a uniform.