Seavington Stitchers
THE STORY OF THE SEAVINGTON STITCHERS
The origins of the Stitchers lie sometime in the mid 1970’s, when some Seavington women got together to knit sponsored squares in order to raise money towards the up keep of the sports field. These squares were then made up into blankets for Burnworthy House in South Petherton. A group of villagers next came together to stitch tapestry kneelers for St Michael’s Church, then later the group continued to meet to use their skills help raise money for other village projects. Eventually with encouragement from France Jack who lived at Seavington House and then Middlefield Barn, (a very dynamic member of the community became the founder Chairman) and the ‘Seavington Stitchers’ came into being. An inaugural meeting on was held on 13 May 1982 with the first general meeting on 19 March 1985. At this meeting it was decided that their initial purpose would be to raise money for SPFA for the purchase of land for the village playing fields ,which up until this time had been leased from Ewan Cameron of Dillington Estates.
Meetings were held by rota in member’s homes where members met to work on items to be sold, have coffee, chat and generally get to know each other with laughter and fun, and put the world to rights. They used their skills producing knitting, crochet and embroidery, patchwork, dolls, and crackers for Christmas etc.
In addition to raising money through selling their work at various village events, the Stitchers started holding an annual summer Wine and Cheese Party fundraiser to which tickets were sold and that a great many people from the village attended. These were held at members’ houses and became a village institution. They also held Christmas Fayres, ‘Bring and Buy’ sales, Coffee Mornings, organised Pancake races, and had stalls at many local events selling their work.
The Stitchers became a staunch group of friends who also enjoyed themselves socially with ‘Stitchers lunches’ at local venues, picnics, talks and visits to local attractions.
During their 20 year plus existence, the Stitchers through their efforts, raised an astonishing £15,000 for the village and other local charities. Their target was to help pay for the purchase of the playing fields by donating £2,500 was achieved by 1989. New curtains for the old Pavilion were also made and donated by 1991.
Sadly as some members of the Stichers became more elderly members of the community the years were punctuated by illness and loss. In part of the play area, there is a cherry tree planted in 1992 dedicated to Stitcher Irene Williams (their first Club Secretary) with a plaque beside it recording the names of Stitchers who have died since. In 1993 there was great sadness when France Jack died. She had been a strong character and an important influence in the village. France had assisted in obtaining the original lease on the playing field from Ewan Cameron and also started the village newsletter ‘The Seavington News’. She had given herself unstintingly to help the village and Stitchers group and before she died she had hopes of raising money for a new village hall. Another cherry tree was planted in her memory on the playing field on 1st June 1993.
The old Pavilion was an old wooden wartime building which started life at Lufton Manor Camp, was purchased for £1. and was moved eventually down to the top right had corner of the Playing Field (where the Millennium Oaks are now).
By 1995 the Stitchers had added their £2,000 for the new village hall and by 1997 the Hall was being built and opened on 11 April 1998. By 2000 £500 had be raised for stage curtains for the hall and another £500 for Swing Park 2000 (Seavington’s new Play Area). Chairmen, Secretaries, Treasurers and Members changed and came and went but successful fund raising still went on although the group stayed relatively small at around 10. As the years passed older member’s sadly died and it became difficult to recruit new members.
Finally on 24 April 2007 the Seavington Stitchers held their last meeting, membership was down to three active members , ill health affecting others it was decided to end the era of the ‘Seavington Stitchers’ with final donations including a final total of £800 raised for the stage curtains at the Village Hall.
This small group of friends (and their husbands) made an enormous contribution to our community and their contributions to village life both social and fundraising should not be forgotten. Their names will live on on the brass plaque on the play area- we all owe them a debt of thanks.
Over the years contributions by the Stitchers went to the following: Seavington Playing Fields Association, Seavington Millennium Village Hall, Seavington News, Swing Park 2000, St Michael’s Church Fund, Abbots Barton, Arthritis Research, Children of Zambia, Marie Curie Cancer Care, National Animal Welfare Trust, Yeovil Premature Babies Unit, Royal Lifeboat Institution, St Margaret’s Hospice, South Somerset Women’s Refuge. Woodland Trust, Yeovil Hospital Scanner Appeal, Yeovil Hospital Children’s Appeal, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance and the Ilminster Town Criers costume!
My thanks to Pam Collings – the only Stitcher left in the village as I write in 2009 for allowing me to read and scan pictures from her book recording their meetings and events to be added to the Seavington History Groups records.
Ry Coffman 22.08.09
Click an image to enlarge
