A Portrait of the River

Festival of Britain, 1951 by Henry Cavendish Primary School

130 square metres of tapestry created by 60,000 children, reflecting how the River Thames has shaped the communities through which it flows, is to go on display at St Paul’s Cathedral, London. The Thames Heritage Tapestry will be on display in the cathedral’s south transept from July 3rd until September 27th 2012.

More than 200 primary and special educational needs schools from the source of the river in Gloucestershire to the estuary in Essex and Kent have been involved in creating the tapestry, each creating a one square metre piece of textural embroidery.

The artwork has been made possible by the Millennium Tapestry Company, a not-for-profit organisation, in partnership with the Thames Heritage Trust. The project has been awarded the Inspire Mark by LOCOG, meaning it is officially recognised as part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad Celebrations. Funding of the tapestry has been made possible through grants from the City Bridge Trust, Heritage Lottery Fund, Ernest Cook Trust and Hemraj Goyal Foundation, as well as several other trusts and organisations.

Lizzie Owen, Chief Executive of The Millennium Tapestry Company said:

The Thames Heritage Tapestry project is a totally joyful celebration of everything that makes the river so iconic. It is purely educational and wholly inclusive, providing everyone involved with a basis for acquiring new skills that will lead on to a lifelong learning adventure.”