Historic Tapestry Exhibition to Open at St. Anne’s Church in East London on 24 April

Bangla Mirror Desk:

London, 19 April 2025 — A special exhibition of historic tapestries will open at St. Anne’s Church, Limehouse, on Thursday, 24 April. The exhibition will showcase the rich cultural heritage of Tower Hamlets from Roman times to the modern era.

The exhibition, organised by the charity Care for St Anne’s in collaboration with community arts organisation Stitches in Time, was announced at a press conference on Friday, 18 April, at the London Bangla Press Club in east London. Taysir Mahmud, the press club’s General Secretary, facilitated the event, which was attended by a large number of journalists from print, electronic, and online Bangla media outlets.

Speaking at the press conference, Philip Reddaway, Chairman of Care for St Anne’s, Christine Sibley, Director of Stitches in Time, and Ansar Ahmad Ullah, a Care for St Anne’s friend, highlighted the exhibition’s significance. They explained that eight tapestries—selected from a collection of 50 created to mark the Millennium—will be displayed. These artworks, crafted by over a thousand local participants, including schools, community groups, and corporate volunteers such as Morgan Stanley, document everyday life and historical milestones in Tower Hamlets.

The rare tapestries are normally preserved at Limehouse Town Hall, which is rarely open to the public. This exhibition provides a unique opportunity for visitors to view them.

The exhibition will be open from 24 April to 30 September from 10 am to 4 pm every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Traditional Bengali food will be served to celebrate the opening day, and women from Stitches in Time will showcase their craftsmanship in a live workshop from 11 am to 2 pm.

Founded nearly 30 years ago, Stitches in Time has empowered underprivileged women in Tower Hamlets, particularly from the British Bengali community, through needlework, English language skills, and financial literacy training, helping many achieve self-reliance.

Philip Reddaway hoped the exhibition would bring new life to the historic church, designed by renowned architect Nicholas Hawksmoor. “We want to make this church a centre of the community,” he said. “We invite people from all walks of life to come and experience the history of Tower Hamlets through these remarkable artworks.”

St. Anne’s Church, with its 300-year-old architectural grandeur, will host this unique artistic showcase and remind visitors of the area’s rich and evolving history.