Hale Independent Issue 169

AUGUST 2024 8 A CHEADLE based children’s care and disability charity has held its annual achievement awards. The Together Trust hosted heartwarming celebration of 159 children and young people in spe- cialist education or living in care. The event took place at Stockport County’s ground. The winners were chosen by the Together Trust staff, who support young people in various services across Greater Manchester, includ- ing specialist schools, residential care homes, community day cen- tres and fostering. Nominees for the awards had a variety of achievements to their name including a BMX enthusiast competing in national competitions. The event was attended by 350 guests including Paul Andrews, the LordMayor of Manchester. FABRIC produced on 19th century looms in one of the world’s oldest cotton mills in Cheshire is being used to make a new clothing range by celebrity tailor Patrick Grant. The mastermind behind sustainable clothing brand Community Clothing, Patrick is also a judge on The Great British Sewing Bee. The fabric produced at the National Trust’s Quarry Bank in Styal is being made into woman’s shirts, shirt dresses and tote bags. It is made to show visitors how the machines worked and to demonstrate what conditions would have been like for mill workers. Quarry Bank last produced cloth for the textile industry in 1959. The National Trust sells the patterned fabric in its Mill Yard Shop in metres for peo- ple to buy and as kitchen glass cloths, tea towels and drawstring bags. National Trust staff pictured here volunteered to model Patrick’s clothing at a photoshoot in the mill. Technical demonstrators Julie White- house, Caitlin Binks, Cheryl Pickerill and Rhyann Arthur were joined by Clare Brown, the technical demonstra- tor manager. Clare said: “We are delighted to be collaborating with Community Cloth- ing. We are the only National Trust mill making fabric and it is great that it is being turned into clothing that’s made to last.” Patrick Grant said: “My mission is to make exceptional quality everyday clothes, out of the best natural materials. A sense of achievement Quarry Bank mill weaves a new tale “Using fabric produced on Quarry Bank’s heritage machines, and from scratch, is a perfect fit for us. “It very much resonates with the theme of my new book, ‘Less’ and my mission to support incredible crafts- people and to encourage people to value things made well and with care.” Community Clothing sell products that are made in factories in 48 towns and cities across the UK. The company aims to create and sustain skilled jobs in the UK’s textile manufactur- ing regions.