This month it’s the turn of quilter Virginia to answer our questions. She tells us a bit about her current projects, her many passions away from Bell House and what she’s looking forward to over the coming months. Read on to find out more about all that she does.
What is your focus as a volunteer?
Ever since we lived in east London, I have always volunteered. I started volunteering with adults who could not read or write and was shocked at how many people there were. On moving to West Norwood, I started working again with adults to improve their literacy and numeracy skills. When I worked in my last school, there were a number of parents for whom English was an additional language and they would receive letters which they could not understand. I support schools both locally and in other communities abroad with clothes, books, pencils and a lot of other stationery. Locally, I try to find out what is needed and always will try to help.
How long have you been involved with Bell House?
I have been involved with Bell House for over eighteen months. Jenny [of Dulwich Quilters] came to my Saturday group to collect some Linus Quilts and invited our group to a talk at Bell House and also to the Quilting Academy (QA) on Thursdays. On my first visit, I sat by myself at a table but I was soon invited to sit with other members of the group. I try to tell others about the fantastic array of activities and courses at Bell House. Janis and Marianne [who run the Quilting Academy] have always been and still are very helpful and full of knowledge. They are exceedingly good problem-solvers.
What do you do away from Bell House?
I love coming to Bell House on a Thursday. Away from Bell House, I like sewing, reading, cooking, travelling and gardening. I normally listen to Radio 4 and am a great fan of the Archers. They have their Book of the Week and Book at Bedtime. I was listening to the story of Lemn Sissay and bought his book My Name Is Why. He has founded an organisation which gives quilts to care leavers at Christmas time. At present with Marianne and Janis’ help, we are doing the Bandana Challenge for them.
I have just finished reading Mixed Blessings. It has a lot of relevance today as the author, Professor Dame Elizabeth Anionwu, is of dual heritage. She had to fight to get where she is today and also had to fight to get sickle cell recognised. She became the first sickle cell nurse specialist in the UK.
I also like going through sewing and quilting magazines and going off to exhibitions and galleries.
I love travelling both in the UK and abroad. One of my best family holidays was in St Maarten. Through British Council and Erasmus funding I was able to visit and work in Bangalore, Malawi, Sweden, Berlin and Antibes. I was awarded a Millennium Award and worked in Pneil Farm and Barkly West outside Johannesburg. There were a lot of outdoor activities in Barkly West. The facilities in the school were not good in comparison with other local private schools but they were very generous in their own way. The welcome extended to me in Malawi was great. The elders came out on many school visits too. I was even given an axe, which I normally use in my garden.
I have tried to get the grandchildren involved with my gardening. As of today, not very successfully so. Very recently, I told Janis and Marianne that my baby cucumber plants had been eaten by slugs. I was really touched by the way members of the QA rallied around and offered other seedlings: tomatoes, runner beans and much more. Plants were even delivered to my door – talk about kindness.
How long have you lived in the area and what drew you here?
I live in West Norwood with my husband – we have been here since 1981 – and my children and grandchildren live nearby. We were living in east London when a friend who was already living in the West Norwood street where I now reside phoned me to say that the previous owner was selling his house. We came down the same day to see the house. We loved it – his dog and all.
On Saturdays, a group of us would meet in the shed in the grounds of L'Arche. We share different skills like dressmaking, card-making and make contributions to other causes. We have made dresses out of pillowcases and sanitary towels to send abroad. Locally we have upholstered furniture, made aprons, lavender bags, curtains and Linus Quilts. We also contribute towards the monthly Feast in West Norwood.
What do you think you bring to Bell House as a volunteer and what do you get out of it?
I know that Bell House is good for my physical and mental wellbeing. From the time one enters the grounds, one is made to feel welcome, from someone waving to ringing the door bell, and this carries on throughout the day even when it is time to go home.
QA has a lot of talent and we are taught to do things correctly – squaring-up, measuring, using a quarter-inch seam, free-motion quilting and much more. I have shared some of the ideas I have learnt from my other group members and what I have seen on TV. I am not good with hand-sewing, however! Bottom line: there is always someone willing to help if and when one gets stuck.
What is the best project or event you have been involved with at Bell House?
I have enjoyed all of the projects, but the few that I take much greater pleasure in are the making of the individual block for the Bell House wall-hanging and also some stitches in the pictures of old Dulwich. I have attended talks and music events, but I was really impressed by an event on periods. I was pleased to be asked to attend. I also learnt a lot and was able to share with others and made friends.
What have you been working on recently?
I have been making Linus quilts, hexies [hexagons for quilting] and scrub bags and masks for the NHS. I have been finding a lot of UFOs [Unfinished Objects for the non-quilters among you!]. My task is now to sorting them into bags. I did think of doing a deconstructed Log Cabin quilt because I have done safe blocks using squares, triangles and rectangles. I need to try to get away from my comfort zone. I have to do the Trip Around the World project. I have always wanted to make one.
Are there any forthcoming projects, events or contributions that you are particularly excited about?
Quite majorly: getting back to Bell House.