11th April 2023 – The strewing baskets /boats are repurposed by Joe Shute and Sarah from Groundworks with their community groups investigating the River Irk.

I was invited to join the Community group in Collyhurst who have been meeting, walking and sharing lunch for several years at St George’s Community Centre. Joe Shute has involved them in his research of the River Irk and that morning they were meeting to walk and to reweave the strewing baskets, that were originally made to display the Lugg Embroideries, with new leaves and words. I had a lovely morning, walking and photographing the weaving, and shared lunch, and the work will be exhibited next year alongside other re-weaving’s by other Manchester community groups as part of Joe’s project. It is fabulous to see the basket boats repurposed and metaphorically linking the River Lugg with the River Irk. There was a magical moment when the group broke out into a local folk song.