In February last year, I received a request from a parishioner in Pulborough. The lady, a friend of John ‘JAD’ Davison had been tasked with making and embroidering a kneeler to celebrate John’s years of service as Church Warden. The idea was to incorporate into the design a connection to the school and was I able to help in any way? I thought a representation of the school crest might fit the bill but trying to get a format that would translate to embroidery skills wasn’t so easy.

First attempt, with a rugby colours blazer badge, loaned by Mr Horton, was scanned and with the help of a magic gunk called Image Maker, transferred onto a piece of cross stitch fabric.

Unfortunately, this proved too tough a material to work with.

Pure luck then played its part. Whilst sorting through a bag of old uniform, I came across three colours badges which had been roughly cut from the body of a blazer(s). We already held examples of the awards in the collection and with a duplicate design as part of the found three, I thought the soft material might suit the embroiderer’s needs. The badge was posted to Pulborough; where it was cut, edged and incorporated into the design and the photo above, received this week, shows the beautifully completed kneeler.