Race is on to stitch four-metre canvas for World Refugee Week

Volunteering stitchers have around a week to finish a large canvas that offers an insight to the plight of young refugees in Syria.

Sewing Bradford, an accredited sewing school based in the heart of the city, is racing against the clock to create a canvas that will measure four metres long and two metres high when completed.

It is made up of around 1,000 hand drawings created by local Bradford schoolchildren and those in war-torn Syria.

The drawings done by local children contrasted with the some of those Syrian youngsters drew, which showed violence, blood and tanks.

The project, which is in conjunction with Bradford-based charity Human Relief Foundation (HRF) and Horton Grange Primary School, will be presented as part of Refugee Week that recognises the contribution of refugees to the UK and the plight of refugees overseas.

Volunteer Rabia Qureshi told the Yorkshire Standard: “Sewing Bradford volunteered to take this on and it’s a good experience for everyone taking part. It’s also a reality check on what’s going on around the world.”

Sarah Gate, Marketing and Communications Officer for the HRF charity added: “By bringing together these pictures for Refugee Week we hope to raise awareness of just how much Syrian refugees are going through. When child refugees think of home, it tends to be a very different image than we have here.”

The large canvas was predicted to take fifty hours to complete, but due to the number of volunteers taking part in the stitching, it may be finished quicker than expected.

Ms Qureshi added: “We thought it would take longer than this, but it’s been quicker with the help of our volunteers.”

The finished canvas will be revealed in the city’s Refugee Week celebration at the Kala Sangam venue on 16 June. The event begins at 10am and members of the public are invited.

If you would like to volunteer to help stitch the canvas or find out more about Sewing Bradford, please visit www.sewingbradford.co.uk.