100 Hearts for 100 Years sewing project launched by SSAFA Wiltshire

The Wiltshire branch of SSAFA, The Armed Forces charity, has launched the 100 hearts for 100 years project. Joining forces with Lieutenant Colonel Neil Stace – who was a finalist on the Great British sewing Bee – to make the project happen, with the hearts being based on the military Love Heart Pincushions of WWI.

All of the 100 cushions have been handmade by Neil and members of the Royal School of needlework, Fine Cell Work, the Academy of Quilters and other individuals and groups. They will help to raise money for SSAFA, which supports service personnel, veterans and their families. 

As part of the 100 Hearts for 100 Years project, there will be family sewing workshops held at Salisbury Cathedral on November 6th and 13th. These are open to families who wish to make their own commemorative WWI Sweetheart Pincushions with Neil.

The workshops will also teach people how sewing and embroidery was used by injured soldiers to help with their physical and psychological recovery after serving in the trenches. While attendance to these workshops is free, attendees are urged to donate to the SSAFA Wiltshire Branch to help support its vital work.

Neil will also be giving a presentation at Salisbury Cathedral on November 11th, called sewing on the Front Line. He will talk people through how the pincushions that were made by injured soldiers during WWI served as an early form of occupational therapy. He will also talk about how sewing helped him when he was serving on the front line in Bosnia, Afganistan and Northern Ireland.

He said: "100 Hearts for a 100 years is a fantastic project and I am supporting it for several reasons. As a young platoon commander and a company commander I depended on the services of SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, for welfare support for my soldiers and families. SSAFA was such a part of my day to day job that I honestly thought they were employed by the Forces, so I am keen to raise awareness of what SSAFA does.

"I also passionately believe in the therapeutic value of creating things and the hearts are perfect for this. Sewing projects have helped me during some very demanding and stressful times on operations allowing me to focus and deal with pressure.