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Skye Bridge gets Stitched up for Highland Homecoming.

13th October 2009

Skye Bridge will be decorated with 500 metres of knitting and crochet from Friday 23 to Monday 26 October.
Stitches on the Bridge, Luban air an Drochaid, in the West Highlands of Scotland, will be hanging knitting and crochet on Skye Bridge to celebrate Highland’s Homecoming.
Needles have been clicking all over the world, with pieces of knitting and crochet being sent from as far afield as China, Australia, the US and Europe, as well as many Scottish residents participating.
The spectacular event should cause minimum disruption to traffic as Transerv will be assisting the knitters to display their artwork.
Fiona MacEwan, of Luib na Luban, a local text textile arts group, organising Stitches on the Bridge, said: “This project connects the West Highlands with the rest of the world, with knitters in their 80s and children as young as 5 taking part. It’s really exciting to get parcels from all over the world every week- Christmas has started early for us this year!”
Stitches on the Bridge, celebrates the links between Skye and communities worldwide in the year of Scotland’s Homecoming, a yearlong event celebrating Scotland’s contribution to the world.
Marie Christie Project Director at Homecoming Scotland, said: “This has been a very exciting year for Scotland and a true celebration of Scotland’s great contribution to the world. We are very proud to have local groups, such as, Stitches on the Bridge, participating in Highland’s Homecoming. The Skye Bridge will look spectacular, a bridge so instrumental in linking the island community with the mainland.”
The pieces will be joined together and mounted on the ramparts of the bridge, creating a colourful and thought provoking display of knitted links to the world.
Organisers are also asking for participants’ to contribute some words about their work and their significance to be included in a new book. The stories behind the hours of knitting and crocheting should prove interesting after the last panel has been brought down.
Other events taking place are Under the Bridges, Kyle Youth Cafe’s stovies supper and Under the Stitches.
For more information go to http://www.stitchesonthebridge.co.uk or contact Alison Orr 01599 566323 or Fiona MacEwan 01599 566766.
To find out more about Highland Homecoming and the programme of events log on to http://www.highlandeventsandfestivals.com

Ends

NOTES TO EDITORS

Images available
Principal Partners: Homecoming Scotland, The Highland Council Scottish Government, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Bòrd na Gàidhlig
Major Partners: Scottish Arts Council, LEADER, EventScotland
In Kind Partner: Ashers’ Bakeries
Event Partners: UHI, University of Aberdeen, University of Edinburgh, Centre for Battlefield Archaeology, University of Glasgow

Homecoming Scotland 2009
1. Homecoming Scotland 2009 aims to engage Scots at home as well as motivate people of Scottish descent and those who simply love Scotland, to take part in an inspirational celebration of our culture, heritage and some of the many great contributions Scotland has given to the world.
2. 2009 marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns, with the programme’s design guided by Scotland’s unique position as the home of Burns himself, Golf, Whisky, Great Minds and Innovations, and Scotland’s culture and heritage which lives on at home and through Scotland’s global family.
3. The budget for Homecoming is £5.5million and the target is for an 8 to 1 return on investment i.e. £44 million revenue additionality.
4. Homecoming Scotland is funded by the Scottish Government and is managed by EventScotland the national events agency in partnership with VisitScotland, the country’s national tourism agency. Homecoming is part financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund.
5. For more information on Homecoming Scotland please visit: http://www.homecomingscotland2009.com

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