A community craft project which has seen hundreds of stories woven together to create a special runner for the Table for the Nation in Lichfield Cathedral will be unveiled later this month.
Common Threads Unveiled in Lichfield Cathedral
Common Threads is a 15-metre table runner created especially for the Jubilee Oak Table for the Nation in partnership with The Fabric Vault.
This diocesan-wide community craft project has been formed from individually decorated textile squares contributed by schools, community groups, local businesses and individuals from across the diocese.
Each square reflects something meaningful to its creator – a personal story, a connection to the cathedral or the wider diocese.
A wide range of textile techniques have been used, including embroidery, sewing, fabric painting, knitting, crochet and felting.
Together, these individual contributions have been brought into a single piece that celebrates creativity, community and shared purpose.
The completed Common Threads runner will be on display in the cathedral on Thursday 26 March. This special event offers an opportunity for everyone involved to see the completed table runner in its entirety for the first time – a special preview ahead of its exhibition in June.
A service of thanksgiving will take place at 10.30am.
The 13 metre long ‘Table for the Nation’ was created from a section of the nation’s most significant tree, a gigantic 5,000 year old Fenland Black Oak. The black oak was discovered in 2012, the year of HM The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and was completed and unveiled in 2022, the year of HM the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
The table was dedicated to HM the Queen and is a ‘Table for the Nation’ and has been displayed in a number of our cathedrals including Ely, Rochester, Lincoln and Lichfield. It will travel to Blackburn Cathedral in May for a year as part of the cathedral’s centenary celebrations.
On Friday 27 March Hamish Low, the founder of The Fenland Black Oak Projectwill be in Lichfield Cathedral in conversation with architect and conservation specialist Aaron Chetwynd AA Dipl RIBA as they explore the remarkable story of the 5,000‑year‑old Jubilee Oak and the creative, technical, and architectural thinking that shaped its transformation into the Table for the Nation. Tickets £10 or £16.50 including souvenir brochure.
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