The Bayeux Tapestry Comes to Britain
A Celebration of History, Pictures, Music and Memories
Nearly 1,000 years after it was created, the Bayeux Tapestry is coming to Britain for a historic exhibition at the British Museum. This remarkable embroidered picture story provides the inspiration for a varied collection of activities exploring history, France, textiles, music and memories.
We begin with the extraordinary story of the Bayeux Tapestry itself - how its colourful scenes tell the events surrounding the Norman Conquest and the Battle of Hastings in 1066, and why its visit to Britain is such a special occasion.
There are plenty of opportunities for conversation and reminiscence. Participants can talk about sewing, embroidery, knitting and other traditional crafts, and consider how pictures can be used to tell stories without words.
Our French connection takes us on a visual journey around some familiar French landmarks, followed by a delicious challenge identifying French foods and drinks.
From one famous Tapestry we move to another - Carole King's landmark 1971 album. A music activity challenges participants to complete the titles of all 12 tracks, including It's Too Late, So Far Away and You've Got a Friend, providing plenty of opportunities to remember and enjoy some wonderful music.
For a practical activity, gather together scraps of fabric, felt, ribbon, wool and other leftover materials to create a colourful Autumn Tapestry. No needles or sewing are required - simply cut, arrange and glue the different textures to make an autumn scene. Individual creations can even be joined together to form one long group tapestry.
The activities can be enjoyed as a complete session or selected individually to suit your group. As always, the emphasis is not on knowing every answer, but on conversation, shared memories, creativity and having fun together.
Simon’s Dementia Activities — Boosting brain power together to benefit quality of life.
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