A TEAM of needlework enthusiasts from Malvern Hills Repair Cafe have finished a family's precious memory patchwork quilt which was started 30 years ago.

The quilt was started in 1986 by Derry Welbourn-Davies, who, until her recent death, lived at Hastings Residential Care Home in Barnards Green.

Because of ill-health, Mrs Welbourn-Davies was unable to complete the quilt, but her family was put in touch with Anne Ridley, who is a volunteer at the repair cafe, which meets monthly in Malvern. She recruited her repair cafe colleagues and between them, they completed the quilt.

Mrs Welbourn-Davies's daughter Samantha Pritchard said: “My mother, a keen needlewoman and once an enthusiastic member of Malvern Embroiderers, suffered a second stroke three years ago which left her unable to finish the quilt herself which greatly concerned her.

"We were all absolutely delighted when the Malvern Hills Repair Cafe offered to help and she was presented with the finished quilt only a few days before her death in July.

"She had started it in 1986 when she was 56 years old, shortly after my father, her husband of 40 years, passed away. She was 85 when it was finally completed.

"She wanted to create something permanent to pass down to her family and the 24 embroidered pictures within the quilt each portrays a special event in their 40 years together, starting with when she and her future husband first met when she was 16 years old. The story of their long and happy marriage is in the quilt."

Repair cafe founder Jan Dyer said: “We were so pleased to be able to help. I’ve been working on my own quilt for over 40 years and still haven’t finished it but helping Derry and her family has spurred me on to get it out of the cupboard and start sewing again. "Working on it together gave us much pleasure, and a good excuse to meet up outside the repair cafe.”

After its summer break, the repair cafe will return to its usual venue, Malvern Cube in Albert Road North.on Saturday. September 19.

Between 10am and 2pm, the cafe's multi-skilled team will be on hand to fix broken furniture, electrical items, toys, clothing and much more