KNUTSFORD Heritage Centre has produced a calendar to recognise the 20th anniversary of the Millennium Tapestry.

Cllr Andrew Malloy, the Mayor of Knutsford, visited the Millennium Tapestry at the Heritage Centre recently to pay tribute to Jennifer Holbrook, a former Mayor of the town.

He said: “It’s thanks to one of my predecessors that Knutsford has such an amazing record of the town as it was 20 years ago.”

Jennifer has been mayor 3 times in the past 20 years, but it was as Cllr Holbrook and chairman of the Millennium Committee in 1997 that she had the inspired idea to commission a tapestry of the town as a way of celebrating the year 2000 and the start of a new millennium.

Sue Newhouse, a creative stitcher and embroiderer, was asked to lead this project and set about designing a 2ft x 10ft panel of the centre of the town.

Her aim was to involve 2,000 people; one for each year of the millennium.

Eventually the tapestry grew to 40ft long and includes the whole town. The names of more than 3,000 stitchers are recorded in the Knutsford Tapestry book.

Although the final stitch was not put in until April 2001 the tapestry represents Knutsford at the turn of the century.

To recognise the 20th anniversary next year the Heritage Centre has produced a souvenir calendar, featuring details from the tapestry alongside a modern photo of the same scene.

Each month is a celebration of the town, from the iconic Brook Street Chapel in the snow, to May Day on the Heath and penny farthing cyclists at the Courtyard Café.

Councillor Malloy added: “I enjoy bringing my children in to look at the tapestry and we spot something new on it every time. It is a real asset to the town and I’m sure this calendar will appeal to visitors and locals alike.”

The calendar costs £6.95 and is on sale in the Heritage Centre shop. Watch out for more 20th anniversary celebrations next year.