Southend YMCA's Get 2020 Wrapped Up

November 18, 2020

Thanks to Gaz de Vere for the above photo

All around the world people are documenting this year in some way and Southend YMCA is no different! 'Get 2020 Wrapped Up' is a new project by our initiative FYV - Find Your Voice - which is encouraging the people of Southend-on-Sea to help us tell the story of their town in the year 2020.

We are inviting you to participate in the creation of a community patchwork quilt... we want to see the story of Southend 2020 through the eyes of the people who live here. Anyone can enter a patch, whether you’re 10 years old or 60 years old - we want to see all your creations!

Your submission must be an 8x8 inch square piece of fabric leaving a 1-inch border on all sides (to allow for stitch together). You can then sew/draw/write your representation of 2020, take a snap and share on social media tagging @fyv_findyourvoice and using #fyvinstaquilt and drop it off at a local drop off point.

When dropping off your square, please complete the postcard provided at the drop off box and paper clip it (also provided) to your square before popping it in the box:

Leigh Community Centre
71-73 Elm Rd, Leigh-on-Sea, SS9 1SP
Ferndale Baptist Church
North Ave, Southend-on-Sea, SS2 5HU
Storehouse Community Centre,
Coleman St, Southend-on-Sea SS2 5AW
More drop-off points to be confirmed!

The deadline for submissions is 18th December.

All submissions will be sewn together to create a huge patchwork quilt by The Strawberry Studio in Westcliff and then displayed around the borough in the new year. Timings and locations will be Covid permitting, so make sure you follow @fyv_findyourvoice on social channels to stay up to date with the latest news.

Lydia Kovacs, project liaison for 'Get 2020 Wrapped Up', is a local Stylist and Costume Designer based in Leigh-On-Sea. She has been volunteering with Southend YMCA throughout the pandemic. 'We are providing the community with a creative opportunity to document their experiences before we get used to this ‘new normal’ and forget how extraordinary this year has been! We've demonstrated this year how powerful communities can be when they join together, we want to celebrate that by inviting you to contribute to our project'.

FYV is an initiative by Southend YMCA, funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, which gives young people a voice on issues they are passionate about and enables them to make real change in their community. For more information about 'Get 2020 Wrapped Up' and other FYV projects, please visit www.fyvproductions.co.uk.

Southend YMCA is a local charity offering life-changing, creative and developmental opportunities for young people. You can find out more about the exciting projects and initiatives the YMCA offers at www.southendymca.org.uk.