The Royal School of Needlework (RSN) is passionate about keeping the art of hand embroidery alive by passing on the skills and traditions to people through its outreach programmes.
The RSN seeks to:
• Preserve traditional embroidery techniques and cultural heritage.
• Encourage creativity and self-expression.
• Support mental well-being through mindful stitching.
• Build community connections through shared artistic activities.
Schools
Traditional art and craft subjects play an important role in education because they help students to develop practical skills, explore their creativity and connect with culture. In recent years, there has been a notable decline in arts education in schools with many headteachers forced to cut non-core subjects and reduce extra-curricular programmes due to budget pressures.
The RSN seeks to help with the lack of arts provision in schools by offering free hand embroidery workshops.
The programme is overseen by Joanna Hart, a former Head of Music and Textiles teacher, who understands first-hand the challenges faced by teachers in the world of education.
What we can offer
No two schools are the same and with this in mind, the RSN seeks to be as flexible as possible tailoring hand embroidery workshops to the needs of a school, its pupils and staff. We are happy to work with students from Primary age (usually starting around Year 4) up to and including Sixth Form. Examples of what can be offered include the following:
On site at your school (where tutors are available in your area)
• One off taster/beginner embroidery workshops.
• Longer term embroidery workshops, e.g. a larger project across a set number of weeks/term etc.
• Workshops for GCSE and A’ Level Textile groups to support/enrich timetabled sessions.
At our base – Hampton Court Palace
• Inspiration days for GCSE and A’ Level Textile students – a hand embroidery workshop, with an opportunity to see our School and *Studio at work plus a visit to our shop. (*subject to availability).
• CPD sessions for teachers – come and spend a day stitching with other teachers and get some tips on how to deliver hand embroidery sessions to your pupils. (Set dates throughout the year)
Wider Outreach
In addition to working with schools, the RSN offers hand embroidery workshops to various community groups and other venues. Recent workshops have included a session for families at a National Trust property and a Deaf community group. If you are interested in a workshop, please do get in touch to discuss your requirements.
Contact
To discuss opportunities for your school or community group, please do get in touch with us and we will be happy to help:
Funding
The RSN relies heavily on funding from supporters to deliver its programme of outreach work and seeks to include groups from all areas of society. Financial donations towards a workshop from more affluent community groups are always welcomed.
The RSN is grateful to the following organisations for their generous support of the programme.
The Worshipful Company of Broderers