DOZENS of exquisite quilts made by a group of Forest crafters went on display at the weekend.

The show by the Lydney Quilters group also raised money for the town’s hospital and the Victoria Centre.

Saturday’s (June 15) exhibition drew a large crowd to the Masonic Hall in Highfield Road, and one lucky visitor won the quilt, made by the group, which was awarded first prize at the recent Malvern Show.

As well as quilts large and small, there were a number of other crafted items on show including ‘comfort cushions’.

Chair of Lydney Quilters, Maureen Jackson, explained: “We make the cushions for ladies at Cheltenham Hospital who have had mastectomies.”

Mrs Jackson said they were pleased at the number of visitors who attended the exhibition.

“We are raising money for the hospital and for the Victoria Centre which does such good work (for older members of the community,” she explained.

“The exhibition has done well, it has been very busy.”

The quilts took from a few weeks – for machine-made covers – to anything up to five years for intricate, hand-sewn designs.

Among those whose work was on display was Lydney Quilters founder Pat Markham.

She revealed: “I came to Lydney in 2007 and started the group about a year later in my conservatory.

“We have grown since then.”

The quilters now meet on the fourth Thursday of the month in the Old Vicarage in Lydney.

Chris Snook had her first quilt on show.

She said: “I got involved with quilting because I like embroidery and my friends were doing it.

“It’s all hand sewn and its taken about four years to complete – it’s been forever!”

Marguerite Gordon first started quilting about nine years ago.

She said: It’s relaxing and I enjoy it.”

•For more photographs see this week’s Review.