Volunteers needed for Great Tapestry display

82 panels from the tapestry will be exhibited at Verdant Works in Dundee

Volunteers are being sought to help guard The Great Tapestry of Scotland when it goes on display in Dundee next month.

Eighty-two panels from the tapestry will go on display in Verdant Works in August.

But Dundee Heritage Trust must have two people with the tapestry at all times after security was stepped up following the theft of a panel when the tapestry was on display in Kirkcaldy Museum in 2015.

The Great Tapestry, which aims to tell the full history of Scotland, was created by over 1,000 volunteer embroiderers and contains 160 panels.

At 143 metres long it is the longest tapestry in the world.

Half of the panels went on display at Verdant Works last year and attracted nearly 8,000 visitors from March to May.

Now the remaining panels will go on display from August 26 until October 22.

The panels depict events such as the Viking invasion of Scotland, the Glencoe massacre, the first Edinburgh festival, the Miners’ Strike and the first ever rugby match between Scotland and England.

Seven of the most popular panels from last year’s exhibition will also be returning to Dundee. These include two sections about the history of the city itself: “The Discovery Sails from Dundee” and “Dundee: Jute, Journalism.”

Volunteers will be given training so they can meet and greet visitors and answer any questions about the tapestry.

The exhibition will run for eight weeks and will be open seven days a week. Volunteer invigilators will be asked to work four-hour shifts, either from 10am-2pm or 2pm-6pm.

A spokeswoman for Dundee Heritage Trust, which runs Verdant Works, said a number of volunteers who helped out during last year’s exhibition will be returning.

“Last year we had about 30 volunteers and a lot of them will be coming back but we are looking for more,” she said.

“There need to be two people with it all the time.

“One of the panels was stolen so they are quite strict with security.

“We will need people to cover if people are ill on holiday.”

She added: “It is the other part of the exhibition.

“It was really popular last year so it’s great to have it coming back. It’s really great for us.”

Anyone who wants to volunteer should email collections@ dundeeheritage.co.uk or call 01382309079.

Picture: Jeff J Mitchell. Members of the public view the tapestry at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.