Community News

Estranged grandparents quilt exhibited at House of Commons

Campaigner Lorraine Bushell, of Hendon Grandparents Support Group, has secured an exhibition to display the Quilt of Love and Hope within the Palace of Westminster

a brightly coloured quilt made up of individual squares
The Quilt of Love and Hope

A quilt drawing attention to the rights of grandparents to see their grandchildren will go on display at the House of Commons later this month.

Campaigner Lorraine Bushell, of Hendon Grandparents Support Group, secured an exhibition to display the Quilt of Love and Hope in hopes that visiting MPs might assist organising an all-party parliamentary group on grandparent and grandchildren rights as a stepping stone to an eventual change to the law.

The quilt was created by an estranged grandmother. During lockdown, Sue Cramer asked Bushell to put a call out to grandparents to produce a square to reflect their feelings about the loss of the relationship with a beloved grandchild. 

Bushell started working with grandparents in the Solihull area when she became an estranged grandmother herself and has been campaigning for rights for children to see their grandparents for over 20 years.  Realising the need for grandparents in this situation to be supported she created to two support groups, one in Solihull and one in Hendon.  She was awarded an OBE for her work supporting estranged grandparents.  

The quilt will be displayed  at the House of Commons from 29th January till 1st February.


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