Inspiring Textiles Project unveils stunning art installation at Castle Espie
Weaving mental health, wellbeing and nature: Inspiring Textiles Project unveils stunning art installation at WWT Castle Espie
Newtownards-based social enterprise Inspiring Yarns is celebrating the successful completion of its 18-month heritage project Inspiring Textiles at WWT Castle Espie, made possible by a £99,927 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Delivered in partnership with WWT Castle Espie, the project has combined textile heritage with nature, mental health support, and community engagement through free weekly workshops, trips to Castle Espie, and the creation of a stunning collaborative textile installation.
At the heart of the project is a breathtaking woven artwork composed of four large panels, designed by Creative Director Åsa McDowell, each representing the iconic view from WWT Castle Espie’s café across the seasons. Beginning with spring and flowing through to winter, the panels reflect subtle seasonal colour shifts and depict the reserve’s bodies of water, black pine tree, and the surrounding landscape including Scrabo Tower. Each panel took around nine days to complete, using only repurposed yarns from the Community Yarn Fund and wool dyed specifically for the project. Volunteers photographed the same landscape monthly to guide the colour choices and capture the essence of the changing seasons.
In addition to the woven piece, the project produced eight hand-stitched embroidery panels, all designed by local artist Aimée Palmer, based on her original photography from across the site. These delicate and detailed panels, stitched over several months by Aimée and a dedicated team of twelve volunteers, reflect unique ecological features of Castle Espie: The Orchard, Echium Vulgare (Viper’s Bugloss), Bats, Cinnamon Teal and Eider Ducks, Male and Female Mallards, Red-Breasted Goose and Brent Goose, Kingfisher and Bee Orchid.
These finished artworks will now be permanently installed in the visitor centre at WWT Castle Espie, offering a legacy that celebrates local biodiversity, environmental heritage, and the power of creativity for wellbeing.
112 participants took part in the project with Inspiring Yarns delivering free courses each week in Ards and Portaferry, focused on traditional skills such as knitting, crochet, spinning, Dorset button making, and felting. The project has supported mental health and wellbeing through creative expression and time spent in nature, upskilled both new and experienced heritage tutors, encouraged intergenerational learning and community connection and promoted sustainable practice through use of natural and donated materials.
Claire Anketell, Director of Inspiring Yarns CIC, commented: “This project brought together everything we care about—wellbeing, heritage crafts, environmental awareness, and community. The inspiration for the project began with mine and Janice Moore’s interest in the migratory Whooper Swans which led us to connect with WWT Castle Espie. Our vision was to link creative textiles with nature-based learning and mental health support—and the resulting project has done just that. We would like to take this opportunity to thank National Lottery players for their support with Inspiring Textiles at WWT Castle Espie and invite everyone to come and see these beautiful pieces of artwork.”
Dr Sally Montgomery, Northern Ireland Committee Member at The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “We are so pleased to have supported Inspiring Textiles – an innovative project that has delivered a creative response to the natural heritage and wildlife of Strangford Lough. Thanks to National Lottery players more people have been able to learn new skills and spend time in nature we which know can have a positive effect on our wellbeing. It’s wonderful to see this new artwork installed at WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre to be enjoyed long after the project’s conclusion.”
Paul Stewart, Centre Manager at WWT Castle Espie, added: “Seeing the final pieces installed at WWT Castle Espie is a powerful reminder of what we can create together. The artworks are stunning, but what’s even more remarkable is the journey that led to them—the community, the learning, and the deeper appreciation for our local environment. We're proud to host this legacy here at WWT Castle Espie.”
Everyone is welcome to attend an Inspiring Textiles free workshop at WWT Castle Espie on Sunday 27 July. Visitors can view the works, meet the artists and volunteers behind the project, and try their hand at traditional textile crafts in a series of engaging, family-friendly workshops throughout the day. For further information visit www.inspiringyarns.co.uk/events. Follow Inspiring Yarns on Facebook: inspiringyarnsUK and Instagram: inspiringyarns.
