UNCOVER THE HIDDENWA RTIME MESSAGES PRESERVED
FOREVER IN THE CHANGI QUILTA STITCH IN TIME
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HELPINGTHOSE INCRISIS
Onlythroughthegenerosityof
itssupporterscantheBritishRed
Crossalwaysbeonhandtohelp
thoseincrisis– whetherthey’re
ontheothersideoftheworldor
onyourownstreet.Byleavinga
giftinyourwill,youcanleavea
lastinglegacyandensurethisvital
charitycancontinuetosupport
vulnerablepeople for many years
to come.FormoreinformationaboutsupportingtheBritishRedCrosswitha giftinyour will
and the Free Will scheme, visit redcross.org.uk/freewill or call 0300 500 0401T
heChangiquiltmaylooklike
aninnocentcraftproject,but
there’sa verydifferentstory
hiddenwithinitspatchworksquares.
Thequilt,whichis keptintheBritish
RedCrossmuseumcollection,was
createdbya defiantgroupofwomen
prisoners,heldinChangiJail,
Singapore,duringWorldWarII.
Eachwomantooka six-inchsquare
ofwhitematerialcutfroma ricesack
andembroideredtheirnameand
‘somethingofherself ’ontothefabric.
Thefinishedsquareswerestitched
togethertomakequilts– andbecame
aningeniouswaytoletfriendsand
familyinother camps know they
were safe.
ASURVIVOR’SSTORY
BabyJenneferwasborninChangi
Jailanddespiteappallingconditions,
motherandchildsurvived.Overthe
followinggruellingyears,theironly
permittedmeetingwithJennefer’s
prisoner-of-warfather James, lasted one
precioushour.
AfterthewartheDavidsonfamily
werehappilyreunitedandreturnedtoa
coldwinterinEngland.TodayJennefer
says,“Ihavethisdebtofgratitudeto
theBritishRedCrosswhogaveusour
firstwinterclothes.Theyalsosentus
foodparcelsandmytoyPoohbear.”
LearnmoreofJennefer’sstoryand
thesecretsoftheChangi quilt at:
changi.redcross.org.uk