PEOPLE are being offered the chance to make their own little piece of history by getting involved in a tapestry project.

Work is under way to design panels for the Tapestry of Renfrewshire, which aims to tell the local area’s story in glorious colour.

The panels are being designed by artist Andrew Crummy, who also worked on The Prestonpans Tapestry, The Great Tapestry of Scotland and the Diaspora Tapestry.

His aim is to highlight the history of the old County of Renfrew, with residents in East Renfrewshire being urged to get involved.

Workshops will take place in Barrhead and Giffnock this month, as East Renfrewshire was once part of the County of Renfrew.

Historians and stitchers who wish to get involved with the research project to create timelines for their respective areas are invited to come along and discuss stories and historical events that helped to shape where they lived.

The workshops are being organised by urban historian Stephen Clancy, on behalf of the Renfrewshire Tapestry Group, who aims to make them sociable events.

Mr Clancy said: “We will start off by working on 10 panels but the end goal is to have maybe 50 or 60 by the end of 2021, with each one depicting a different part of our history.

“What we want to do is tell the whole story of the County of Renfrew right up to modern day, with the different councils that are in place, for example.

“The workshops will be very hands-on. We will have a printed timeline and we hope we can have discussions and share stories and people’s memories and recollections will allow us to add the local feel to our tapestry.

“We hope that people will come along and pass on their local knowledge, whether that be Barrhead, Neilston or Paisley.”

Mr Clancy, who has been lecturing in local history and archaeology at the University of the West of Scotland, also plans to take the project around various schools and care homes during the coming months.

He added: “We held a similar workshop in Paisley in March and around 30 people attended. Some of them were aged 10 or 12 and others were 92 or 93, so it really is something that everyone can get involved in and contribute to.”

Each of the workshops is free to attend, with the first taking place at the Barrhead Foundry at 7pm on Monday, June 19.

People can also go along to a workshop at Giffnock Library on Monday, June 26, starting at 5.45pm.

Full details are available online at www.renfrewshiretapestry.org.uk/events.

You must book your place at the workshop in advance. To do this, visit eventbrite.co.uk or send an email to stitch@renfrewshiretapestry.org.uk.