Knitters thanked for help with exhibition on women in fishing

Staff at The Old Low Light Heritage Centre, in North Shields, have thanked people who have responded to its call for knitted herring for the exhibition.

‘That’s Women’s Work’ opened at the centre on North Shields Fish Quay in late July and the shoal of knitted herring is growing by the day.

Coordinator of the team of volunteers that researched and curated the exhibition, Nina Brown, said: “An important part of the exhibition is the story of the ‘herring girls’ who travelled every year from northern Scotland to clean and cure the catch at ports along the way.

"Local people have provided stories and photographs, but we also asked if they would knit a herring.

"The response has been wonderful and at the last count we had more than 250, which are now hanging in a net at the entrance to the gallery!

“The exhibition is proving to be very popular and we would like to thank everyone who has helped to make our shoal of herring such a lovely feature.”

The exhibition will run until the end of the year. The centre is currently open to the public Wednesday to Saturday 10am to 3pm. Entrance to the gallery is £4 (free for Old Low Light members).

The exhibition, funded using money raised by plant sales organised by volunteers, also includes a selection of works by local artists and crafts people, including some hand knitted traditional fishermen’s ganseys.