Some of the best known names to have come out of Paisley are to be immortalised in a tapestry as part of a campaign to restore one of the town's most recognisable buildings.
Singers Gerry Rafferty and Paulo Nutini, actors Gerard Butler and David Tennant, and Britain's youngest elected MP Mhairi Black are among the faces to be featured on the work by Scots artist Andrew Crummy.
The tribute to Paisley's sons and daughters will be completed as part of the 100 days to save Coats Memorial campaign, which officially launched today.
A team of fundraisers aim to raise £1.5million to redevelop the 125-year-old Gothic church, which closed for worship in August, allowing it to open as a venue for arts and cultural events.
The tapestry will also feature Victorian industrialist Thomas Coats without whom many public spaces and buildings in Paisley, including the church, would not exist, as well as playwright and artist John Byrne and actor Phyllis Logan.
As well as unveiling an early design for the tapestry, the campaign launched detailed plans for the redevelopment, including a booking office, landscaped gardens, a car park, a demountable performance stage, theatre seating for events and banquets, audio/visual rigs for specialist cinema evenings and a 400kg lift to provide disabled access. The Church will be open to the public on Saturday afternoons for the duration of the fundraising campaign. Ian Henderson, Coats Memorial Steering Group member said visiors would be invited to add a stitch to the Tapestry of Renfrewshire, created to support the Paisley's bid to become City of Culure 2021, which will be housed in Coats Memorial for the duration of the 100 day fundraising campaign.
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He added: “On behalf of the Steering Group, I can say that we have been truly humbled by the support of people like Andrew and those involved in the Tapestry of Renfrewshire for lending their talents to our community campaign.
“We hope this bespoke piece of artwork will attract thousands of visitors to Coats Memorial during the 100 days so that they can stitch a piece of history. Who knows, perhaps even some of our Paisley Icons will even make an appearance themselves."
Since that unsuccessful City of Culture bid, the Tapestry of Renfrewshire has been without a home, but there are plans for it to be permanently housed at Coats Memorial, if the fundraising target is met.
"And if we meet our fundraising target, it will take up permanent residency here so that people from across Scotland and the Artist Andrew Crummy, said: “We are thrilled that this will be the home of the tapestry. We believe it is the perfect fit. The Tapestry is being stitched using over 8000 donations of Anchor Threads that have been given by hundreds of local people.
“These threads are a direct legacy of The Coats family. The tapestry will also be a celebration of the skills and creativity of those that will stitch the tapestry.
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“The icon panel is a celebration of this rich heritage and sends out a clear message to the world, that to have the tapestry in this beautiful venue we want to nurture this rich legacy and look forward to the future.”
Throughout the 100 days campaign Coats Memorial is to host performances by Paisley Opera, PACE Theatre Company, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and University of West Scotland Choir, and others.
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