A beautiful piece of tapestry has been donated to Bury College to celebrate the 80th anniversary since the opening of one of the College’s most established centres.

The tapestry is a woven piece of artwork of the Bury College Woodbury Centre, formerly known as Bury Municipal Technical College, which charmingly captures the characteristics of the building. The tapestry has been kindly donated by Barbara Barlow, whose father Jack Barlow created the artwork during a City and Guilds of London Tapestry course which he completed at Bury College during the 1940s.

September 2020 marked the 80th anniversary since the opening of the Bury College Woodbury Centre and to celebrate the occasion the tapestry has been mounted in the reception of the building. Bury College has a long-standing history of providing opportunities for adult learners across the local community and giving individuals the skills and qualifications needed to further their careers.

Barbara Barlow, who is the Chairman of Healthwatch Bury, has been working closely with Bury College and providing valuable work experience opportunities to students. Barbara was delighted to present the tapestry to Bury College and very pleased that it has been recognised.

Barbara said, “It is such a proud moment to see my father’s work being recognised, it’s just a shame that he is no longer here to see it. I have always kept this tapestry safe as it is such a unique piece of work and something that I thought was worthy of praise. I think it is great that Bury College has always offered a wide range of adult courses, it gives individuals the chance to learn, develop and evolve. Everyone deserves the opportunity to make the best of their talents, no matter what stage they are at in their lives.”

The Bury College Woodbury Centre houses a range of courses including Art and Design, Catering, Barbering, Hairdressing, Beauty and Media Make-up. For 80 years, adult learners have been given the opportunity to secure new skills, knowledge and qualifications and over the decades the adult offer has developed.

Lisa Matthews, Bury College Curriculum Director for adult provision and higher education said, “It is wonderful to see a piece of history hanging on the walls in one of our centres and it is a testament of how much our adult courses have evolved over the years. As an institution, we are extremely proud to be working in the heart of our community and upskilling adult learners for over 80 years.”

Bury College offers adult courses across a wide range of sectors including Business and Accounting, Catering and Hospitality, Childhood Studies and Teaching, Hair and Beauty and Sport and Fitness. In addition to these, the College also offers a range of higher education courses at a variety of levels including foundation degrees, degrees, HNCs and HNDs and teaching qualifications.