DIANA’S FLAG BECOMES A MUSEUM PIECE

MINEHEAD quilt-maker Diana Martin literally flew the flag for the nation’s NHS heroes during the worst of the coronavirus crisis – and now, after flying for ten weeks from a neighbour’s flagpole, her painstaking handiwork is about to become a museum exhibit.

Diana, of Regent’s Way, Minehead, created the 50-by-64-inch flag with its distinctive ’Thank You’ message from the fabric she collects when making quilts for charity.

“I saw people were putting flags and posters in their windows saying thank you to the NHS and I had the idea of making a flag which could be flown from a neighbour’s flagpole,” Diana said.

“It took a weekend to make the letters in different colours on both sides of the flag. A lot of people seemed to like it and we got a lot of nice comments.

“Someone suggested that I sent a photograph of the flag to the Museum of Somerset in Taunton and I was surprised and delighted when they accepted it.

“The flag was a bit frayed after being flown for so long so I repaired, washed and ironed it and it’s due to go to the museum in a few weeks’ time as part of a permanent collection of artwork and handicrafts completed during the coronavirus lockdown.

“I never imagined when I made the flag that it would end up in a museum, but if it helps people to remember just how the NHS looked after us, that’s the important thing.”