A scarf the length of Deepdale has been knitted by hundreds of committed volunteers.
Participants, friends and family attended Preston North End’s ground at Deepdale to celebrate the completion of the giant scarf project.
The project, supported by the National Football Museum and Preston North End Community and Education Trust, was based on a 1964 hand-embroidered scarf by Preston North End fan Denis Bradley.
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Denis, who attended the quarter and semi-final of the 1964 FA Cup, watched North End his whole life and his passion inspired his family to keep his crafted scarf and donate it to Football Matters.
With the idea of the scarf project first created in February 2024, it was eight months later co-leads Michael Barrett and Aimee Broughton made their way to their first knit and natter group at the temporary Harris library.
The project leads then distributed over 600 knitting packs full of wool, needles and how-to guides to local organisations, and library’s drop-in sessions.
With over 150 hours volunteered, and over 579 engagements with the project, the finished result left the scarf to be as long lengthways as Preston North End’s home pitch.
Aimee Broughton said at last week’s launch event, when the idea came to mind, it felt “like a lightbulb went off” for both her and Michael.
She described the moment they thought of the project idea: “We looked at this scarf, looked at the beauty of it and the creativity of it.
“But we sat there, we looked at each other and we said, let’s make a giant scarf.”
Michael Barrett described the scarf project as “worth it” if it meant that someone felt close to a loved one or made someone more confident or less isolated.
At the event, Michael also shared the history of the bar scarf – the inspiration for the idea – and how it reflects the community and togetherness that was at the forefront of this project.
One of the project volunteers “Debs” shared to the event’s audience that the scarf project helped her “get up and enjoy herself” after a personal battle last year.
She said it gave her more confidence and made her laugh, whilst bringing “the old me back.”
Through this project, 90 per cent of participants said that it helped their overall mental wellbeing whilst 95 per cent said they would take part in this project again.
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