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stripes at the end of each Witney blanket. Show samples of blankets and
any relevant old photographs.

5. A staged conversation between a former employee of a blanket factory and a
member of staff. Engage a willing adult to take one of the parts, while you take
the other. A few props may be helpful, eg tea things.

Explain to the children that they are now to use their imaginations, and that the
space at the front of the classroom is going to be the kitchen inside a cottage. A
lady called Rosie lives here, and she once worked in a blanket factory, but not any
more as she has retired. Encourage them to listen carefully and they should pick

up some clues as to what it was like to have worked in a blanket factory.

Neighbour knocks on the open back door and calls.
Neighbour: Hello! Hello! Anybody in?

Rosie: Is that you X? Come on in! I’m in the kitchen. I’ve just poured some tea.
Have you time for a cuppa?

N: Yes, that would be nice. I’ve just come back from town. I went there this

morning to buy a new duvet cover. The old one had worn so thin. Anyway, I was
really blessed, because I found this lovely one, and it happened to be in a sale too!

R: A little gift from God, no doubt!

N: Mm.

Rosie pours the tea and hands a cup to X. She offers a scone too.

R: And have a freshly baked scone from me as another little gift.
N: Thank you. It looks good.
Taking a bite. Tastes good too.

Rosie smiles and sits down with her tea.
R: You know, I remember the first time I saw a duvet. I had heard about them of
course. We all had. It was the latest thing people wanted. Mind you I didn’t want a
duvet. “How could that thing keep you warm?” I thought. “It’s got no weight to it.
Not like a good warm Witney blanket!” That’s what we all thought.

N: Who’s we?
R: The girls I worked with – in the blanket factory.

(Changing World, Unchanging God) 25