The event brought together representatives from South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture (SLLC), South Lanarkshire Council (SLC), Clyde Gateway and the French Consulate, alongside pupils, community representatives and invited guests.

The project, titled A Royal Burgh in Felt and Stitch, was created as part of the Rutherglen 900 celebrations by SLLC Arts Development in partnership with Clyde Gateway.

It is inspired by the famous Bayeux Tapestry, which goes on display at the British Museum later this year.

Through a series of handcrafted stitched scenes, key moments from Rutherglen’s rich history have been brought to life by pupils from Cairns, Spittal and Burgh Primary Schools.

A short ceremony took place at Rutherglen Town Hall, with guests hearing speeches from His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Lanarkshire, Lady Haughey CBE, and Stéphane Pallier, Consul General of France in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

The attendance of representatives from the French Consulate recognised the project's inspiration from the Bayeux Tapestry and celebrated the longstanding cultural links between Scotland and France.

The evening provided an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the pupils, and everyone involved in bringing the project to life.

Nick Lansdell, Chief Executive of South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture said: “This is a fantastic celebration of Rutherglen’s rich history and the creativity of its young people.

“The felted banner is a lasting piece of community artwork to mark the town’s significant milestone.”

Barrie Duncan, Development Co-ordinator (Arts, Libraries, Museums) at SLLC said: “We were thrilled to unveil the tapestry after months of preparation and hard work.

“A huge thank you to the pupils, teachers and everyone else who was involved in bringing this together We’d also like to thank Clyde Gateway for their continued support in funding and delivering programmes that deliver real impact across the community.

“When you see the tapestry, it really does take your breath away and we are delighted that it is key part of the Rutherglen 900 celebrations

The tapestry will provide a legacy of the celebrations and will be showcased at Rutherglen Town Hall until the end of October 2026.