Award 30: This Is England

Our 30th grant! This award went to Emily Peasgood who created This Is England in response to seeing St George Cross flags being flown locally as a symbol of division.

This Is England was a collaboration to design a new, massive, inclusive flag as a symbol of unity and inclusion. It's made from reclaimed England flags, stitched together with materials that tell the stories of people who make up Thanet today.

Workshop participant

“When flags are used to exclude, they stop being a symbol of community. By reclaiming these flags and weaving them together with fabrics representing the people of Thanet, we are creating a symbol of belonging. This is not about one idea of ‘Englishness’ — it is about the reality of who lives here: our grandparents who moved here for work, families who arrived seeking safety, people who grew up here and have never left. They are England.” - Emily Peasgood

This project directly engages with ongoing local conversations around identity and community. Thanet has long been a focal point for debates about migration and belonging, and symbols such as flags have recently appeared in public spaces in ways that many residents experience as divisive. This Is England responds not with opposition, but with care, craft, collaboration and shared making.

70 people came together to collaborate and make the flag over a number of workshops across the Thanet area. The flag was then exhibited in Ramsgate Harbour and will go on tour now across schools, colleges and community venues locally.

Follow Emily on @empeasgood on instagram to keep following this artwork.