Veterans inspired by visit to The Longest Yarn exhibition in Normandy

During the Taxi Charity’s visit to Normandy for the D-Day commemorations, one of the highlights of the trip was a memorable visit on 7 June to The Longest Yarn exhibition.

Housed in Église Saint-Hilaire in Carentan-les-Marais, the remarkable display brings the story of D-Day to life through more than 80 intricate knitted scenes. Created by contributors from around the world, the exhibition combines artistry, history and community spirit, with every handcrafted tableau telling part of the story of the Allied landings and the events that followed.

Our veterans and volunteers were captivated by the extraordinary attention to detail and the emotion woven into every display case. Many spent time reflecting on the scenes, sharing memories and discussing the significance of the events depicted. The exhibition offered a unique and moving perspective on history, making it a fitting addition to our commemorative visit to Normandy.

The project is the brainchild of Tansy Forster, whose vision has united knitters across the globe in creating this exceptional tribute.

After welcoming the Taxi Charity group, Tansy shared her appreciation:

“I just wanted to say thank you so much for choosing us as a venue for your veterans to visit. We were absolutely thrilled to welcome them and to see how much they enjoyed themselves.

What the Taxi Charity does is truly phenomenal. I was so impressed by the way you treat the veterans with such dignity — you don’t over-fuss them, you simply give them the space to enjoy themselves and be themselves, which was wonderful to see.

Your volunteers were absolutely fabulous too, and huge credit to all of you for continuing to do this important work.

We really hope you’ll become regular visitors to The Longest Yarn, both in the UK and here in Normandy. We very much look forward to working further with you all.”

The Taxi Charity would like to thank Tansy and everyone involved with The Longest Yarn for such a warm welcome and for creating an exhibition that honours the legacy of D-Day in such an imaginative and heartfelt way. It was a privilege for our veterans to experience this extraordinary tribute, and one that will remain a lasting memory of our 2026 Normandy pilgrimage.

To find locations of the exhibition on its tour of the UK, visit www.thelongestyarn.com.