A project to explore the hidden history of the region's textile industry is one of five in Greater Manchester to receive a grant worth thousands from Historic England.

The Kathleen Project was inspired in 2016 by a sewing machine left on the doorstep of Chorlton's Stitched Up, which has had a pop-up shop in Stretford since 2020.

The project applied to Historic England for a grant from its 'Everyday Heritage: Celebrating Working Class Histories' scheme, and earlier this week it received £10,000.

This sum is to support the creation of an in-person and online multimedia exhibition on the textile industry from the 1940s onwards, as well as its impact on people and communities.

Stitched-Up's Bryony Shanahan said: "We’re so excited to be bringing to life a project that we’ve been dreaming about ever since a knackered old industrial sewing machine was left on our doorstep in 2016, its drawer containing a photo and name badge of a woman called Kathleen.

"The Kathleen Project will allow us to uncover hidden histories from Manchester's industrial past, reflecting on our shared history and how this relates to the clothing makers of today."

Other projects in the region to receive a grant include three in Salford and another in Heywood.

Messenger Newspapers: The sewing machine was left with Stitched Up back in 2016.The sewing machine was left with Stitched Up back in 2016.

In total, almost 60 projects across the country are to benefit from between £6,000 and £25,000.

Duncan Wilson, the chief executive of Historic England, said: "I’m excited to see the wide range of approaches and subjects proposed.

"These community-led projects demonstrate heritage is all around us and accessible to everyone.

"They will highlight that wherever people live they are surrounded by historic buildings, landscapes and streets, industrial and coastal heritage that can help bring communities together.

"The histories of castles and great houses and their inhabitants are well documented, but we know far less about our everyday heritage.

"From council estates, pubs and clubs, to farms, factories and shipyards, these are the places where most people have lived, worked and played for hundreds of years.

"We want to explore these untold stories and celebrate the people and places at the heart of our history."