After qualifying and working at the Royal School of Needlework, Hannah went on to qualify from King College, London as a nurse. However, sadly, in 2007 Hannah was sectioned under the Mental health Act and was diagnosed with a serious mental illness. Throughout this time, Hannah used embroidery as a therapy when she was out of hospital, as the restrictions in acute mental health units made doing embroidery difficult.

In 2020, Hannah was able to return to nursing and works as a Palliative Care Nurse in London and is the Royal College of Nursing Representative for Lived Experience. Hannah is very open about her serious mental illness and about how embroidery helped her therapeutically. Due to this Hannah has held sewing groups within her mental health trust. In addition, Hannah worked on the Grenfell quilt and presently is leading on a project at the Cassel hospital (hospital that saved Hannah’s life) which is being completed by past and present staff, patients and their carers.

Heather is a professional hand embroidery artist and tutor based in York with over twenty years of experience. During her training on the RSN apprenticeship she gained valuable experience in all aspects of hand embroidery, but one of Heather’s passions is in the creation and preservation of vestments and ecclesiastical embroidery. During her eight years working in the Studios at the RSN, Heather helped with the production of altar frontals for Wells and Canterbury Cathedrals and has also taught several specialist groups. Her most recent book ‘Ecclesiastical Embroidery’ was published in 2024. Heather’s first book ‘RSN Embroidered Boxes – techniques, projects and pure inspiration’ was published by Search Press and she is also the tutor for the RSN online course in box making which launched in 2023.

Heather now pursues a freelance career; stitching, designing embroidery kits and teaching a variety of techniques in York and delivering workshops to groups around the world.

Helen Richman regularly teaches embroidery classes at the RSN and has taught day classes across the UK as well as in the United States and Canada. Her embroidery journey began when she joined the RSN and completed the three-year apprenticeship in 2009, gaining expert knowledge in many fields of hand embroidery.

Helen now runs her business The Bluebird Embroidery Company and has completed several high profile commissions including one from the Royal Mail, Ely Cathedral and also designs and sells her own range of embroidery kits.

Having written articles for New Stitches Magazine and Stitch Magazine, Helen’s book ‘Stumpwork Embroidery: Techniques and Projects’ was published in 2017.

In 2023, Helen was honoured to be part of the Embroidery Studio team at the Royal School of Needlework who worked on a number of items for the Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla, including The Queen’s Robe of Estate and the Anointing Screen.

Jenny is a professional embroidery artist, celebrated for her innovative slant on traditional stitch and inspirational teaching. She graduated from the Apprenticeship with distinction in 1996, becoming Assistant Head of Studio and a senior tutor. She has been privileged to work on a huge array of commissions, many of national significance: designing the All Seasons Altar Frontal for Canterbury Cathedral, gloves for the Lord Chief Justice and playing a key role in the production of the applied lace panels for the wedding dress of HRH the Princess of Wales. She now works full time from her studio in Surrey, working to commission, for a broad range of clients, from private individuals to organisations in the fields of interiors, couture and religion. She creates a range of unique, innovative embroidery kits and provides workshops around the world in the UK, France, New Zealand, Australia, India, USA and Canada.She is the author of: ‘Fine Whitework’, published by the RSN and Search Press.

Jill believes that embroidery is more than just a craft; it’s a means of self-expression and a path to inner peace. Jill’s mission is to inspire creators of all levels, helping them transform “I can’t” into “I can” I believe that teaching is not

merely about showcasing what she can do but rather about empowering

her students to achieve their creative aspirations. Her journey began with her mum, whose love for crafting ignited her fascination with needle and thread. Thanks to her mother’s encouragement and the skills she gained at school, she quickly discovered her love for sewing. This passion blossomed, leading her to an apprenticeship at The Royal School of Needlework, where she mastered traditional hand embroidery techniques. She also holds a BA Hons in Textiles & Fashion, which enriched her understanding of design, free-motion machine embroidery and fabric manipulation.

She has authored several books on embroidery and shared her insights

on BBC Radio London. Her writing has appeared in Stitch

Magazine, and she has spoken at various national textile groups,

including the Embroiderers Guild. She’s also led engaging workshops at

the Knitting & Stitching Shows and the Stitch Festival. For several

years, she has provided lessons from her North London home and taught

regional groups nationwide. She specialises in teaching people how to

design for embroidery. Jill’s private one-on-one lessons leverage years of experience in all facets of embroidery. One of her proudest achievements was creating a community textile collage funded by the Arts Council of England to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee. This project united diverse groups— including regular sewers, dementia patients, and children on free school meals—showing the unifying power of stitch and fabric. She loves helping bring groups together through stitch.