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Stained glass window is a Friendly donation – University of Reading

Around 70 of the Friends of the University of Reading have had their first glimpse of a beautiful stained glass window installed at the newly opened Museum of English Rural Life (MERL) to commemorate its opening. The Friends – an association which supports the University in numerous, valuable ways – contributed £4,000 to the cost of the window and they were able to admire it during a specially arranged tour of the Museum on Wednesday 13 July. The intriguing triangular-shaped window, which depicts scenes from the English countryside, was designed and created by Susan Moxley, an artist based in Oxfordshire who works in both print and glass media. Mrs Brenda Morris, Secretary of the Friends, said: "The inspiration for the window comes from the wall hanging, The Variety of British Farming, created by the renowned Australian batik artist Michael O'Connell. The hanging was originally produced for the Country Pavilion at the 1951 Festival of Britain, but was brought to MERL at the end of the Festival and is now in store. "For conservation reasons, O'Connell's hangings can not be displayed; hence the desire to use them as inspiration for another piece of more 'durable' art." The Friends of the University of Reading is an association that formally came into existence in 1927, just one year after the University obtained its Royal Charter. Since that time, hundreds of individuals and organisations have become Friends and helped the University through their subscriptions, donations, bequests and support. Anyone is welcome to join the Friends, and further information can be obtained from Brenda Morris: Tel: 0118 378 8006 Email: thefriends@rdg.ac.uk Web: http://www.rdg.ac.uk/thefriends End Notes for editors -High resolution images of the stained glass window are available upon request for media use. Contact Craig Hillsley, the University's press officer. Tel: 0118 378 7388 Email: c.hillsley@rdg.ac.uk