Overview

• The interactive embroidery ‘A Virtuous Woman’ invited visitors to stitch names of inspirational women at Hardwick Hall until November 2024, with JK Rowling among those added
• In May, women’s rights activist Jean Hatchet unpicked the transgender-flag threads that had been used to cross out Rowling’s name
• The National Trust labeled the artwork damaged, draped it under a white sheet and is now assessing how to proceed
• Outrage has surged among members, many of whom have announced plans to cancel their National Trust subscriptions
• The dispute follows earlier criticism of the trust’s “woke” policies, which contributed to a loss of 89,000 members last year