IRENE Calverley and her husband Gordon moved to Knighton in 2006 to retire. Not long after, Irene, who had spent her career making wedding dresses and other garments, opened a small studio in Broad Street. This business soon expanded and she opened The Bridal Workshop in West Street and by 2012 opened another shop Strides in Broad Street. Irene soon started helping Knighton Show and Carnival by making the princess and attendants' dresses for the annual event and was also carnival president for two years.

Since coming to Knighton many people asked Irene for advice on how to mend, alter or make garments so Irene decided to start a sewing workshop that became a great success, attracting people from a wide area. Although the shop in Broad Street closed, Irene was still as busy as ever teaching people and passing on the skills she had learned over the years. Now Irene and her husband have decided to leave Knighton and move to Nantwich in Cheshire to be closer to their family. Recently there was a special event in the West Street shop to which all the people who had attended the sewing workshops were invited. Irene presented Rachel Mills with a book to encourage her to continue sewing and three of her sewing students were presented with prizes for the items of clothing they had created since becoming involved in the workshops. First prize went to Helen Tyler, 2nd Ann Mills and 3rd Claire Davies. Irene said “ I will be continuing to teach when I move,” and invited all her Knighton students to travel to Cheshire if they wanted to, she also told them that she would be doing a special Christmas workshop that they were all invited to. She thanked everyone again and finished by saying “Remember, if your work doesn’t work out you can cut it up and use it for dusters." Sewing workshop member Marj Rickerby said to Irene: “We have learned so much, it’s been great fun and you have helped us make so many things. I know everyone will miss you.”