Flying the flag for Wales on St David’s Day

Red Dragon Flagmakers literally ‘fly the flag’ for Wales – their hand finished traditional sewn flags are never more evident than on St David’s Day as Welsh flags adorn buildings around the globe. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

But last week the Swansea based social enterprise landed one of their largest and most unusual order to date – a 10 metre by 8 metre Welsh Dragon flag for a car. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It was a very special car – and a very special occasion. The huge flag was used to wrap and conceal Aston Martin’s new DBX prototype vehicle outside the Welsh Government’s Cathays Park headquarters in Cardiff. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

First Minister Carwyn Jones and Aston Martin CEO Dr Andrew Palmer unveiled the vehicle following the announcement that the iconic British car maker is to open a manufacturing facility in St Athan creating more than 750 highly-skilled jobs. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Jo Ashburner Farr, boss at Red Dragon Flagmakers said it was a hugely proud moment for her and the team – and also one of their most challenging. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

She said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We were asked by the Welsh Government if we could make a huge flag to cover something – but weren’t told what it was because it was top secret. It also had to be a sewn flag rather than printed as the highest quality possible was required. When we saw the images of the unveiling we were really excited and delighted to have been a part of something so special for Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It has to have been one of the largest flags we have been asked to make – it took four people three days and two nights working flat out to complete. The weight of the material meant three people had to work together to get it through the sewing machines – it was definitely a challenge – but we pride ourselves on our ‘can do’ attitude.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We’re so pleased to have been a (small) part of this great event. Bringing manufacturing back to Wales is a subject very close to our hearts here at Red Dragon Flagmakers and as a social enterprise we do everything we can to nurture the skills for sustainable long term employment in our local community.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

First Minister Carwyn Jones said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I’d like to thank Red Dragon Flagmakers as they were given a very tight deadline and came up with the goods on time and made a great job. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It was a memorable moment when the announcement was made and the car, which was wrapped in a distinctive Welsh Red Dragon flag, was unveiled.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​