♟️ ECCLES CHESS GOES GIANT!
From Eccles Town Hall to the Giant Screens of Salford!
Who would have thought that a few chess players from Eccles would one day find themselves towering over Salford on the side of a building?
Well, that’s exactly what happened when members of Eccles Community Chess Club were invited to become part of Salford Everywhere: A City Gathering, a spectacular celebration marking 100 years of Salford as a city.
The ambitious project, created by award-winning visual artist and filmmaker Matthew Rosier, brought together more than 1,500 Salford residents in a monumental living portrait celebrating the people, personalities and communities that make Salford special.
And naturally, Eccles Chess Club was delighted to make its move!
🎬 Lights, Camera, Chess! – Behind the Scenes
Our adventure began in June 2026, when members of Eccles Community Chess Club were invited to Eccles Town Hall for a rather unusual filming session.
Wearing crowns for the occasion, our chess players stepped into the spotlight, made a move on the chessboard, shook hands with Barbara Farrar, representing the Eccles chess community, and then walked off again.
It was a wonderful experience, although probably not something our players had imagined when they first learned to play chess!
Fortunately, we managed to capture a little behind-the-scenes footage showing our players walking into shot, striking their poses and making their grand exits.
Here’s a glimpse of how our Chess Giants came to life!
Behind the Scenes – Filming at Eccles Town Hall, June 2026.
🌟 From Chess Pieces to Giants!
Fast-forward to Saturday 10th October 2026, when the finished artwork was brought to life in spectacular fashion at Peel Park, Salford.
The University of Salford’s Maxwell Building became an enormous outdoor cinema screen, with larger-than-life images of Salford residents projected across its walls.
The 45-minute film formed part of a free community celebration featuring music, poetry and performances, bringing people together to celebrate the city’s centenary.
And there, among the hundreds of faces and familiar communities, were our very own Chess Giants of Eccles!
Our chess players appeared in the finished projections, with some also appearing individually on the corner of one of the tallest buildings.
It was quite something to think that a little filming session at Eccles Town Hall had become part of such a magnificent public spectacle.
And here is our second video, capturing the Chess Giants as part of the final celebration!
The Chess Giants of Eccles – Salford Everywhere, 10th October 2026.
❤️ A Little Piece of Eccles Chess History
Sadly, I managed to miss the moment when our chess players appeared on the giant screen, but thankfully these videos have preserved some wonderful memories of both the preparations and the final event.
For me, what made this occasion particularly special was the opportunity to represent Eccles Community Chess Club, a club whose history stretches back more than 70 years.
Chess is about so much more than moving pieces around a board. It’s about friendships, shared experiences, community spirit and bringing people together.
Taking part in Salford Everywhere was another wonderful opportunity to show that our chess community is very much part of the wider story of Eccles and Salford.
We may be a small community chess club, but for one unforgettable evening, we really were GIANTS! ♟️
A huge thank you to everyone involved in creating this remarkable celebration and to the Eccles chess players who took part.
Read more: Salford Now – Monumental Living Portrait Comes to Salford’s Peel Park
Barbara Farrar
Eccles Community Chess Club