BRINGING TO LIFE THE CHARACTERS, PLACES AND WAYS OF LIFE LONG SINCE PAST
Positive Placemakers CIC were commssioned by Helen Shearn Art Consultant, evaluator and producer in Arts, Heritage, Health, and Wellbeing. To plan and deliver a programme for Kirkham’s Future High St Programme, which would provide health and wellbeing opportunities, gather oral histories and raise awareness of local heritage. The aim was to engage and connect the community, collect memories and preserve them for future generations.
The project focused on the development of ways to idenitify and collect oral histories, loosley based on the following themes, growing up, work, war time, the high street and going out.
The project, “Going Out,” was planned to facilitate the process of collecting memories, It included a programme of activities and events that focused on spercific eras, designed to provoke the recollection of memories. Visual stimulus was provided, that included key objects and series of imagery. Sensory stimulous such as perfurmes and aftershave, popular at certain times, combined with the sounds of each era and characters in costumes inspired conversations and the recording of memories.
Going Out, also included a social media activity planned to engage audience participation and secured oral histories on the themes identified. The nostagic media posts were successful in provoking memories, and conversations, connecting people across the world.
The project included, “Big Bash Heritage Events”, planned to focus on spercific eras, with entertainment and hospitality provided. Celebrating and facilitating the collection of memories. The events focused on Going Out in Kirkham in the 1960’s & 1970’s and the 1980’s & 1990’s.
Alongside,ran an activity programme that included singing and dancing, this was delivered by artist Rebecca Clarke along with volunteers. The activity was made available to daycentres, nursing homes and community organisations. Delivering reminisence opportunities, to connect indivdiuals with others in shared memories. It resulted in a number of oral history collections and delivered health and wellbeing opportunities.
Preserving Local Heritage
Connecting The Community
Providing Wellbeing Opportunities
The Good Time Gal character was created by Rebecca Clarke collaborated with artist and costume designer Annabel Little. Who created bright, bold, coherent costumes for each decade’s incarnation of the good times gal. Developing an aesthetic for the character, settling upon a running theme of multi coloured diamonds reminiscent of the traditional dress used in the stock character driven Commedia Dell’Arte mixed with each decade’s fashions.
Rebecca worked on character development alongside the costume design and created a strong theatrical look. A period of time was spent researching the venues that had been significant in Kirkham during those eras, where people had enjoyed mixing, socialising, and celebrating for many years. The character was developed to create an instance connection to a time and era. To heighten their awarness and spark memories long since forgotten.
This approach provoke an enthusisatic immediate reponse and proved entertaining , participamts eagerly engaged, shared memories and joinned in the planned activities.
Pop Up Discos took place at Market Square Kirkham, introducing the character the ‘Good Time’s Gal’ to Kirkham. Artist Rebecca Clarke , with volunteers, delivered fun sessions that resulted in memories being identified and arrangments made to collect the oral histories.
Oral History Collection
To facilitate the collection of memories, a number of volunteers were provided with Oral History training, facilitated by Jessica Toft from Kirkham and Wesham Library LCC. Allowing them to familiarise themselves with the equipment and gain interview techniques and learn how to record memories. Specail thanks goes to Annette York and Barabra Parkinson, who’s commitment resulted in the development of an amazing bank of memories. That brings alive the people and places of times long since past and is available to schools and the wider community to enjoy.
The following selection of recollections, provide a glimpse into the past, listen and be transported to a differant time and place, you won’t regret it.
Duncan on life as a pharmacist in Kirkham.
Mark on going out in Kirkham
Ruby on the Freckleton Air Disaster
Vera on growingup in Kirkham
Going Out, also included a social media activity planned to engage audience participation and secured oral histories on the themes identified. The nostagic media posts were successful in provoking memories, and conversations, connecting people across the world.
Memories provided by Vera, at a pop up event held at Book, Bean and Ice Cream business on Poulton St, Kirkham, facilitated by the Good Time Girl character.
