Rising Brook Writers organise an annual touring community workshops programme.
The sessions introduce the project to each group, then record selected memories and finally produce a memories book (and MP3 tracks) which are then distributed to all taking part.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW PROGRESS ON THE 2011 WORKERS' PLAYTIME PROJECT
These workshops result in the STAFFORD REMEMBERS book series.
CLICK HERE to reach the 2007-2008 project STAFFORD REMEMBERS the 1940s and early 1950s
"Oh! We DID Like To Be Beside The Seaside!"
Book Two in the Stafford Remembers Series
(Scroll down for more links)
Launch 17th May 2010 Gatehouse Theatre Complex
Workshop Leader's Presentation
Presentation of audio CD set for Stafford and Stone Talking Newspaper for the blind listeners
Presentation to SCC Library Service to maximise free public access to the project
Presentation to Stafford and Cannock Hospital Radio Service
Cllr Erica Bayliss Vice Chairman of Staffordshire County Council
addresses the invited audience, saying how impressed she was with what had been achieved.
Representatives from the nine organisations which took part in the project
Outcomes 2010: The aim was to collect and record memories from senior citizens. The outcome was a book of memories in full colour collected from nine community groups and a collection of recorded memories as a set of two CDs (40 MP3 tracks) The project outcomes and original raw data recordings are also being donated to local Archives.
22nd March 2010 project outcomes window display in Guildhall Shopping Mall
CLICK HERE to download a pdf of the text of the 2010 book (no photos - there are over 80 photos in the actual book) - please be aware this is a large file which will take some time to download unless you have a fast internet connection.
The book and audio tracks was launched to the public on 17th May 2010 at the Mounbatten Suite, Eastgate Street Stafford in the presence of the media and invited guests including representatives from all the groups which took part.
COUNTY SHOW STAND 2010
Public Access: This project was on view at the Staffordshire County Show in June 2010 and in a static display in the former Mothercare shop in the Guildhall 22nd to 27th March 2010 - other venues will soon be added
County Show Team: 
The DISTRIBUTION round of touring workshops commenced on 1st Feb 2010 and ran until mid June 2010.
Community Event at Rising Brook Centre Displaying Project Progress up to 21st November 2009
Click Here to see pictures from this public access event
2009 Touring Workshops
In 2009 RBW ran a touring workshops project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and a Staffordshire County Council Arts and Museum Service Grant. The theme of the workshops is 'Oh!We Did Like to Be Beside the Seaside!'.
RBW carried out 65 travelling/static workshops and produced a book of seaside memories of yesteryear and a set of audio CDs.
This project has proven to be very popular - RBW have had to open a waiting list for the 2011 project as there were so many senior citizen groups wanting to work with the team. RBW have worked to their maximum capacity and beyond for this project.
RBW volunteers have learned new skills in video recording to enhance the experience for the contributors. Some of the stories collected can be heard here. - Click to go to the MP3 audio tracks of the stories.
Here's the Project Workshop Leader, John Price, introducing a topic: a snippet about Sunday School memories:
The player will show in this paragraph
For a sneak preview of 1950s holiday mayhem, have a listen to this MP3 file.
Morecambe in September...
A personal reminiscence from Project Workshop Leader John Price.
The first family holidays I remember were always to Rhyl in the first week of August. Until I was six, that is, when shortly after the arrival of my baby brother, Mum and Dad announced we would be going to stay with friends in Morecambe in September.
Nobody I knew had their summer holidays in September but Dad said we could have an Indian summer. I’d never heard of one of those but when we arrived at Morecambe station in a monsoon I realised that an Indian summer probably had more connection with Mahatma Gandhi than Hopalong Cassidy. As the comedian at the Winter Gardens said during what was almost the only dry two hours we had, ‘It’s forecast to only rain twice this week: Sunday to Wednesday and Thursday to Saturday.’
We never got on the beach because the gale force winds threatened to blow hats, deck chairs and the baby several yards inland. Waves regularly breaking into the middle of the road also made the sea-side of the promenade out of bounds.
The shops even ran out of Pakamacs, those unflattering raincoats that you could fold up and keep in your pocket, unless you were in Morecambe in September 1948, when you could easily drown before you’d finished the job. I did get some amusement as we squelched between shops seeking shelter, by seeing how many inside-out umbrellas I could spot in an hour.
One teatime there was a break in hostilities and Dad suggested we go to Happy Mount Park to see the much-talked about illuminations set among the trees and flowerbeds. We joined the queue waiting for the gates to open but only got a hundred yards inside when the heavens opened again. There was no way to turn back, we just had to snake our way through the park and get wet.
There’s a limit to how enthusiastic you can be over a flashing scene from a Popeye cartoon with your underwear sticking to you at every step.
The only laugh came from Mum wearing a pair of coloured shoes, quite a new thing after the austere war years, and ending the night with purple dye up to her ankles.
Finally, thankfully, my holiday in Morecambe in September came to an end. I never really did find out what an Indian summer was - unless Hopalong Cassidy once met a Native American called Purple Feet.
Click on the lines below or the 'Click Here' to open the Workshop Pages:-
The above links also detail the third round of workshops - i.e. the distribution rounds.
Below are NEW groups to the programme - our grateful thanks go out to Heritage Lottery Fund for permitting an extension period so RBW could reach out to include more senior citizen groups.
- 2011 Touring Workshops
- Workshop Trinity Day Centre Holmcroft TUESDAY group 22nd March 2011 click here
- Workshop Kitchener Day Centre Stone 29th March 2011 click here
- Workshop Trinity Day Centre Holmcroft FRIDAY group 1st April 2011 click here
- Workshop Hall Close Sheltered Housing Complex Monday 4th April 2011 click here
- Workshop Eccleshall Monday 11th April 2011 click here
- Workshop Silkmore Lane Friday 15th April 2011 click here
- Workshop Colwich Village Tuesday 19th April 2011 click here
- Workshop Shakespeare Road Complex 5th May 2011 click here
- Workshops PACE 2000 Haling Dene Centre Penkridge 17th June 2011 click here
Funded by:
