Upcoming Projects
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Worksop in My Eye (WiMe)
WORKSOP
The town Worksop have existed for centuries however, in recent centuries (19th and 20th) the town is spoken of as a coal mining town. With coal mining bringing people from all around the world and in the UK to settle in the town for jobs. As coal mining diminished with the closing of the pits, so did the Town, seemingly diminishing as the coal it once mined. Over the last century production/manufacturing in the UK have naturally gone down, taking down with it the identities of many manufacturing Towns and Cities, leaving caring locals and the council to positively redefine their town and Worksop happens to be one of these towns. Recent social media post by one of the local businesses, referred to the town as a “Forgotten Town” because the once vibrant market town is
almost empty on a Saturday. As it diminishes, young Worksopians look for greener pastures in other parts of country or outside the country seeking for what Worksop once was elsewhere. But what if it was not a “Forgotten Town”? What if the stories of this once thriving market town could live on through the youth? Causing them to positively engage with the rebuilding or redefining of the Town, to be better than what once was, no more a “Forgotten Town” but their Town, their Worksop. Because the fact remains, it is still a great town to raise a family with friendly locals. Not forgetting the accessibility to other towns and cities on the public transport, its proximity to tourist attractions, castles, and other historic figures.
THE PROJECT
Most conversations around the rebuilding of the Town usually happens with the older generation possibly reminiscing over what the Town once was and maybe how it can go back there but, in this generation, change is happening so rapidly that the Town might never look like what it once was. Whether it is more and more people shopping online, and therefore causing high streets to collapse or introduction of larger retailers outside the Town or the lack of free parking, therefore drawing locals to larger shopping malls that can provide free parking with more options, there will have to be some significant changes for the town to survive. These changes might not just come about with the older generation alone but through engaging young people in the conversation to help shape the future of the town. There is a saying in Africa that goes like this:
“What the elderly can see sitting under a tree, a young person might not see it even on top of that same tree.”
Implying that, there is a knowledge that comes with age and experience; and that is necessary in developing the town to avoid pitfalls along the way and preserve some history but the strength of the youth is equally relevant in the rebuilding of the town. Bringing that wisdom and strength together might assist in the rebuilding of Worksop.
There is such an age gap that might sometimes prohibits some of these conversations. The older generation have their opinions of these young people and likewise the young people but, these two generations can be resources to each other to bridge the gap by focusing on a common goal. Most young people cannot relate to their own town, thinking it has nothing to offer them but what if the older generation could shed some light on that? This can only happen through conversations, conversations that might not be happening currently, but can be initiated through intergenerational projects. The results of such projects can feed into the rebuilding of the town.
To most Worksopians, their town no longer has an applaudable or a well define brand, which becomes the identity of the town. The town centre for instance is currently known for the many charity shops and the coffee shops. The lack of well-defined identity affects locals ability to buy into or help develop further, hence hindering the continuous growth of the Town. The defined identity simply paves way for further development acting as a blueprint and helps the next generation to better navigate the Town’s future.
This project is a filming or storytelling project where 12-14 young people interview 12-14 adults that have lived in Worksop for 30 years or more, to share stories on what the community used to be, the changes that has occurred and suggestible improvements. Young people will also be interviewed about the town and what constitute as improvement in their opinion. These conversations will then be turned into a film to share with the wider community.
Click in the button below to register your interest in this project.