Sixty Years of A Village at Play |
 |

Sixty Years of a Village at
Play
is
the title of
Wolvey Parish Council’s intergenerational
community arts project that was part of the village’s 2012 celebrations for
the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. This innovative project, made possible through
the Parish Council securing Central Warwickshire Villages LEADER Programme
funding, explored play and leisure interests of the local community and
looked at how play has changed over the past sixty years.
TheVERYidea
artist collective, (Louise Bardgett, Barbara
Jones, Anna Ryder and Matt Shaw) proposed the project concept to the Parish
Council and worked with Wolvey community members, groups and organisations
to facilitate the work. Working across the generations, the project involved
Wolvey’s Baby & Toddler Group, Pre-school, Over 60’s, Environmental Group,
Brownies, Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Class 3 from Wolvey School,
young people who formed a group called ‘Jammin’ and Stuff’
and the Local History Group. The artists worked with the groups
to invite community members to show and tell about their play and leisure
interests. Outdoor play was promoted and new creative play ideas explored
with artists.
The project wove the generations together through creative exploration of
play interests, experiences and memories. These were shared across the
groups in many different ways including photography, movies, music and song,
collage and drawing. For example, the Local History Group shared their
archive photos of village children at play with Over 60’s Club members who
then shared their own memories of outdoor play with found and recycled
materials with younger generations. Pre-School and Baby and Toddler Groups
came together to explore recycled stuff outdoors and then the Scout Group
used similar materials which generated much imaginative and inventive play.
These are some of member’s comments -
“I made a tent out of nets, pipe, wood and
ribbon. I also made a camp-fire with scrap papers and some cardboard tubes
and made a flag out of pegs and silver material tape. I made a bed out of
paper. I enjoyed tonight because it was a chance to use my imagination with
different materials. I felt like an artist.”
Elsie, Cub Scout
“We feel we are helping record the
past for the future.”
Over 60’s Group members
Other community members contributed to the project by
sharing their play memories and
photos of play and leisure from family and community group photo
collections. These, along with the project process and the many drawings and
creations from children and adults, grew into Wolvey’s ‘BIG portrait of a
Village at Play’.
The project work all
came together at two Jubilee weekend
events. The first being an
exciting, interactive exhibition in the village hall on 2 June 2012,
supported by around 300 people. One of the exhibits created by the
Environmental Group members was a huge map of the village which plotted
memories of play and project finds. The comments from those taking part were
highly positive –
“Wow, had no clue what you were
attempting but it has all become clear. Fantastic exhibition!”
Then on 4 June, as part of the village’s Jubilee
celebrations, (Picnic in the Park) which attracted about 1000 people, a big
play event was held at the Playing Fields.
This web-site shows many of the project process photos,
old photos that made up a BIG Portrait of a Village at Play and some of the
many creations about play, such as Class 3’s drawings about their favourite
play.
For more information contact : Barbara
Jones
Email:
barbara@theveryidea.co.uk
For Photos of Play and Leisure
interests in the Wolvey area both Now and over the Past 60 Years plus
pictures from the 60 Years of Play Exhibition and Wolvey's Picnic in the
Park:
To See Wolvey Website's Picture Galleries
-
Click Here
60 Years of a Village at Play - Souvenir Book For Sale
Click Here for Details
PHOTOGRAPHY/VIDEO CONSENT FORM
Click to View or
Download
Sixty Years of a Village
at Play - Program of Events |
 |
|
|
2012 Oct |
60 Years of A Village Of Play -
Souvenir Book for sale |
2012 Oct |
60 Years of a Village
at Play - The Play Party, Sat 6th Oct, 2012 |
2012 Jun |
Wolvey
Jubilee Celebrations -
Sun June 3rd & Mon June 4th 2012 |
2012 Jun |
Wolvey Jubilee Celebrations - A Village at Play, Sat June 2nd 2012 |
2012 May |
60 Years of a Village
at Play - Moth Watch, Sat 19th May 2012 |
2012 Apr |
60 Years of A Village at Play -
JAMMIN' and STUFF, Next Session, Sun 29th April, 2012 |
2012 Mar |
60 Years of A Village Of
Play - JAMMIN' and STUFF, Next Session Thurs 29th Mar, 2012
|
2012 Feb |
60
Years of A Village Of Play - JAMMIN' and STUFF, Thurs 23rd Feb, 2012
|
|
|
|