Wolvey Village Website

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 -

“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