Shared Spaces project press release.

Thursday 26th January 2012

Shared Spaces Project Wins Heritage Lottery Fund Support

Southend-on-Sea based Blade Education has been awarded £46,000 by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to support its Shared Spaces project it was announced today.

Shared Spaces aims to save the stories of those buried in the North Road Burial Ground with help from children from The Westborough School.

 The North Road Burial Ground, in Prittlewell, which was opened in 1879, is the last resting place of 8945 people. It is their stories that this project is trying to preserve with the help of the younger and older generations of Southend residents.

The children and staff of Westborough School will work with the project team to find the stories of the people buried at North Road and will record as many as possible on a database that will include photographs, audio recordings, artwork and official information about those laid to rest there. Once complete, the archive will be made available to the public online.

To complement the archive,e the children are also producing Heritage and Nature Trail Boards, which will be a permanent fixture at the burial ground. These will help visitors understand the history of some of the people and the array of flora and fauna that are abundant all year round.



Blade Education is also working with the Southend Association of Voluntary Services (SAVS) to build a volunteer programme. This will involve local people in mapping the site and collating the official burial information of the North Road Burial Ground into the online database, so that anyone with a relative buried there can find their loved ones last resting place.

The Shared Spaces Project also aims to bring the younger and older generations together in order to reduce their social isolation from each other and to rebuild the respect for this burial ground that has been the scene of anti-social behaviour in the past.

The project will begin in February and will hold an exhibition of the work of the Westborough School children as well as producing the permanent public archive and erecting Heritage and Nature Boards. This will enable all visitors to better understand the importance of this green space.

The Shared Spaces Project is being led by a partnership between Southend-on-Sea Borough Council’s Bereavement Services department, Westborough School and local social enterprise, Blade Education. Funding has come from the Heritage Lottery Fund, The Ernest Cook Trust and the Essex Heritage Trust

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council’s Executive Councillor for Corporate Support Services, Councillor Andrew Moring said: “The Council’s Bereavement Services department is very pleased to be working with Blade Education, Westborough School and Southend Association of Voluntary Services on this hugely exciting community project.

“We feel it is very important that members of younger generation find out about their past and the people who lived in, and shaped the community where they now live.

“What an excellent and innovative way to get the children and volunteers involved! The project will also provide additional information to be displayed at the Burial Ground as well as online information on the website.”


Robyn Llewellyn, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund East of England, said:

"The stories of those we have lost can be both powerful and emotive; they can also help us to understand how we lived in times gone by.

“This project will celebrate that history and thanks to Lottery players’ money, young people will help to ensure that this local heritage is remembered for many years to come.

“Heritage Lottery Fund is keen that the rich heritage and traditions of Essex are preserved and celebrated.

“If you are part of a not-for-profit organisation with something from the past to safeguard and share with others, HLF would love to hear from you. "

Further information can be found on the HLF website www.hlf.org.uk/InYourArea/EastOfEngland

For more information please contact Beth Hooper - beth@blade-education.org.uk

ENDS
Notes to editors

About Blade Education
Blade Education is a local not for profit company that aims to innovatively use research and production to address difficult issues that affect our society. We do this in a number of ways, including partnership education projects, multimedia information provision, film production and imaginative multilingual work. 

All of our projects are run with the help and input of the communities we work with. We specialise in
listening to people to bring an understanding of the real problems people face to make the outcomes and
output of our projects as relevant and useful as possible.

We are based in Southend-on-Sea and have a track record of running successful projects in the Borough.
Blade Education was set up in 1st September 2005 and fully incorporated April 26 2007.

For more information please see our website www.blade-education.org.uk

About the Heritage Lottery Fund
Using money raised through the National Lottery, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) sustains and transforms a wide range of heritage of present and future generations to take part in, learn from and enjoy.  From museums, parks and historic places to archaeology, natural environment and cultural traditions, we invest in every part of our diverse heritage.  HLF has supported over 30,000 projects, allocating £4.6billion across the UK.  Website:  www.hlf.org.uk

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