Volunteers wanted to help with ‘Hidden Histories of Worcester’ Project
- 27th March 2019
We are helping a local arts organisation with an exciting project and we are looking for volunteers to help groups delve into the past in April and May.
Equal Vision CIC have been awarded money from Heritage Lottery Fund for “Hidden Histories of Worcester”, a project which aims to help local people to discover real life stories about Worcester, the place where they live, by learning about the archives and how to carry out their own research into their family or Worcester’s local history including the city’s own “hidden history” the gloving industry.
For the work with local groups we are looking for people to come and help with the sessions alongside one of our Community Project Officers.
River side at Worcester, including Dent’s Glove factory
Volunteer Role: to assist with an history/art project with targeted groups of students and learners at Heart of Worcestershire (HOW) College, Deansway campus (younger and older foundation courses) and group/s represented by Worcester Community Trust (WCT). Groups associated with WCT will be engaged at various venues across the City
The key aims for the Project are for volunteers to assist with the exploration of archive, specifically relating to Worcester’s glove-making industry (at the Hive) and in workshops at Deansway Campus and at Warndon Youth Centre. Activity will specifically relate to workshop participants’ family history, Worcester’s local history or glove making industries, dependant on expressed interests.
Desired volunteer skills: some knowledge of research archive & some experience of mentoring/assisting with learner groups. An induction session will be arranged prior to the workshops (see below for details)
Main volunteer duties
- Attend briefing/induction session (dtbc) at the Hive
- At the workshops – talk people through the workshop tasks, selecting those most likely to excite their interest.
- Suggest appropriate activities and support learners
- Ask all participants to complete evaluation forms and keep these and permission forms securely and confidentially as they are likely to contain personal information.
Please contact Justin Hughes (jhughes@worcestershire.gov.uk) if you are interested and to indicate commitment to any (or all) of 12 x 2 hour workshops. We would like availability for minimum of 3 workshops to give some continuity to the ‘learner’ groups.
The 12 provisional 2019 Workshop dates will be:
- Monday 8th April @ the Hive
- Wednesday 10th April @ the Hive
Plus 10 dates from the following
- Monday 15th April – @ HOW College/Worcester Community Trust
- Tuesday 23rd April – @ HOW College/Worcester Community Trust
- Wednesday 24th April – @ HOW College/Worcester Community Trust
- Thursday 25th April – @ HOW College/Worcester Community Trust
- Friday 26th April – @ HOW College/Worcester Community Trust
- Monday 29th April – @ HOW College/Worcester Community Trust
- Wednesday 1st May – @ HOW College/Worcester Community Trust
- Thursday 2nd May – @ HOW College/Worcester Community Trust
- Friday 3rd May – @ HOW College/Worcester Community Trust
- Monday 20th May – @ HOW College/Worcester Community Trust
- Tuesday 21st May – @ HOW College/Worcester Community Trust
- Wednesday 22nd May – @ HOW College/Worcester Community Trust
- Thursday 23rd May – @ HOW College/Worcester Community Trust
- Friday 24th May – @ HOW College/Worcester Community Trust
- Tuesday 28th May – @ HOW College/Worcester Community Trust
- Wednesday 29th May – @ HOW College/Worcester Community Trust
- Thursday 30th May – @ HOW College/Worcester Community Trust
- Friday 31st May – @ HOW College/Worcester Community Trust
A great initiative. Let me know if extended next year. I had focussed on clay tobacco pipe making via WAAS archives and now have an excavation to do. Sorry too busy for the dates listed but keen to participate in similar ventures.
Excellent Idea, history of Worcester has so much to offer.
The Gloving Industry was taken to America by a Glover Francis Fincher non conformist where he purchased 1000 acres from William Penn himself.
Much research has been done over many years.
Always of Interest.
Eileen Fincher.
It’s a fascinating and important part of Worcester’s past so it great to be able to use it in the work with local people. One aspect will be looking at what has been studied already and brining that together.