People’s Record Project – Westminster

engaging all ages with archives

June 2012

• People’s Record Project - Westminster is part of a national project entitled People’s Record Project which celebrates the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games

• The People’s Record Project has been organised and funded by MLA / Arts Council

• All material can be found at

http://www.peoplesrecord.org.uk

1948 London Olympic Games Visitors Guide

The People’s Record project –

Westminster was born upon

discovering original Olympic

material amongst our archival

collections in Westminster City

Archives

Display of People’s Record project – Westminster in Inspire Mark exhibition

People’s Record Project –

Westminster has been awarded

the “Inspire Mark” from the

LOCOG Committee as an

exceptional project

It was also selected as one of the

top 10 projects in London to be

exhibited at the City Hall – Greater

London Authorities

1948 London Olympic Games Closing Ceremony programme

The project focuses on

Westminster’s diverse community

groups such as primary school

pupils, youth groups, disabled

groups, elderly residents,

homeless people and a team of

our volunteers, through

interactive activities

Aims of the Project

• Open accessibility to our Olympic archives and teach communities the values of the Games

• Promote the benefits of physical exercise to all• Celebrate the achievements of Paralympics by

engaging with people with disabilities• Create opportunities for reminiscences about the

1948 Games and collect memories• Reach new audience and create sustainable

collaborations• Create a legacy for Westminster after the Games

 

Key activities

• Identifying target audiences, contacting relevant groups for consultation sessions and further development of the programme

• Identifying funding opportunities and writing applications

The start was rather challenging, as community groups in Central London are hugely spoiled for choices

We use archival materials as a tool for inspiration and learning

We intend to harness the power of the Games to inspire a generation, to increase the profile of the Archives and encourage further research of our collections

1948 London Olympic Games - Official Report

In conjunction with our Olympic archives and to “spice up” the sessions we obtained on loan

• The iconic 1948 Games Olympic Torch on loan from Lloyds Banking Group Archives

• The 2004 Greek Olympic torch belonged to Greek Olympian Emilia Tsoulfa

Volunteers / Skill sharing

Volunteers from the Archives conservation department actively participated in the conservation of Olympic material, prepared the schools sessions and helped collect modern material.Without their support the project would not have come into fruition A group of volunteers working on Olympic material

 

To help with schools learning activities, an education pack related to the history of the Games has been produced with the aim of highlighting the Olympic values of excellence, respect, friendship, courage, determination, inspiration and equality

It includes a DVD with interviews of Gold Olympian Jonathan Edwards and Gold Paralympian Giles Long

We engaged with 15 local primary schools via in-house or outreach projects and encouraged pupils to take part in creative art workshops

Pupils of Burdett Coutts primary Year 5 - creating art work

A number of inter-generational workshops took part between residents who attended the 1948 Games sharing their memories with pupils

Pupils of Burdett Coutts primary Year 5, with the Clarke family

Pupils of St Vincent primary, Year 5 - researching archival materials

• Successful families’ workshops in after-school hours

• Presentations of the history of the Games to parents coffee sessions

• Projects with Youth Clubs proved equally successful

Talk at the Chinese Community Centre

• Talks on the History of the Games and assembling art workshops, were given to “hard to reach” groups (Bangladesh, Arab, Chinese and Black communities)

• Elderly groups such as the Open Age and Age Concern and Day Centres

In collaboration with NHS Westminster, Pursuing Independent Paths, Community Access Westminster and SCOPE, we ran a variety of projects for people with disabilities

Sport Days for people with disabilities at Moberly Sports Centre

• We organised Sport Days promoting the importance of exercise in maintaining mental and physical health

• Also art workshops

• We ran photography workshops teaching them new skills, raising their aspirations

• Collaboration with groups from Cardinal Hume Centre for homeless

• Also in collaboration with Westminster Arts, we will run workshops for older people with dementia

The collection of 1948 Olympic oral memories from athletes and viewers alike was a big hit and a selection can be accessed online at: http://www.westminster.gov.uk/services/leisureandculture/olympic-memories/

“It was impossible not to feel proud of being British” 

Dr Douglas Model was 15 years old in 1948 and took on extra jobs  to earn the money for his tickets. He remembers the Games with a sense of great pride.

Evaluation

Evaluation of the project was carried out through evaluation forms, observations and oral interviews

The outcome proved that the project had a positive impact on individuals and created a legacy for better communities

Facts and figures

• We involved: 3,450 pupils, 1,800 adults and 240 disabled people

• 15 volunteers were an integral part of the project

• £4,000 funding was obtained through successful applications

The culmination of the project will be presented in a community exhibition in SW1 Gallery from 25 July -11 August 2012, increasing community cohesion and celebrate the Games

Art work of Humpden Gurney primary Year 5

Tips and Challenges

• Think outside the box: flexibility and adaptability are vital parts for success to deal with challenges and obstacles and discover funding opportunities

• Time: Having enough time allows the project to focus on participants’ needs, adapt it along the way, and reach high numbers

• Overcome barriers: What can you possibly do with £4,000? Initiative, efficiency, good time management and passion can drive to success

• Collaborations: encouraging collaborations takes a lot of dedication and perseverance but are essential in any size project

• Passion: energy and personal commitment are key elements

Delivering partners

We would like to thank all our partners who believed in the project and collaborated with us.

Lloyds Banking Group Archives, British Olympic Association, NHS Westminster, Bangladeshi, Arab, Black and Chinese communities, Open Age, Age Concern and Day Centres for older people in Westminster, Cardinal Hume Centre for homeless people, Westminster Arts, Community Access Westminster, SCOPE, Pursuing Independent Paths, St Andrews Youth Club, 15 primary schools in Westminster area and SW1 Gallery

Individuals: British Gold Olympian Jonathan Edwards, Gold Paralympian Giles Long and Greek Gold Olympian Emilia Tsoulfa for their support to the project, a group of 15 valuable volunteers from Westminster City Archives, Westminster residents and Olympians for their memories from 1948 Games

Our funders: Museum Libraries and Archives Council, Arts Council, Victoria Business Improvement District, A.G. Leventis Foundation,NADFAS Westminster

Contact details:

Georgia VossouConservator

Westminster City Archives

gvossou@westminster.gov.uk020 7641 5162