Their Past Your Future
Links to further information and resources created for the project
Their Past Your Future digital archiveFeatures a video about the project made by the young people involved.
The project archiveDetails about the Their Past Your Future Phase 2 Programme
Find Your TalentHow Find Your Talent supported the project
Their Past Your Future website
Positive Futures Project
‘Positive Futures’ was a creative writing and poetry project about World War Two focussing on conflict, remembrance, peace and citizenship.
It was funded by the Big Lottery Fund and the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA), and was part of a project called Their Past Your Future Phase 2 Programme which aims to increase community learning and young people’s knowledge and understanding of conflict.
Involvement of two local schools
Two schools from Horwich, St Mary’s RC (Primary year 6) and St Joseph’s RC (Secondary year 7) worked in partnership with Bolton Libraries, Museum and Archives and Joanna Steele from Bolton’s Find Your Talent team.
Horwich has a significant historical connection to World War 2 through its local manufacturing and industrial heritage.
The Locomotive Works was one of the leading manufacturers in the making of armoured vehicles and tanks for both the 1st and 2nd World Wars.
Sessions with WW2 veterans
Visits were made to the Bolton Museum and History Centre by both schools. Children from St Mary’s RC took part in a Question and Answer session with George Davies, a Second World War Veteran who was a navigator on a World War Two Lancaster Bomber.
The project was developed through poetry and creative writing workshops resulting in the creation of a DVD learning resource and poetry booklet which will be distributed to all Bolton schools and an exhibition showcasing work by both schools.
Poetry workshops and performance
Norman Warwick from the organisation ‘Just Poets’, led creative writing workshops with St Mary’s RC Primary pupils. With Norman’s help they created an expressive and moving piece of poetry called ‘Soundless Horizons’,
They then went on to develop the piece into a performance with the help of Steve Hignett from ‘Rhythmweave’. The class performed their poem to an audience at the Bolton Central Library.
They also worked with an artist to create poems, artworks and 3D models based on everything they had learnt.
The group also visited the Imperial War Museum North during the project where they learnt about World War Two and created their own exhibition leaflet guides on return to the classroom.
Year 7 pupils from St Joseph’s RC High School in Horwich wrote poetry, created artworks and interviewed people who had lived through World War Two.
Recorded interviews
The group were trained in interview techniques and were shown how to use digital recording equipment.
They used their new skills to interview several residents from Aspinall Court sheltered housing in Horwich, who had lived through World War Two.
Using local archives resources for research
On a visit to Bolton Museum the group had the opportunity to search records and archives in the History Centre.
They looked at artefacts from wartime Britain and learnt about Bolton’s involvement in the war and the roles that members of the community played during the war effort.
Exhibition tours the community
On Friday March 19th, an exhibition of the work created by both schools during the project was opened by the Mayor of Bolton, Councillor Norman Critchley.
Children from both schools, along with residents from Aspinall Court and parents joined the mayor in enjoying a sneak preview of the exhibition.
The exhibition stayed in the ‘Up Close’ gallery in the museum until Wednesday 24th March and then toured Bolton’s larger community libraries.
‘Positive Futures’ project is part of the Their Past Your Future Phase 2 Programme, which is delivered by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) and is supported by the Big Lottery Fund. The project was led by Bolton Library and Museum Services.
