BARNSTAPLE STORIES - FREE ORAL HISTORY DROP IN EVENT AT THE GUILDHALL 27 NOVEMBER 2015

Local community film makers North Devon Moving Image are working on an exciting new project to unveil and preserve Barnstaple's hidden heritage through your personal stories and photographs.  They will be holding a free drop in event at Barnstaple Guildhall on Friday 27 November 2015 between 10am and 3.30pm where you can contribute to the project.

Amanda McCormack, Creative Director of NDMI says "We are fascinated by tales and images of old Barnstaple and there is nothing quite like hearing about the past from those who have lived it or who have stories passed down through their families."

The drop in day will be an informal and friendly event where people of all ages will have an opportunity to share their stories of Barnstaple.  Interviews recorded and photographs scanned on the day will be used to produce a series of short films which will then be shared online and on the touch screen display at St Anne's Arts Centre in Barnstaple.

Amanda adds "The Barnstaple Stories event will be an opportunity for people to come along and share their own memories and pictures of Barnstaple in days gone by.  It will be an informal event with free tea, coffee, cake and a chance to put your feet up after a hard morning's shopping. We are hoping that we will hear stories connected to local landmarks and significant historical events as well as romantic and poignant anecdotes and preserve them in the form of short films for future generations."

Previous NDMI Oral History Project

Old photo Barnstaple High Street - Mac Fisheries and WH Smith Shops

The Guildhall is fully accessible with a lift to the first floor and at 12.30pm on the day there will be a free guided tour for anyone who is interested.

For further information contact Amanda McCormack, Creative Director, North Devon Moving Image 01271 860610 northdevonmovingimage@outlook.com

 

Barnstaple Guild Hall

All Photos copyright Amanda McCormack North Devon Moving Image CLC (All rights reserved) 

When I Was Your Age! Fun FREE intergenerational art and oral history event in Braunton

Kick off the summer holidays with a fun FREE creative event for families in Braunton. We are looking for twelve people from Braunton of varying ages (from 8 upwards) to take part in a workshop with professional artist, Jo Bushell, exploring the topic of 'community' today and in the past. Community film making organisation, North Devon Moving Image (NDMI), will be producing a short film of the event to be shared in their online collection. Creative Director Amanda McCormack says "We are looking for Grannies & Grandads, Grandchildren and those inbetween to take part in a collaborative work of art. No creative skills are necessary and the project is designed so that people of any age and ability can have fun and make a contribution. We will be using the workshop to draw out stories of what community means to our local people." Jo Bushell will work with the group, using rope weaving and decoration to represent the interweaving of land and sea which sums up the environment and heritage of Braunton. Following her research for the project at Braunton Museum Jo Bushell says "The reason I chose to highlight land and sea based industries is because it is something really quite unique to communities in North Devon. One thing that really strikes me about this topic is that, as we can see from photographs in the museum there was a strong sense of camaraderie among the workers within both these industries. People worked hard and conditions were harsh but they had to work very closely as a team to get the work done and this in turn brought people together. The bulb farm pictures particularly demonstrate this and you get the impression that they regarded themselves as part of a close knit group sharing life, hardship, laughter on a daily basis." 

Fun FREE intergenerational art and oral history event in Braunton on Tuesday 29 July 2014, 10am until 2pm at St Brannock's Church Rooms, Braunton. Refreshments provided

Funding from Fullabrook CIC has enabled NDMI to offer this as a free event and there will even be refreshments provided! Places are strictly limited so even though there is no cost, booking is essential. Please contact Amanda McCormack at NDMI on 01271 860610 or email northdevonmovingimage@outlook.com to find out more or to reserve a place.

Photo: Jo Bushell, Community Artist at Braunton Museum Copyright Amanda McCormack

HAVE YOU GOT A FAMILY CONNECTION PAST OR PRESENT WITH ST ANNE'S CHAPEL IN BARNSTAPLE?

North Devon Moving Image (NDMI) is looking for local people to get involved with an oral history film making project about St Anne's Chapel in Barnstaple. NDMI has been commissioned by St Anne's to produce a digital video archive of stories which build a picture of the people who link St Anne's today with its past. Amanda McCormack, founder and Director of NDMI says "We want to hear from anyone who is interested in or has links with the history of St Anne's.  As well as offering exciting opportunities for volunteers we will be running free and fun, accessible oral history film making workshops as part of the project." "Our short course will teach people that oral history films can be entertaining as well as informative and we aim to give participants the skills and inspiration to carry on making films themselves." The project will run from now until October 2014.  Research and interviews will cover four main topics; St Anne's today, the recent renovations, The Grammar School and The Huguenots. So if you have a story to contribute, would like to get involved with research or join a film making workshop please contact Amanda McCormack, North Devon Moving Image by email northdevonmovingimage@outlook.com or telephone 01271 860610.

Photos copyright St. Anne's (all rights reserved)

About:

NDMI  - North Devon Moving Image aims to create, collect and share short documentary films about life in north Devon today

St Anne's chapel is an arts and community centre in Paternoster Row, Barnstaple