Press release April 2008
We have just been granted a small setting-up Arts Grant by SABC and a portion of the Darwin Community Arts Fund towards the costs of our Darwin Tour project for 2009. This is an excellent start and enables us to lay plans for starting workshops this summer. So WATCH THIS SPACE !
Press release Feb 2008
The team which created the recent Tudor, Medieval and Civil War reenactments in Shrewsbury has become an independent organisation. At a meeting on January 30th, a constitution was adopted and officers elected –
Chairman Andrew Bannerman said afterwards –
“Maggie Love, Beverley Baker and I dreamed up Shrewsbury Heritage Celebrations in 2004. SABC officer Dominic Wallis gave tremendous support and helped us secure a three-year grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. That expired last year after our commemoration of the Civil War. We now have to stand on our own feet.
Our aim remains to celebrate Shrewsbury’s rich and diverse heritage and thus to enhance the vitality and attraction of the county town. This is a crucial and challenging period for the town – we are losing a borough council, but gaining a theatre and a revitalised Music Hall. Hopefully more people will be encouraged to enjoy the town’s treasures.
Next year there are ambitious plans for celebrating the bi-centenary of the birth of Charles Darwin, to which we hope to contribute. First, we need to raise some funds. We are applying to various agencies, including SABC, but we hope that local businesses will also support us, as several have done in the past. We know we can bring people to the town, which can only be good for business.
If funding is secured, we shall begin workshops, which, as before, will be open to anyone of any age and experience. We shall explore the story of the young Charles Darwin and the early 19th century. Dance has always been central to our activities and under Maggie Love’s leadership, we shall again be enjoying our traditional country dances. We aim to show some of our work at the Heritage Open Days in September 2008.
By the summer of 2009 we shall have worked up several scenes about Darwin’s early life and times, which will be put on at various sites in the town centre. These will form part of Darwin Tours of the town, which will recur throughout the summer. The cast for these scenes may vary and we will embrace people who might just like to dress up and engage with residents and visitors, as well as actors, dancers and musicians.
Those wishing to participate in or contribute to Shrewsbury Heritage Celebrations activities can contact us here.
We will also advertise workshops and events in the media. |
