Comments from participants and participating organisations of our time on The Bentham Line 2024:
Slung Low public drop-in, Leeds:
“Ravia really liked drawing while listening to the sound of water and when you read the story, he tried to make an image in his mind to finish it to make us puzzle over it” mother of Ravia, (aged 6) from the Kurdish community.
On collaborating next year: “It will be really great and we have 91 kids at the Nawroz school (in Leeds)”.
Slung Low Ripon House session, Leeds:
“Thank you to you and all your team of wonderful facilitators for making such a wonderfully creative and inspirational session for our visit to Slung Low. Most of the participants have continued to talk about how much they enjoyed it and all really loved going to a new environment and trying a new experience. It was a great bonding opportunity for them. Would love to work with you guys again in the future.”
Culturapedia (on the Bolton-le-Sands session):
“It was lovely to see the class of school children attending and experiencing a guided writing session - this was more than I had imagined would be happening but I think they really got something out of the session too. I enjoyed watching the children creating their written piece, but my most favourite activity was talking with people about their Lancashire sayings/phrases and putting them on the stone wall. It opened up a conversation with complete strangers and there were lots of laughs and reminiscing to be had.
I think I would make the journey to travel the line to experience the stories. You could market it as if it was a performance. “
Bolton-le-Sands CoE Primary School: “the children loved their time and felt fully included in the project. They loved the crafts and came back full of enthusiasm. The poetry stood out and it was nice that it was the day after national poetry day.”
“Would the school be interested in working with outside it is beautiful next year in more regular creative writing workshops working towards a story to go on the audio app to be accessed by communities using the Bentham Train Line?
Yes.”
Settle Stories Writers’ Group organiser: “ I really enjoyed the meeting on Friday, I know the others did too.”
Pioneer Projects: “I have had positive feedback about the session. You are very welcome to return next year for the final part of the project and I am sure participants from the group will be willing to contribute to the app.”
Anna, Facilitator at Pioneer Projects: “Interaction of the group as a whole was beneficial - socially and being heard. People felt they were being asked to creatively contribute towards the project and this made them feel they had something to give and able to make a positive contribution.”
Settle Stories Writers’ Group participant: “I did feel stretched in a good way.”
SELFA: "My expectations were exceeded, I thought prior to the session that the young people may be reluctant to engage but the delivery of the session was accessible, met them where they’re at, it felt safe and saw some young people who are usually more reluctant to engage happily joining in and contributing their ideas." ..." – one young person in particular is very anxious around new people and from start to finish I saw his confidence grow.."
a selection of images from our week... all images copyrighted oiib 2024.
