All Tides of Change videos now online!

To watch all of the oral histories and videos recorded as part of the HLF tides of Change project, click here.

Volunteer Rule!

Yesturday saw 10 more young people join the ranks of CoastNet volunteers on, Tides of Change. The young people, from all over Plymouth,  were trained in using film equipment and

Young Volunteers

how to collect an oral history and then went on to run their own oral history collection. Everyone was great and they had the opportunity to interview Conrad Humphreys, the renowned sailor and organiser behind the ‘Blue Mile’  (3rd-4th June 2010 for more info on this go to www.thebluemile.org )

We are now in the final stretch of the Tides of Change project and are collecting the last of the oral histories. The school work is all completed and the travelling exhibition and DVD is in production.

Thanks to the volunteers.

Another successful completion date for collecting oral histories took place on the 12th April. Some of the Tides of Change volunteers, who were trained how to collect oral histories, came and carried out the interviews with more

A volunteer prepares for an oral history.

members of the community and those involved with the coast. Tides of Change is very lucky to have such a dedicated team of helpers on this project and we couldn’t do it without them.

This month we hope to train some more young people how to use multi media equipment and collect oral histories on film. If you are aged 16-21 and would like to be involved in this free training and experience, please contact us. We would also  like to collect oral histories from younger people about their experiences with the coast. If you feel you would like to volunteer to give an oral history, please let us know.

Tides are moving on Tides of Change

Things are moving briskly along on, Tides of Change. Another school has completed their project with us. The children had a great time working with Maya Plas from, Learn to Sea. They learnt about the rubbish that is found on their local coast and the harm it causes and about the flora and fauna that can be found now on beaches near to them. The children also created their own coast landscapes and collinised them with their own creatures and seaweed.
The date for our next oral history collection has been set for Welcome Hall on the 12th April. So if you live in Plymouth or the surrounding area and have a connection with the sea that you would like to share with our volunteers, please get in touch.

The puppets go large!

The puppet film, made by the children from Mount Wise Primary School, has hit YouTube, to see it check out this link or see below. The children will be watching to see how many hits they get so they can judge if they have captivated the audience.

I am sure you will all agree they did a splendid job getting it all together. It is important to remember the children wrote all the script, chose the shots and operated the puppets and did the voice over.

The project as a whole is moving on nicely now and the finishing line is in sight. We have trained 9 young people so far to be oral historians. The young people learnt how to use film and audio equipment and  write risk assessments. They then collected oral histories, using all their knowledge. They did a great job.
We have also trained up some other members of the community to collect oral histories and they are busy doing just that for the project. Without these volunteers we could not do the work we have and we are very grateful to them.
If you have a story to tell or an experience about your life or hobby that has involved the coast, in or around the Plymouth area, get in touch and we can include you in the next oral history collection in April.

Devon and Jimbob Hit the red carpet.

Mount Wise Primary premiered their film for the, Tides of Change project, on Tuesday the 20th At Seymour House, home of Tamar Education Business Partnership and the wonderful Jo McCaren, who helped the children research their local area and its history.

Jo McCaren and Theresa Redding pose for the red carpet

Devon and JIMBOB are the puppet characters who star in the film and were operated by the children. The children also wrote the script and researched all the information for it as part of the project.
The children have produced a delightful film that will soon be on youtube on our channel and hopefully will have a link on this blog too.
We, at CoastNet, are so proud and grateful for the work the pupils and their teacher put in. Take a look at their film in a few weeks on youtube and send them some feedback.
Thanks also goes to Emma George, the creative film maker who worked with the children. We are ever grateful to the National Lottery Heritage Fund who have made this project and the excellent school projects a reality and to the Real Ideas Organisation who also supported the work at Mount Wise.
Hopefully, Torpoint Community Colleges film will also soon be premiered and then everyone can see the exciting tale of Julia, the elephant, and the Torpoint Ferry.
We’ll keep you posted.

Volunteers and oral history participants wanted.

The Tides of Change project in Plymouth is looking for more volunteers and oral history candidates.
CoastNet is offering free training for those who are chosen to work as volunteers on the project. We will also fully support these individuals to assist them to gather the oral histories in a safe environment and travel expenses will be paid if appropriate.
We also want to hear from those who have lived by the sea, had a hobby that involves the coast or those that have worked in a job that relates to the marine environment in some way, in Plymouth or the surrounding area. It is important to capture the stories of life in the area and chart the changes that have occured.
If you want to get involved in any way please contact our Community and Education Officer by e-mail susan.carleton@coastnet.org.uk or ring 01206 728644

Elephant invades Torpoint Ferry

A strange sight was observed on June the 25th 2009 aboard the Torpoint Ferry. A large paper mache elephant and a

elephant invades ferry

number of children dressed in historical and brightly coloured costumes took over the ferry for a number of hours causing quite a spectical for onlookers. They were working with a film maker to produce images of the drama they had been developing for the Tides of Change marine heritage project.

performance in progress on the ferry

Meanwhile back at Torpoint Community College other pupils were also working hard on their drama pieces, depicting historical events about the Torpoint Ferry or the town. All the dramas were performed and filmed at the college later that day. The resulting film, about the marine history of Torpoint and the ferry, will be premiered early September to the community and specially invited guests.

CoastNet are really happy with the result of this project and everyone involved has learnt a lot. The teachers and the pupils put in so much hard work and we are very grateful for all their effort. Special thanks also needs to go to the Torpoint Ferry, Torpoint archive and RIO for all their support and assistance in making this a reality.

Tamarside Community College have also finished their project for, Tides of Change with an impressive showcase  on

Tamarside showcase

the 14th July at the Levinsky Building in Plymouth. The pupils took the audience on a journey through the 12 weeks of the project showing what had been accomplished and learnt at each stage.

Theresa Redding, from CoastNet, was there to take part in the celebration of achievement and was truly amazed by how much hard work  the pupils and the teaching team at Tamarside had put in to this marine heritage project.It is clear that this project has had a big impact on everyone involved .

Puppet Power on Tides Of Change.

It’s been a busy few months on the Tides of Change project. Many of the school’s projects are well underway and are really innovative and inspiring. They have been developed by the schools with support from the CoastNet Education and Community Liaison Officer, seen here on the right.

Meet Jim Bob and Devon, 2 new additions to one of the classes at Mount Wise Primary school. These 2 puppets are being used by the school as the presenters of a documentary the children are  producing to tell others about their local marine heritage. The children have studied the history of the area with Tamar Education Business Partnership and worked with a film maker to decide how to produce their documentary to showcase what they have discovered.

CoastNet's oral history expert interviews Wembury local Peter Lugar

Wembury Primary School has been developing their heritage marine project. CoastNet went into the school and gave the pupils and teachers some oral history training. Members of the community were then invited in to be interviewed by the children. The interviews are  going  to be used  by  a local musician and an artist to celebrate the heritage.

Paper mache elephant being created at Torpoint.

Torpoint Community College has created an ambitious project that involves a whole year group and at least 10 teachers working collaboratively across the curriculum. They have focused their attention on the history of The Torpoint Ferry and on Torpoint.

Research into the history, statistical data, as well as oral histories from the community has been collected in geography, history and maths lessons and is being used by the drama department to create a living timelines of events, some of which will be performed on the Torpoint ferry. The students have uncovered many intriguing historical events  including the little known story of a circus elephant jumping off the ferry and going for a swim up the Tamar river!

All the performances produced will be filmed and this footage will be used by the English and media departments to create a film to explore the rich marine heritage of the ferry and Torpoint.

CoastNet are also working in collaboration with a National Trust project and Plymstock School who are looking at the marine heritage of  Wembury Point which has recently been taken over by the National Trust. The site used to be a gunnery school and pupils are going to collect oral histories from people that lived and worked at this site when it was in use by the military to capture this heritage.

Wembury Point is undergoing many changes.

The Gunnery School has gone.

Tamarside Community College has also created an exciting collaborative project that spans the whole of the Summer term and involves many curriculum areas. They have produced an inspiring scheme of work, based on the coast, that includes elements of learning about their local marine heritage. The scheme is diverse studying areas such as, the natural marine environment at the aquarium and the university, to looking at the Celtic connection and its links with religion and the sea. The students worked with a graffiti artist on a piece of Celtic graffiti art whilst learning about this.

Graffiti celtic art at Tamarside

Four of the schools projects have also had the opportunity to become part of the, Sea 4   life  programme,  run  by  the  Real  Ideas  Organisation  and  supported by Creative Partnership. This programme aims to develop creative teaching and learning about coastal environments.  Being part of this initiative enabled the schools to add value to the excellent work already taking place.

The Tides of Change Project is also busy recruiting its volunteers to train to gather further oral histories. Some of these groups will be young people and some will be members of the community. If you think being a volunteer on this project sounds like something you would be interested in or want further information, please contact susan.carleton@coastnet.org.uk .

OUR FIRST BLOG ENTRY!!!

Christmas is fast approaching and it is time to get the Plymouth blog up and running to tell you all about the exciting events down here on the Tides of Change project.