We were incredibly proud to celebrate the successful culmination of our Through Our Eyes Heritage Project on Thursday 5th December, with the official donation to the archives of the brand new collection of legacy films produced by over 600 young people in Bexley during 2023-24.
We welcomed the Deputy Mayor of Bexley, Cllr Lisa Moore to the evening where she spoke highly of the children's remarkable achievements:
Thank you for inviting me here today to celebrate the conclusion of the ‘Through Our Eyes’ heritage project. This journey began with a generous grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund in April 2023. And from what I’ve seen, it has been an incredible experience for all involved. Together the team – comprising representatives from end2endTV, Bexley Archives, Hall Place, Bexley Music and a select group of young people from Bexley – has achieved so much.
Over 600 young people from across our borough led this project, seizing every opportunity to collaborate, research, learn, and create high-quality films. They explored the histories of four local schools: Hurstmere, Bexley Grammar, Old Bexley Church of England, and Burnt Oak Junior - delving into archives, interviewing past and present students, and transforming their findings into remarkable documentaries and music. It’s clear they have not only discovered history, but also made it.
Now, I’m not going to lie… history was probably one of my least favourite subjects at school (after maths), but as someone who worked on the school newspaper, studied journalism and loved her work as a reporter, I can honestly say I wish I had the opportunity to be part of a project like this and to use new and exciting technology. Now I know many of you won’t know what I’m talking about but in my days we had to edit by splicing cassette tapes and sticking them together again with magic tape! But nowadays, I film and edit videos to inform my audience and try shape their behaviour. I’m sure I could learn many things from all of you about using digital technology.
Apart from gaining the historical knowledge, it’s allowed you to hone your communication abilities, grow in confidence and sharpen those investigative skills – and believe me when I tell you, these are the skills that will stand you in good stead for whatever you choose to do in life.
This exciting combination of digital media and heritage has resulted in over 20 digital projects. But these films are more than just videos; they are a celebration of the hard work and creativity of the young people involved. I believe they were showcased in an interactive exhibition at Hall Place, marking the first digital exhibition there and attracted over 3,000 visitors and that the project also caught the attention of the BBC and Sky News, who featured the exhibition.
A huge congratulations and thank you goes out to everyone involved, especially the young people, some of whom are present today. As this project and exhibition at Bexley Library come to an end, the digital resources and the heritage collection are being donated to Bexley Archives. These materials will serve as a valuable resource for future generations to learn from and enjoy. This project has not only uncovered the rich histories of our local schools but has also built a bridge between the past and the future.
Thank you all for your support, enthusiasm, and participation. Let's continue to celebrate our heritage and look forward to many more innovative and creative projects that bring our community together.
The project has been displayed in it's second interactive digital exhibition at the new exhibition space at Local Studies and Bexley Archives since May, where community groups and members of the public have enjoyed it's contents.
The project has attracted significant feedback, which will be published in the evaluation report soon. Not least from the young participants themselves.
The project was celebrated in National/Regional News and featured on BBC and Sky TV. Both news videos, as well as the complete collection of legacy films produced, can be found at: www.throughoureyes.uk
It was a lovely evening of celebration and chatter, for an extremely successful and worthwhile project. We have thoroughly enjoyed project managing Through Our Eyes; the true magnificence lies with the many young people and their enthusiasm and energy which brought it to life spectacularly.
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