The Heritage Lottery Fund 2007.
The Gate to Southwell Folk Festival was very pleased to receive Heritage Lottery funding in support of a children’s project, based around the 2007 Gate to Southwell Procession and Festival and ongoing related activities.
The purpose of the project was largely educational, aiming to give children in the area a fun insight into this local tradition and folk dancing in general. The project included a children’s exhibition, education pack, traditional workshops, children's events and the creation of an associated DVD.
The DVD covers 3 aspects:-
Firstly, children in three local primary schools were given a “workbook” to help them find out about this important aspect of their culture. Then, professional folk dance teachers conducted workshops in the schools before the festival and at a special children’s day on the Friday of the festival. The day concluded with a performance from the Demon Barber Roadshow with contributions from some of the children. The DVD provides very interesting and entertaining coverage of this. It then goes on to trace the procession from Nottingham to Southwell and finally, gives a flavour of the other events that took place over the Festival weekend.
The project continued after the Festival with folk dance instruction at the three schools, working towards a performance from the children as special guests at the Plough Sunday celebrations at Morton, Notts., in January 2008.
Plough Sunday went very well, if a bit damp and cold. Children from the Lowes Wong Junior School performed longsword dancing, those from Halam C. of E. Primary School performed Border Morris and Bleasby C. of E. Primary School children danced North-West Morris). The children looked great and danced magnificently.
The DVD is available at the bargain price of £3 each. Please use the website contact details to obtain your copy.
Special thanks go to the Heritage Lottery Fund, the pupils and teachers of Bleasby C. of E. Primary School, Halam C. of E. Primary School and Lowes Wong Junior School, Pete and Sue Coe, Damien Barber and the Demon Barber Roadshow and all featured artists.