14 C O N T E X T 1 2 0 : J U LY 2 0 1 1 Visitors exploring the children’s ideas as part of the heritage scheme launch Young surveyors recording the condition of buildings in Bridge Street anecdotal evidence, and atmosphere that can be experienced only by spending time in a place. An artist, photographer and writer were commissioned to capture the magic of the now vacant critical buildings within theTHI through different creative disciplines. A more abstract but no less valuable method of recording buildings and people, the book of photographs and poems is both evocative and stimulating, as it contemplates the concept of heritage, memory and home. Like most &"-year plans within the historic environment, we express an overriding need to conserve the past for future generations, yet so rarely engage the future generation in the process. The THI has supported a six-month Changemakers project as part of an early training initiative. Changemakers is a national organisation.Through its Future Cultural Leaders’ Programme it aims to inspire and involve young people in heritage and culture.Young advocates are sponsored for the equivalent of !" days paid work.The advocate works alongside a champion, who mentors, supports and opens doors for the young person. My advocate, a planning undergraduate from Newcastle University, was incredibly hard working, interested in her subject, and inspired by conservation and youth engagement. Elizabeth Russell worked with Berwick Middle School, taking over Year ( geography class (#–!" year olds). The pupils focused on the Bridge Street conservation area partnership scheme. Ensuring cross-curriculum activities, the school designed lesson plans that covered geography, history, design, creative writing and IT skills. Explaining heritage-led regeneration to nine year olds was both enlightening and fascinating to watch. They responded positively to their young advocate. They started by looking at maps, past uses, trades and occupants of Bridge Street, carried out field surveys on the condition of buildings, interviewed current occupants and visitors, and undertook traffic studies before producing their own visions for the area in !" years time. Their project, entitled Past, Present, Future, was presented as an exhibition, which opened in Dewar’s Lane Granary in April. The children had studied this building during lessons on regeneration as an example of before and after. It was an exciting reward to display their work in the gallery alongside other professionals, showcasing their ideas to partners and funders. Pupils designed a building for a vacant site on the edge of the study area.Their two-dimensional drawings concentrated on commercial buildings, leisure activities, playgrounds and fun, colourful buildings. With the exception of the lap-dancing club (don’t ask), their vision of Bridge Street in !" years time stemmed from their own analyses of the past, recent field trips and interpretation of regeneration. Unfettered, imaginative, bold and sometimes futuristic, their ideas were no less informed by their personal experience of the heritage environment within which they live and which they will continue to occupy long after the policy makers are gone. Elizabeth’s project is a case study for Changemakers. It forms part of her final-year dissertation, bucking the trend for the customary topics to come before examiners. The children’s work has been properly archived by the volunteer group, and the school will continue to roll out the lesson plans for other classes and pupils. Class (j will no doubt become the monitors of the heritage schemes over the next four years, possibly returning in !" years time to see if any of their thoughts and ideas have actually come to fruition as part of heritage-led regeneration. Annette Reeves, the parttime conservation officer to Berwick Borough Council between #&&* and #&&%, has been on secondment from Northumberland County Council since January #&"& as full-time THI project officer delivering the Berwick historic area improvement schemes. All photographs are by the author, with permission from the children’s parents.
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