1. Hafan
  2. Projects
  3. Victoria Park Primary Academy - Memories of spice in Smethwick

Victoria Park Primary Academy - Memories of spice in Smethwick

Victoria Park school pupils and teacher who took in the Memories of Spice from Smethwick project
Victoria Park school pupils and teacher who took in the Memories of Spice from Smethwick project

Sharing Heritage

Dyddiad a ddyfarnwyd
Lleoliad
Soho and Victoria
Awdurdod Lleol
Sandwell
Ceisydd
Victoria Park Primary Academy
Rhoddir y wobr
£9700
The role of spices in shaping local culture, cuisine and customs has been captured thanks to a community history project in Smethwick, Sandwell in the West Midlands.

Many different communities have settled in Smethwick since the 1950s. Victoria Park Primary Academy set out to capture stories and memories from local people and research how the use of spices has shaped cultural traditions, festivals, ceremonies, cooking and costumes.

Nick Clitheroe, Project Manager, said: "We set out to bring our diverse community together, so using spices to understand where we came from certainly did that.”

The project included visits to the Birmingham factory of East End Foods, where many different spices are prepared and packaged, and to Smethwick’s Sallop Drive Market Garden where spices have been cultivated in the heart of the community for over 50 years.

The project culminated in a procession through the town and the creation of a Spice Map to share findings with wider audiences. Watch the video on YouTube.