The Hive Music and Media Centre has been awarded a £22,700 grant for its Youthful Landscapes project, which will enable more than 100 young people to learn about the landscape heritage of the area through a series of arts- and heritage-based workshops.

Youthful Landscapes will work with children aged between 13 and 16 from four local secondary schools in Dawley, Church Stretton, Pontesbury and Much Wenlock.  Each school will be responsible for researching and exploring one of four chosen heritage themes, including the remains of the Shropshire mammoth, rocks and fossils, the origins of field names and Shropshire heroes.

Anne Jenkins, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund West Midlands, said: “The young people involved will gain a range of skills as well as a valuable insight into the landscape that surrounds them. This will benefit them as individuals and also encourage care and respect for the environment.”

The young people will take part in a series of workshops to involve them in the heritage of their chosen theme, using archives and stories as well as creative methods such as music-making and new media to connect them to the landscape and heritage of the area.  The workshops will be led by a group leader with support from one of four volunteers who will be recruited and appointed to each school to help deliver the project activities.

A number of young people will sit on the steering group to manage and lead project which will be delivered in partnership with the National Trust, Shropshire Wildlife Trust, Shropshire Council (Museum Service) and the Shropshire Hills AONB. 
   
The participants will learn a host of new heritage and technical skills to enable them to undertake the project including curation, archiving, research skills and music production, editing and digital photography techniques. The project findings will be showcased and shared with others through exhibitions, promotions and film and music performances.

Funding for the project was awarded through the HLF Young Roots programme, which is designed to encourage young people aged between 13-25 to develop, manage and take the lead in heritage projects.

For The Hive Music and Media Centre, Katie Jennings said: “Alongside our project partners the Hive has spent time working to devise a dynamic and varied programme which will also encourage the participating young people to pass on their knowledge and experience of the landscape heritage of Shropshire through the images, film and music.”

She added “Youthful Landscapes will encourage young people to explore their environment and embrace the topics that inspire their passion and creativity. It is a prime opportunity to celebrate the heritage of our local landscape, why it is so special and what it has to offer using a variety of exciting techniques and cutting edge equipment.”

Further information
Please contact Vicky Wilford, HLF press office, on; 020 7591 6046 / 07973 401 937, email vickyw@hlf.org.uk or Phil Cooper, HLF press office, on: 07889 949 173. Kate Jennings, The Hive Music and Media Centre, on: 01743 234 977

Match funding for the project has come from the Shropshire Hills AONB LEADER programme.