History and Heritage
Culture, Community, Education, Empowerment & Radical History: Learning From The Lessons Of Our Past To Create A Fair & Sustainable Future For All
As a traditional folk singer and passionate history enthusiast, for many years I have used history, heritage and traditional folk culture within my work as tools of learning, creativity, communication and exploration.
I am Chairperson of two regional heritage education organisations and am a proud advocate of working class culture and political and social history.
Our past holds invaluable tools enabling us to understand, celebrate, commemorate and connect with our past; especially valuable when learning and teaching others about our own local, regional, national and world political and social histories and cultures.
As I mention in my journal pages, it was through music I connected with history and heritage and learned about the world, and through my work I try to create and
offer others the same opportunities. Read on to learn about some of my history and heritage productions and pojects, schools work, performances and activities.
Further information of interest may be found in the folk music and education spaces of my website.
(Photo: Proudly standing next to our Little Moscow Banner @ our Tommy Armstrong Society Banner Tales Festival, Tanfield, Stanley, Co. Durham ~ May 2019).
Discover more about my History & Heritage work...
ORGANISATIONS
Tommy Armstrong Society
Chairperson
Read on to learn more about the life, work and legacy of Tommy Armstrong: The Pitman Poet
Banner Tales festival 2019
A mini-miner's gala and weekend celebration during whcih were exhibited over 20 miner's banners in Tanfield Village to celebrate the life of Tommy Armstrong.
WEA History & Heritage Branch
Chairperson ~ Tutor ~ Volunteer
Our trailblazing WEA North East regional History and Heritage Branch is a hive of activity, ideas, research, exploration and learning... Led by an inspiring team of local historians, academics,
heritage experts, activists and enthusiasts...
PRODUCTIONS
Jarrow March: Freedom On The Tyne ~ Freedom City 2017
Director
Jarrow March: Freedom On The Tyne ~ 2017
Building on work began with JtoJ back in 2014 and marrying my great passions; performance art, people's history and protest, I produced the Jarrow March part of the Freedom City's Freedom on the Tyne Theatre extravaganza...
Journey to Justice: Footsteps to Freedom ~ 2014-15
Co-ordinator / Producer
A month-long programme of education, arts, music, film and training celebrating the NE's long history of social justice and radical history including Martin Luther King's trip to Tyneside in 1967 ~ centred around community based exhibitions, engagement projects and performances.
PROJECTS
Wylam Winter Tales Festival
Wylam Wassail Schools Project 2017-19
A month-long programme of education, arts, music, film and training celebrating the NE's long history of social justice and radical history including Martin Luther King's trip to Tyneside in 1967 ~ centred around community based exhibitions, engagement projects and performances.
WEA History & Heritage Branch
WEA Turbulent Times ~ 2017
A month-long programme of education, arts, music, film and training celebrating the NE's long history of social justice and radical history including Martin Luther King's trip to Tyneside in 1967 ~ centred around community based exhibitions, engagement projects and performances.
WEA History & Heritage Branch
WEA Voices From The Ruins ~ 2016
A month-long programme of education, arts, music, film and training celebrating the NE's long history of social justice and radical history including Martin Luther King's trip to Tyneside in 1967 ~ centred around community based exhibitions, engagement projects and performances.
Schools: Journey to Justice
Sing for Social Justice ~ 2015
Song-writing project delivered as part of our month-long programme of education, arts, music, film and training celebrating the NE's long history of social justice and radical history including Martin Luther King's trip to Tyneside in 1967 ~ centred around community based exhibitions, engagement projects and performances.
PERFORMANCE
Wingrove Wassail ~ 2017, 2018
Community songwriting, Performance and Wassailing of the Orchards in the wonderful Greening Wingrove project!
Redhills Centenary Celebrations~2015
Celebrating 100 Years of the Pitman's Parliament!
The Seam ~ 2015
Music From the Heart of the Mining Institute with Gareth Davies Jones
