Scotland's Year of Stories Project: Project 31's Park Life

Project 31’s ‘Park Life’ Project celebrated the stories of Cambuslang Park, a local green space which has been central to the area since 1913. Spanning ten hectares it is packed with local legend and folklore much of which remains unknown by those living nearby. The events saw local primary school classes invited to the park to explore it’s wider history and focus on one particular legend, choosing from The Quarry, The Zoo, and The War or The Witches. Much of the information had been gathered through local oral history and children attending were able to contribute to this telling the versions of stories they had heard within their own families. This added an extra vibrancy to events, with new life being breathed into stories as they took place.

360 children and 20 adults took part across the events with all responding creatively to the stories they’d heard. Everything from wand making to charcoal drawing expanded the groups experiences and enabled them to engage further with their local heritage.

In the weeks following the events many children have returned to the park to share the stories with their own families; many of the teaching staff committed to using the park as a new learning resource.

"The Park Life project was a brilliant opportunity for our children, and staff, to explore a resource on their doorstep that many of them knew very little about. The depth of information and knowledge that staff from Project 31 were able to share with them about the history and stories of the park was fantastic and it really inspired the pupils. The innovative ways in which they got the pupils to engage with the park and share the stories through art work, completed in the actual surroundings was brilliant. Park Life really connected our school community with the outdoors and the stories in our community. We would be very interested in being involved again."

Susanne Sandilands, Head Teacher, Hallside Primary School

"I love this. My mum and dad always bring me to this park. I'm going to show them the witches' cave and tell them all the stories."

Scott, P4 Pupil, Hallside Primary

More photos of the event are available at https://www.flickr.com/gp/196201469@N08/G1cN747n5M
https://www.facebook.com/THIRTYONEPROJECT
@_Project31
www.project31.co.uk

This event was supported by the Year of Stories 2022 Community Stories Fund. This fund was delivered in partnership between VisitScotland and Museums Galleries Scotland with support from National Lottery Heritage Fund thanks to National Lottery players.

Park Life Lorna.jpg

Children in a park
© Lorna Bamford

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