Culture Liverpool commissioned socially engaged theatre company All Things Considered to work with young people in Garston to find out what they value about where they live and what they would like to see changed.
Over a three-week period, All Things Considered engaged Year 6 pupils from Holy Trinity Primary and Banks Road Primary in a variety of arts-based activities including spoken word workshops, visual art sessions and drama workshops. These creative outlets allowed the children to express their feelings about where they live, providing valuable insights into their perspectives and experiences.
All Things Considered also engaged with parents and grandparents, offering a deeper understanding of the changes and challenges the community has faced over time.
One of the outcomes of the project was the publication of a book, in which the children worked with spoken word artist PJ Smith and visual artist Ruta Staseviciute, to come up with poems and drawings of what they love about the place they call home. The heart-warming book captures the full range of senses from the sight of “kids playing footy in pyjamas” and the sound of “grandad singing the Coronation Street theme tune” to the smell of “my mum’s scouse” and the feel of “my mum brushing my hair”.
During one of the workshops, the children also created their own political party and came up with pledges to boost community safety, pride and cohesion, which will be presented to stakeholders including the council, the police and social landlord South Liverpool Housing.
