Following an approach by Maryport Schools Cluster through Primary Business Partnership, The Laal Collective were successful in our bid to Heritage Lottery Fund to develop an environmental arts project working with children in seven schools: Netherton Infant School, Maryport C of E school, Grasslot School, Ewanrigg Junior School, Flimby Primary School, Ellenborough Academy and Dearham School.
The project began with introducing children, from Reception to Year 5, to the world of the Honeycomb Worm. Maryport and the Allonby Bay area have some of the best examples of Honeycomb reefs. They met Hilda the Honeycomb Worm who brought along some of her friends to the classroom, supported by Lucy and Holly from Cumbria Wildlife Trust and Living Seas Northwest.
Following this visit, the schools created a shared story with Ali and Vicki, all about Hilda, with each school developing their own chapter. The story was created through drawing and conversation and took on board all the ideas from the children.
The next phase of the project saw the children creating shadow puppets of the characters and scenery in their chapters. We looked at how shadows work, and how we can create interesting shapes by cutting windows in card and adding coloured cellophane. We also explored how different things can create interesting shadows, such as pipe cleaners, wool and other textured fabrics.
Once our shadow puppets were created, we moved on to telling each chapter through a shadow play. These were filmed and are currently being edited together to create a film of the full story. The children also got to work with musician Mark Newport to create digital sound to accompany the film.
A Story Trail exhibition of some of the work the children created during the project took place in Maryport during the May half term.
The film is available to view below.
The project was also supported by the Francis C Scott Charitable Trust.
We’d like to thank National Lottery players, without whom this project would not have been possible.
Below is a link to an online resource for teachers and deliverers about how the project worked.
The Sands of Time online resource CC
© 2022. This work is openly licensed via CC BY 4.0.
