Schoolchildren and residents in an over-55s community were given the chance to connect as part of a community project celebrating the people and places that make Stoke-on-Trent special.
Inspired Film and Video facilitated workshops for The Willows Primary School in Penkhull and West End Village in Stoke.
The day – part of the Love Stoke 100 initiative – provided a mix of storytelling and filmmaking.
Pupils, who had had coaching from Inspired prior to the day, interviewed residents about their lives in Stoke-on-Trent, their favourite memories, and what they love most about their city.
Daniel Stubbs, Managing Director of Inspired, said: “It’s projects like this that remind us why we do what we do.
“Working as an extension of the team at Love Stoke 100, we made sure the children felt confident behind the camera and the residents felt valued in front of it. It was, simply, an enjoyable experience for all involved.”
One resident remarked that it was wonderful to see the generations coming together, adding: “The children asked such thoughtful questions, and it was a joy to share our stories with them.”
West End Village is delivered by Honeycomb Group, which provides affordable housing and specialist support across the city.
Giles Parkyn, Head of Customer and Neighbourhood at Honeycomb Group, said: “This was a fantastic opportunity for our residents to be part of a project which celebrates Stoke on Trent heritage – particularly during the city’s 100th birthday year, which we are looking forward to celebrating with residents and customers across our organisation this summer.
“Our residents really enjoyed meeting with the children from The Willows and sharing their memories. It’s a great opportunity for them to talk about their past and what they love about Stoke on Trent whilst meeting young people from the local community.”
Managed by Framescape and funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Love Stoke 100 is about people-powered storytelling – capturing the lived experiences of those who call Stoke-on-Trent home.
Love Stoke 100 is actively looking for more organisations, schools, and community groups to get involved. Anyone who is interested, can find out more here.
