Dorset Youth Association and Dorset
County Museum
NEWS RELEASE
29 August 2012
HIKING TO HOTPANTS, TENTS TO TWISTER
An Exhibition of Youth clubs in Dorset
Celebration
Event Friday 7 September 2012
A special event will take place at
6.30pm on Friday 7 September at Dorset County Museum . It will celebrate the
mounting of the exhibition “Hiking to Hot pants, Tents to Twister” which
explores the history of youth clubs in the Dorset Youth Association Network
over seven decades and is open to the
public until 20 October. Guests at the event will include current youth club
members, veteran leaders and Trustees (four of whom have received MBEs) and
senior decision-makers in Dorset.
A core group of 12 young people with a
huge range of abilities have worked for over 1400 volunteer hours on the
project. Supported by Dorset Youth Association (DYA) through the Heritage
Lottery Fund Young Roots Fund, they have used multimedia to tell the story
using a visual timeline, fascinating artefacts, comic style graphics and videos.
This full year of hard work will allow the public to see how important youth
clubs are as a place for fun and friendship, allowing young people to be in
charge of their own place where they can get away from the pressures of home
and school. At youth club inspiring, caring leaders help them try new
activities and develop into well-rounded, confident individuals and the leaders
of tomorrow.
“It is a way to say thank you to those
who have taken part and for the community to see how youth clubs can and have
benefitted everyone,” said Issy Eastwood, one of the volunteers.
Lorna Johnson, project worker for DYA
said, “I hope we can convey how important it is to support these clubs so they
can run for another seven decades. Many counties around us have withdrawn
support for the vital infrastructure that is needed to run them long term.”
The project and the exhibition have
already achieved considerable local support and acclaim. Dave Thompson, Director of DYA said, “I am really proud of the commitment
shown by the young people and support offered by staff. The group learned many
new skills from older members of the community, Trustees, volunteers and staff
which helped them to produce the exhibition and to celebrate a unique part of
Dorset’s heritage.” The group have
also been working with staff from Dorset County Museum where the exhibition is
taking place. Jon Murden, Director of
the Museum said, “Projects like this are vital to actively involve young people
in the life of the Museum. They can help our local community tap into vital new
sources of heritage funding and can fundamentally change our perceptions. They
create positive impressions about teenagers and their role in society, as well
as showing that museums today are not stuffy and boring.”
Catering at the event will be provided
by Smart Cookies - another young group
of volunteers with a range of special needs, supported by Dorset Youth
Association. In addition, the event will include guided
tours of the exhibition, speeches from representatives of the Heritage Lottery Fund,
music through the ages and some youth club games for everyone to enjoy.
The Dorset Young Remembers Volunteer
team. From top Left: Pippa Brindley Learning Manager Dorset County Museum,
Ellie Garrett, Edward Trist, Amy Bradford, Jenny Palmer, Ashley Bradshaw, Jack
Welch, Douglas Barrett, Bottom left: Rosie Silk, Lorna Johnson DYA project
worker, Charlotte Johnson, Lee Burnett, Liz Silk adult volunteer.
Jack Welch young history volunteer
showing Dorset Youth Association Trustee Allen Knott around the exhibition on
DYA youth clubs.
For further media information, please contact:
Lorna Johnson
Dorset Youth Association
Tel: 01305 757027
Mob: 07788203003
Email: lornajohnson@dorsetyouth.com
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