Par Bay Heroes Project

Over the months of September and October the project was gradually gaining momentum and signing up more participants. On September 10th we had an introduction day in the open-air at the Meadow Barns, which was filmed. The next week we began training ‘ambassadors’ – people who can go out and explain, demonstrate and recruit others to take part in the tapestry activities. Following on from those days, we edited films and began a regular posting to our YouTube channel, find the link to these below. (Introduction, Design of Physical Tapestry, Cutting out your Hero in Felt)

Now we are into 2nd lock-down, with possibly greater needs and so – not surprisingly – there is more action than before. The Par Creative Workshop centre have been involving all their members in making a wonderful collage of fish and embroidery to represent Par Beach. We are helping another centre, for young people, called Go Beyond on the cliffs beyond Tywardreath. They are cutting and stitching letters and will be involved in drumming next week.

Four of the eight panels are out being embroidered and the map panels are going to be painted. It would be great to hear from you, if you want to be involved in the remaining panels or the sound and music.

The images below demonstrate our first mock-up idea and test flying of a tapestry in spring 2020, compared with the current design (look out for those lovely fish!)

Click to enlarge

All the decisions about design of the physical tapestry are being taken by participants. Please put forward your ideas!

In a similar fashion, the structure and content of the sound tapestry is shaped by each new voice or music track we receive.

More about the structure. There are 8 panels at the heart of the tapestry. Each celebrates a category of heroes, from Violet for family, friends and Indigo for carers, to Blue for NHS and and Green for nature. Next come Yellow for communications online or in the media, (including teachers) and Red for drivers and Royal Mail. In the music the Yellow and Red have a percussion background. The final sections are about the basics of life – Sky Blue for shops & food industry, and Orange for services & construction.

At present, we are starting to plan for the final assembly and procession of the tapestry and the sounds that will go with that procession. We visualise a big, colourful spectacle featuring lots of residents, with drumming and voices to emphasise the message ”stronger and stronger and stronger, building community here”.

Please nominate your hero on the Home page and include your phone number, if you would like to be recorded and mixed into the sounds. We use the free App Hi-Q (MP3 format) submitted by Whats App on phones or by email to cjs@betterways2learn.co.uk

Visit the project films here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnEQ1-QR-Y0

Sound tracks for heroes

(c) C. Stephenson 2020

Music Tracks