We are one today!
Yesterday’s Story CIC officially became a CIC this time last year, so this seems like a good time to look back at what has happened over the past year.
Firstly, my twins have started school. This has been a big shift in our family life. While they are now out of the house five days a week, I was not prepared for the admin that goes with having school aged children. They need their own PA! But amongst the usual parenting and the new PA duties I have found some time to get the company up and running with the help of Liz, our Finance Director.
We have started two projects this year. The first is our Queen Mary I project, funded by Chippenham Borough Lands. We have been exploring Mary Tudors life and her links to the town of Chippenham. Queen Mary I signed a Royal Charter in 1554, giving Crown Land to the Borough. The income was split between paying for two local Members of Parliament and the upkeep of the bridge over the River Avon. Our workshops for this project have already started and our street theatre performance is taking place at the end of February. Keep an eye on social media for updates.
We have also started working on Rooted in History for the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre. This is a testbed project, funded by The National Archives and we are exploring how archives might inspire people today. Through gardening archives, we will be sharing gardening tips, images, recipes, and inspiration from Wiltshire’s past, and looking at how this can inspire the community to get out and active in their own gardens or allotments. We have lots of activities planned for the spring, so watch this space.
We have lots of ideas for the future, including a Wiltshire’s Working Women project, where we are hoping to help people research women they are connected to. There is a lot more information about upper class women from the past, and a lot less about working class women. We hope to encourage people to look into women they are connected to and help us tell their stories.
It’s been a bit of a scary experience, running my own business. I have been managing arts and heritage projects for 20 years now, but always for someone else. Running my own projects has been challenging and rewarding, and I am looking forward to seeing what the next year brings.
Our social media will continue to keep you up to date with our projects and if you have an idea and would like to work with us, please do get in touch.
