BOOST
New design work at Thornhill Lees LICC, Dewsbury
 

Thornhill Lees LICC got a BOOST at a recent celebration event when the building was filled with local people who came to celebrate the LICC’s third birthday and the unveiling of the new look building.  Impossible Theatre transformed part of the building with a colour and light video projection showing design work made by local high school students; colourful bunting made by children and parents from the infant school was used to decorate the streets of Thornhill Lees; and children made birthday cards and won prizes for their high scores in the BOOST challenge activities.  The design work created by artist Lesley Fallais was a hit with visitors who made comments such as, “It looks fabulous and really stands out” and, “It really is a ‘wow’!”.

During the event several people who had never been to the building before signed up for LICC services.  Staff say the project has been a great way for them to reach more people and raise awareness of the LICC.  “BOOST has really been a catalyst to get more involved in projects in the community; it’s really BOOSTed our profile in Thornhill Lees” (LIC Customer Services Manager).

Take a look at some of the photos of the event and the new design work:
Outside at the Event
Impossible Theatre's colour and light projection
Designs and signage outside the building

Thornhill Lees Library Information & Children’s Centre, 53 Brewery Lane, Dewsbury.  Tel: 01924 324181

Emotional Wellbeing projects deliver real impacts
 
Last year Loca’s partnerships with NHS Kirklees and CapeUK enabled us to continue growing the work which we have been delivering in Kirklees schools for over 5 years, focused on using creative approaches to support children’s social and emotional development.  
 
We were commissioned to deliver 10 primary school projects, all of which entailed artists working with small, targeted groups of children under a Positive Mental Health and Wellbeing banner around themes such as transition, aspiration, identity and relationships.  A round-up of all the evaluation material gathered shows that across all ten schools benefits were widely experienced by children and observed by staff in a range of areas related to children’s confidence, self-esteem, self-belief, resourcefulness and positive self-image.  All ten projects generated ‘Striking’ or ‘Plenty of’ evidence of:

• Children being more confident in trying new experiences out of their normal comfort zone
   

• Children gaining personal tools, attitudes or insights which positively influenced their feelings about change and/or will directly help them to cope well with transition and change
   

• Positive effects on children’s communication with and relationships with others (plus in 8 of 10 schools evidence of children having gained a broader vocabulary for communicating views and ideas and increased confidence in communicating ideas)
   

• Children enjoying positive experiences of group work and relationships (and in 8 of 10 schools evidence that for at least some children this led to shifts in behaviour, attitudes and/or self-image
   

• Children’s increased engagement with learning – a new or stronger interest, enthusiasm or ‘I can’ attitude (and in 8 of 10 schools that translated for some children into greater engagement with learning in the classroom)

In addition, nine of the ten projects generated 'Striking' or 'Plenty of' evidence of:

• Children enjoying feelings of pride from experiencing a sense of achievement and recognition
   
• Children being enabled to find different ways of expressing their feelings and/or understanding their behaviour
   
• Children having more confidence in their own creative/arts abilities and skills
   
• Children discovering creative interests and talents in ways which have changed or raised aspirations or may open up new options

Milnsbridge public realm project - a sneak preview

Here’s a sneak preview of some of the design details of David Mayne’s work for the Milnsbridge street furniture scheme.  The use of repeat pattern draws inspiration from the textile heritage of Milnsbridge and the images show links between the work David did with local young people and his own final designs. The street furniture is now in production with work on site starting in the new year.

David was commissioned by Loca to work on the project in Milnsbridge, alongside the Council’s Regeneration Development Service which is undertaking some environmental and streetscape improvements.  Loca’s input has focussed on a seating area in the centre of the village that is in need of upgrading and access improvements, a scheme which it was decided should involve a collaboration between one the Council’s landscape architects and an artist with public art credentials.

David worked with school and youth groups to involve local young people in thinking about their village centre and its heritage and in contributing design ideas for the seating and street furniture produced by David.



 

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