Archive for September, 2009
Streetspeak’s first exhibition
Posted on: September 23rd, 2009
Streetspeak’s first exhibition opened at the National Football Museum on Monday 10th August 2009. The exhibition consists of six panels, showing pictures and poems from Streetspeak sessions, along with a DVD by film maker Gary Coogan, who is filming the project from start to finish.
‘It’s generating a lot of interest,’ said Peter Evans, Education Officer at the National Football Museum,‘Visitors are really curious about the project and have been asking how they can get involved.’
The exhibition will continue at the National Football Museum into Autumn 2009, before going on tour to London and Manchester.
The word is on the street about Streetspeak…
Posted on: September 22nd, 2009
Our second visitor in June 2009, Irfan Master, Manager of Reading the Game, National Literacy Trust, visited a Groundwork session on 19th June 2009.
Irfan watched Craig and young people from Groundwork invent their own poems… here’s one of them:
Pele
I saw Pele
On the telly
He looked really cool to me
He was quick
On the ball
He wasn’t very tall
He was a kid on the street
With no shoes on his feet
Playing football with some bags
Dressed in old torn rags
But he had passion in his heart
He was a living Work of Art
He could fly like a dart
He was a goal scoring machine
The best on the screen
But, Pele, for all your fame
We don’t even know your name!
After watching the Streetspeak session, Irfan said, ‘It was a more informal style of learning, and there was lots of learning going on and for young people that’s the best environment. They will go away with enhanced vocabulary, speaking and listening skills and they’ve been told they’ve done well. It will be a lasting memory. I’d have been quite chuffed to have been picked to take part – that’s a big deal. Poetry is a form of expression, and we can all be poets by default as soon as we can speak.’
More organisations on-board
Posted on: September 18th, 2009
Streetspeak has been growing in popularity since its launch in November 2008, with five organisations and three poets already taking part in Streetspeak sessions.
Neil McAlley, Community Programme Manager for the Football Foundation visited the National Football Museum on 12th June 2009, to see a Streetspeak session with Groundwork.
Young people from Groundwork were guided by poet Craig Bradley on a tour of the PNE ground and changing rooms, then the museum. Craig and Groundwork members put together a few poems based on their experience, including this one:
That’s what football means to me
That’s what football means to me
On the grass scoring one, two, three
Unlock the defence, find the key
Blaze up front, you and me
Pass and move from A to B
Respect the team – PNE
Breezing in the box, sting you like a bee
Saturday afternoon at three
We’ve won the game, home for tea
That’s what football means to me
Stewart Meadwell, Development Officer with Groundwork, accompanied the group and is pleased with the project’s impact on young people: ‘The two sessions so far have exceeded anything I could of hoped for. Craig has thoroughly engaged the group on such a tough subject to do so. I think the session at the football museum worked very well to inspire the group.’
Streetspeak project launches
Posted on: September 17th, 2009
Sir Tom Finney, former Preston North End and England Player, officially launched the Streetspeak project at the National Football Museum on 19th November, 2008. Sir Tom, who won 76 caps and scored 30 goals for England, was presented with a cheque for Streetspeak from the Football Foundation, one of the sponsors of Streetspeak (along with the Arts Council and National Football Museum). Sir Tom met young people taking part in Streetspeak, and one of the poets – Mark Mace Smith.
Paul Thorogood, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said in November 2008, ‘I am delighted to see Streetspeak launched, especially by such a legend in the game as Sir Tom Finney. The project is good news for young people in Preston, Lancashire and beyond and the fact that it is being launched by a player of Sir Tom’s stature means it will be beginning in true style.’
