A community project in Bury St Edmunds which is aiming to bring generations together is asking people to share old photographs and memorabilia of the town’s market for a pop-up museum.
The Markets Matter project aims to highlight the social value of markets, and showcase community spirit by linking back to a time when street parties were more common.
The project, which involves nine schools, the Gatehouse Dementia Hub, a care home and two sheltered housing schemes, is being led by community arts teacher Louise Gridley in partnership with St Edmundsbury Borough Council’s markets and museums services.
Students from St Benedict’s Catholic School will organise a Mad Hatter’s tea party where free cake and tea will be served to elderly residents, who will also be interviewed by the pupils to record local history.
Miss Gridley, who also teaches at St Benedict’s, said: “It is fantastic. So many of the students are involved in this in some way or another.
“We have arts students busy making market-themed table cloths and other props while in home economics, students will be making cakes to serve.
“Music students will provide entertainment at the tea party, while our history students are being supported by the records office in researching and contributing to the pop-up museum. We are all really looking forward to it.”
Students from Barrow Primary, Guildhall Feoffment, Bottesdale Primary, Priory Special School, County Upper, Stanton Primary, St Edmunds Catholic Primary and Abbots Green Primary schools have all been involved in hat making workshops in preparation for the event.
The Gatehouse Dementia Hub, sheltered housing complexes Stradbroke Court and Cross Penny Court, and Cornwallis Court care home are also making hats for the community event.
Those will be worn at the tea party at the market on Wednesday, May 16 between 12pm and 1.30pm.
The pop-up museum will take place both on the market and in Moyse’s Hall Museum which will offer free entry for the day.
On Saturday, May 26, there will be a free hat making workshop on the market between 10am and 1.30pm, followed by a parade to the Abbey Gardens where there will be a community picnic and free entertainment.
Robert Everitt, cabinet member for families and communities at St Edmundsbury Borough Council, said: “The aim of all of this is to create greater ties between the generations of people that we have in our community and for people to understand that the market is more than just a place to come and shop.
“These events are being organised to coincide with the national Love Your Local Market fortnight in mid May.
“Last year’s collaboration with St Benedict’s Catholic School and Louise saw Bury St Edmunds win a national award, but in terms of what it will potentially achieve, I think this year’s event is possibly even better.”
As well as the tea party, picnic and pop-up museum, the borough council is also offering young people the chance to run arts and crafts stalls on the market on May 16, for free.
Anybody who has items that the wish to loan to the pop-up museum, or who wants to take up the free stall offer, can contact sharon.fairwweather@westsuffolk.gov.uk or contact 01284 757093.
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