Tuesday 04-12-2018 - 10:40

Durham has a rich history, from its religious roots evident in the towering Cathedral, to the proud mining industry celebrated every year in the colourful banners at the Miner’s Gala. Students aren’t always aware of the history of their University home, and so to help solidify links between students and the local community, Durham SU funded three students to complete projects exploring the area’s history.

These projects were undertaken by Finola Finn, Martin Price and Eliza Colin Hodges, and take the form of a wall-hanging, a short film, and art workshops. The three unique projects delved into the area’s mining history in a variety of ways, making use of archival research as well as conversations with people from the local area.

Richard Oldfield from MadeGood.films, who worked on a short film about Bearpark Colliery with Martin Price, reflected on his experiences filming, “Everyone we spoke to looked back so fondly on the time the mine was in full swing. I spoke to a number of ex-miners and all of them really enjoyed working in the mine, which was a surprise to me as it seemed like such hard work.”

Finola took to the University’s archives for her research, “It was really rewarding researching the relationship between students and miners in the archives, and translating those findings into the woven piece.”

On Thursday 1 November, Durham SU held a preview event to celebrate these projects, exhibiting them to students and guests from across the University and local community.

Students’ Union President George Walker presented the evening: “It was fantastic to be able to attend the local history event and see the fascinating projects that have been produced by students. I hope that this event can represent a really positive step in improving relations between students and local residents, as well as fostering a greater understanding of the proud and rich cultural heritage of Durham City and the wider county.”

Two guest speakers, Ross Forbes from Durham Miners’ Association and Nick Rippin from the office of Roberta Blackman-Woods, shared their thoughts on the projects in relation to their own positions within the local community.

Ross Forbes said, “It is important that all students gain an understanding of the rich heritage and culture of the county. It's all too easy to miss it even in three years of study at the University. Students in Durham are among some of the finest people in the world and among some of the deepest culture and sense of place you will ever see.”

Martin explained how his project gave him a deeper understanding of his home, “Having lived in Bearpark for the last four years, it has been a real pleasure for me to engage with the history and legacy of mining in the village. It seems impossible to truly understand the extent of the struggle here in the early eighties, or to imagine the loss and hardship the community has endured ever since.”

Eliza’s work takes the form of an art ‘Lock-in’ with students and local artists, a project she hopes will “bring together the local and student population around perceptions of mining history.” The lock-in will take place in January and will be followed by a touring exhibition and a short film documenting the process.

The work of these three students and the celebration event at Durham SU were great successes, demonstrating just one of the ways in which students and the local community are brought together in Durham.