A Happy Place
Our 2015/16 Heritage Lottery Funded ,Life and Leisure, Changing West Cumbria, project was based on memories and aspirations. The initial stages of the project saw young people recording oral histories from those who attended the Young Men’s Christian Association in Whitehaven from the 1940s to 1980s. They engaged with their elders to gain an insight into the recent past and look at ways this can help shape the future. The first phase of the project saw us launch an interactive exhibition of the memories uncovered.
The second phase saw us design and fabricate our final piece. Entitled 'A Happy Place' it is now on permanent display in the Whitehaven Foyer (previously the YMCA). It is a mixture of traditional and modern construction techniques and contains memories and memorabilia from the YMCA, the advice given by the elders and the aspirations of the young people. This interactive piece was unveiled by Prince Charles at the opening of the Whitehaven Foyer (supportive accommodation and training facility for young people).
