The classes and workshops for the Walking Trail section of the heritage project are now over, but that doesn’t mean the project has come to an end.

RIG Arts worked with Eric Webster, a resident of Broomhill who, for decades, has been documenting both the history and changes occurring within Broomhill; historian James Carmichael; and artist and historian Emma Elliott-Walker, to research, explore, and respond to Broomhill’s history. All the information will be collated by artist and graphic designer Steve Elliott on a website dedicated to the project, information boards will be installed around Broomhill and pamphlets will be made available to residents and visitors.

The project centred around 2 main component parts: a series of weekly sessions with Whinhill’s P4 class and afternoon discussion and making sessions with the local community.

Each week with the P4 class, we focused on a different theme ranging from ‘life in the Broomhill Poorhouse’ to ‘working in the factories’ and ‘Greenock during the war’. We discussed with the children what they already knew about these topics and shared new information with them. We also sent the children home with a jotter to record any stories they gathered from older people they knew who had lived or worked in Broomhill. Then we would work on a creative response to the theme, using techniques such as foam block printing, collage, painting and drawing.

The children also delivered a wonderful performance as an assembly to the rest of the school, presenting their knowledge of the topic. You can view it here:

The other half of the project worked from our Art Flat in Broomhill and was split into 2 halves. For the first half, ‘Broomy Blether’, we met with members of the local community to chat about their memories of Broomhill. These have been recorded and will be uploaded as audio files and/or transcriptions. For the second half of the ‘Broomy Blether’, we added ‘Walk and Make’ sessions. We took tours around Broomhill with some of the local kids and Eric Webster, to discuss what we could see, what was changing and to imagine what used to be there. We encouraged the children to sketch what was in front of them, and collect found objects along our rambles.

Keep your eyes peeled for updates on the website, info. boards and pamphlets. They’ll be coming soon!

For more infomation, contact RIG Arts at info@rigarts.org, call us on 01475 649539 or find us on Facebook – RIGArtsInverclyde.