From Left to Right: Rachael, Will D, Charlie, Daisy, Will S, Hayley. Photo by Shirlaine Forrest
We are excited to have a team of 6 younger volunteers (aged 18-30) as part of our Delia Derbyshire Day 2023 programme of activities. Supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, we are doing our best to provide opportunities for a wider range of people to be involved in heritage as we honour the 60th anniversary year of BBC sci-fi series Doctor Who and therefore Delia’s iconic realisation of the original theme tune.
Our dedicated Volunteer Coordinator Laura Seddon is supporting our team which are acting as a steering committee, inputting on all aspects of the project. The team meet monthly at the home of Delia Derbyshire’s archive, John Rylands Research Institute and Library in Manchester. Each volunteer then has a monthly mentoring meeting with Laura to set individual goals and outline what activities they would like to get involved with. They have undertaken training such as Non-Violent Communication, Upwording (by Rivca Rubin) and Oral History training (with the Oral History Society) as they develop skills in arts project management and the heritage sector.
Individual, collective and collaborative activities include:
– Assisting at the Oral History collection sessions we are carrying out in primary schools in Manchester and observing the sessions – to be made available in the new Delia Derbyshire Day Archive
– Inputting into the planning and storyboard of the short film we are creating with schoolchildren in Manchester, to be published online on DD Day 2023 (23 November)
– Researching and evaluating digital archiving methods for the new Delia Derbyshire Day Archive at John Rylands – to be launched on DD Day 2023
– Producing an accessible guide to the newly established Delia Derbyshire Day Archive at John Rylands
– Being part of the process of selecting our DD Day 2023 commissioned artists
– Being part of the planning for the 10 Inspirational Days we are doing in primary schools in Manchester in Sept-October 2023.
– Creating new oral histories for the DD Day Archive
It has been wonderful to have the volunteers’ most valuable contributions to the project and its activities. Their skills and interest cover all aspects of the project too including a Doctor Who expert, a filmmaker, a zine maker, sound and music artists and a curator.
So, watch this space as the project progresses, our work feels so much stronger with these passionate younger perspectives involved!
