Storylines are developing an exciting new project to document and celebrate the unsung work of women in West Penwith.
Over the past 200 years the everyday and working lives of women have changed drastically.
Time and again Storylines hears amazing stories of resilient and hard-working women who have contributed to local communities and regional industries such as farming, mining, fishing, and commerce. This thread runs through many oral histories we’ve recorded in Cornwall over the past decade, yet these invaluable contributions remain largely unshared, often hidden in people’s memories and attics.
Together with the brilliant Hypatia Trust, we’ve now started unravelling this thread and are developing a project to shine a light on the pivotal role women have played in homes, livelihoods, and communities in West Penwith. Through stories and memories that have been passed down the generations, we want to explore the character of women’s work in the region and document a time of huge change for women. This will include gathering and archiving oral history interviews, digital storytelling, and opportunities for community engagement.
We need your help
On November 25th 2024 we are holding a relaxed gathering where we will be sharing memories and reflections as we explore how the everyday work of women helped shape West Penwith.
To book a place visit here. If you want to find out more please email sarah@storylines.org.uk or call 07767382552.
Whether you know of someone who you think we need to hear from, or you see opportunities for collaboration, please do drop us an email or call.
We are interested in women’s stories of everyday work, whether that be in the home, community or business/industry. We want to uncover the labour that goes on behind the scenes to keep life moving, work that has often been unrecognised or invisible. We are particularly interested the experiences of women born before 1950, as the changes they have witnessed are staggering. We’d love to connect with people who hold stories, memories and clues to exploring themes around women at work and in the communities of West Penwith, including:
- Women at home
- Women in the workplace
- Women in the community
- Women in wartime
- Women making change
To help us develop this project we are grateful to have received funding which has been allocated from Cornwall Council’s Community Capacity Fund. The Community Capacity Fund is part of the Good Growth Programme, which is delivering the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in Cornwall and Isles of Scilly.
Watch this space
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