Big Local helped organise a reenactment of a key moment in Cleethorpes history – the signing of the local Charter
When? May 2022
Partners: Capacity Buildings Ltd. St Aidans Church. Hammond House. Caxton Theatre.
The Capturing Cleethorpes Cultures project was a project led by Capacity Buildings Ltd but which took place at St Aidan’s Church in North Cleethorpes at the same time as the Cleethorpes Culture Festival organised by Big Local North Cleethorpes alongside Hammond House.
The Capturing Cleethorpes Cultures project was all about engaging with Cleethorpes residents to find out about traditions and customs that are important to them as part of historical cultural events or linked to specific buildings or places in the resort. The aim was to capture residents’ memories and create new ones for future generations to shape and re-enact.
We explored what was important to Cleethorpes’ people as part of historical cultural events such as the Cleethorpes Carnival or linked to specific iconic buildings such as Cleethorpes Pier or other notable community places and spaces in the resort such as Sidney Park.
We captured older residents’ memories and those of people who had lived in Cleethorpes for a long time then shared these recollections with younger residents. Our original plan changed from broader re-enactments of Cleethorpes’ historical cultural events in heritage buildings and places to focus on one specific past event, namely Cleethorpes Borough Day.
People who participated in our project chose this event to re-enact as it involved the Pier, Sidney Park, St Aidan’s Church, and Cleethorpes Silver Band whose former members played at the original ceremony and our event formed part of a wider Cleethorpes Culture Festival held in May 2022.
Feedback from Cleethorpes residents who attended the event included the following comments:
I’d never heard about Cleethorpes Charter Day before
It’s wonderful to come to this lovely church (St. Aidan’s) and see it brought back to life with music and theatrical performances;”
What an original idea – it makes a change to find something different to do in Cleethorpes
A short film recording was made of the reenactment event and is available to view on Clee TV Heritage Channel.