Written evidence submitted by Southend-on-Sea Borough Council’s Cultural, Tourism and Property Services Directorate

 

 

The Lessons from the First World War Centenary Inquiry

 

Written Evidence for the House of Commons Select Committee

 

Executive Summary

 

 

 

 

      Southend’s success of using alternative commemoration approaches through the arts to inspire a greater understanding and a broad range of perspectives of the First World War and its impacts locally and nationally.

 

      The impact of the nationally significant award of the iconic Poppies: Wave sculpture to Southend, the only location in the East of England selected to host this sculpture as part of 14-18 NOW’s Poppies Tour to mark the Centenary.

 

      The notable achievements of the Poppies: Wave sculpture being hosted in Shoeburyness Southend, in relation to:

 

        Community and volunteer involvement and engagement;

        Local, regional and international visitor numbers;

        Experiences of individuals and families, and public involvement;

        The outreach engagement programme and our work with school children and young people;

        Leaving a local legacy of the First World War community heritage to mark the Centenary.

 

 

1.       About Southend-on-Sea Borough Council

 

1.1   Southend-on-Sea Borough Council is a Unitary Local Authority located in Essex.

 

1.2   The Council delivers more than 400 important services, ranging from social care to child protection to highways maintenance. We serve a population of 181,800 residents (ONS July 2018) and play a vital role in the development of Southend-on-Sea as an appealing place to live, work, visit and invest in.

 

1.3   Southend has a considerable range of cultural resources, the strength of which lies in the breadth and depth of its history, its position beside the Thames Estuary and the number of cultural facilities, event programmes and opportunities provided. With a mixture of both traditional and modern offerings and the establishment of the University of Essex within the town centre, it has fast become a cultural hub for people of all ages and backgrounds.

 

1.4   One of Southend-on-Sea Borough Council’s ambitions has always been focused on cultural regeneration. Southend is increasingly being described by our partners as a cultural hub in the region – with the highest levels of museum visits and engagement with the arts in Essex.

 

2.       Poppies: Wave

 

2.1   Following a successful bid to 14-18 NOW, during spring 2017, Barge Pier in Gunners Park, Shoeburyness, was transformed into a stunning platform to mark the centenary of the First World War.

 

2.2   From 12th April until 25th June 2017, Barge Pier, Shoeburyness, was the only place in the East of England in 2017 chosen to host the iconic Poppies: Wave sculpture. The presentation of the sculpture offered people across the UK the chance to experience the impact of the ceramic poppy sculpture in a place of particular First World War resonance.

 

2.3   The breath taking sculpture by artist Paul Cummins and designer Tom Piper, featured a sweeping arch of thousands of bright red ceramic poppy heads suspended on towering stalks, which rose up from Barge Pier to create a dramatic wave towards the estuary.

 

2.4   The Barge Pier structure was chosen because the borough was the scene of one of the first air-raid attacks on the UK during World War One. Many of the artillery guns used were designed and tested at Shoeburyness as well as being the site of the first British War Dog School, established in 1917, where dogs were trained and sent to France and Belgium, and also used as guards and sentries on the Home Front.

 

2.5   Poppies: Wave has enabled us to celebrate and share Shoeburyness’s rich military history, which has been very important to local people.

 

 

3.       Community and volunteer involvement

 

3.1   More than 100,000 people visited Poppies: Wave at Shoeburyness.

Southend welcomed not only local visitors and visitors from across the UK but from all over the world, including America, Hong Kong, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, France, Canada, Poland, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.

 

3.2   One of our great successes was the response we had from local people wanting to be part of Poppies: Wave. Visitors were welcomed seven-days a week by more than 200 Poppy Volunteers, who dedicated around 5, 000 hours of their personal time to create a memorable and contemplative experience for everyone.

 

3.3   Local communities embraced the opportunity to represent their town and become Poppy Volunteers. Particular successes included a family of Poppy Volunteers, with mother and father volunteering alongside their son and daughter, as well as the diversity in age groups that the Poppy Volunteer role attracted. Our youngest volunteer was 14 (accompanied by a guardian) and the eldest in their 80’s.

 

3.4   It cannot be overstated how valuable volunteers were to making Poppies: Wave the success it was. Many formed new friendships within the group and some have also since gone on to volunteer at a range of other events and activities within the Borough. Many expressed their gratitude at having had the opportunity to be part of Poppies: Wave and being able to give back to the local community.

 

3.5   More than 33 brass players, ranging in age from 10 to 90, also volunteered their time to take part in a 75-day act of remembrance. Every evening at 7pm the Last Post was played on site next to the sculpture by these dedicated volunteer musicians to help mark the centenary of the First World War.

 

3.6   The performance of the Last Post was instrumental in engaging new audiences, particularly for the end of the day visiting slot – between 5pm-6:30pm was generally a very quiet time, but visitors would arrive on site for the 7pm performance, which took place in all weathers; many evenings were very cold, wet and windy but this did not deter the musicians of all ages. The musician themselves took pride in being able to perform at the site – as well as their families who were visibly proud and supportive. More than 2,000 visitors turned out for the Last Post across the 75-day musical act of remembrance.

 

3.7   The site again became a focus of attention around the Manchester bombing and the London Bridge attack – people wanted to come to the site to pay their respects to the victims and again the “Last Post” took on a different significance around that time – it was very poignant and moved many to tears.

 

3.8   On visiting the sculpture, individuals and families willingly shared their personal stories, reflections, thoughts and feelings about what Poppies: Wave meant to them. Thousands of memory cards were personally written and illustrations produced by visitors. These memory cards were turned into a visual public display, which was added to each day, around the site so that everyone could enjoy the tributes, thoughts and focus on personal, human stories, which delivered intellectual, emotional and spiritual outcomes for all those who engaged with them.

 

3.9   Many people commented that the sculpture had brought history to life and in doing so was more immediately impactful and memorable for people.

 

3.10                        Poppies: Wave provoked interest from many local community groups and local cubs, beaver, scouts, brownies and Guides groups, largely due to the momentum gathered by having the Last Post performed by volunteer musicians. We witnessed several Renewal of Promises, various different badges being achieved, along with investitures of new members.

 

4.       Public engagement and outreach programme

 

4.1   The Council offered a programme of activities to allow individuals and families to explore more aspects of the First World War during Poppies: Wave being hosted in Gunners Park, Shoeburyness. Activities ranged from performances and poems, to workshops, walking tours and talks.

 

4.2   The programme was developed in partnership with local organisations such as Essex Wildlife Trust, local artists, schools and the Council’s Libraries and Museums service. We built on activities these organisations were already offering and extended the scope of their activities to reach new audiences.

 

4.3   Local schools engaged well with the project – we had a lot of on-site visits, sometimes whole schools came and others brought along whole year groups – the schools engaged with the Museums service for on-site talks, with learning being taken back into the class rooms for further discussion and the production of visual class work, as well as harnessing the appetite of young people to learn more about the First World War.

 

4.4   A two-hour Continuing Professional Development (CPD) session was delivered in Southend schools and attended by many teachers. Sessions offered hands-on and accessible routes into Literacy, Art and History for teachers of 9-13 year olds. A guided tour off the Poppies: Wave site was used to stimulate learning and equip teachers with the following:

 

        classroom strategies using the sculpture for promoting Pupil Talk

        literacy focussed activity to generate rich writing outcomes

        practical lesson plans for using the sculpture as a platform to explore WW1 and local history units.  

Teachers shared very positive feedback around the session and how it had offered a new perspective on learning ideas and delivery of classes’ around the First World War. 

 

4.5   Heritage and Wildlife Walks and Photography Walks for individuals and families around Gunners Park proved to be particularly popular with visitors. These walks presented audiences with a unique way of connecting with the rich and diverse history of the Shoebury Garrison and offered a completely new view on the First World War locally and how it has impacted society today.

 

4.6   Poetry, diary readings and musical performances were delivered in or alongside military features and historic structures within the Gunners Park site, helping to bring the presentations to life and provide a powerful and immersive experience for visitors.

 

4.7   These poignant and thought provoking performances were also interpreted through British Sign Language to help bring performances to life for everyone.

 

 

 

4.8   To mark 125 years of the incorporation of the Borough, which coincided within the 4 year centenary commemoration of the First World War and the Poppies: Wave sculpture coming to the town, the Council developed a series of events/activities, large and small that would take place during the 2017/18 financial year; some specifically commissioned and others via a grants process for community groups, local artists and organisations.

 

4.9   From the 125 Anniversary Grant Fund the Council was able to support an array of events hosted by external partners. Of particular note was the Southend Schools Festival of Remembrance project, which aimed to teach the children of Southend the importance of Remembrance and reconnect them with the Southend community from the period of the First World War.

 

4.10                        The closing ceremony of Poppies: Wave was overwhelming and attracted more than 3,000 visitors to the site. Specifically commissioned music for the occasion; theatrical performances and one last mass Last Post event with 25 Brass Players of all ages took place. The event was broadcast on Facebook Live and attracted more than 9,000 people online.

 

4.11                        Using digital communications and social media platforms proved extremely valuable and popular with people, particular young people, in commemorating national moments. Online written and visual content gave audiences opportunities to digest and interpret subject matter in their own time and presented opportunities to revisit online content and engage with people around the world in discussions.

 

4.12                        Family engagement activities worked very well during the time the sculpture was on site. A family activity sheet developed in partnership with 14-18 NOW, was given out to visitors at the site. The worksheet asked several questions and provoked thought and reflection. Using the sheet children and young people were asked to work with their family members to describe things like - why they think people want to see the sculpture, to write a poem together about something they have all shared and want to remember and to explain how a drawing, painting, poem, story or performance has helped them understand something they have not experienced? Hundreds of Family Activity Sheets were completed.

 

4.13                        Families were each given a task to take away with them. During the First World War soldiers and their families kept in touch by writing letters. There were no phones to call or text with. At home, we asked children and young people to write a letter to someone they love. What would they tell them about themselves? They were encouraged to post their letters to their loved one to see if they might receive a reply.

 

4.14                        More than 30 children turned out for a Family Activity Day hosted at Gunners Park while Poppies: Wave was in situ at Barge Pier. Poppy-themed craft activities and face painting took place, which helped to bring the sculpture to life and offered a new medium for children to help them interpret the First World War and what Remembrance means to them.

 

 

5.       A lasting legacy of Poppies: Wave

 

5.1   Hosting Poppies: Wave in Gunners Park has been a huge benefit for that part of the borough – many visitors including locals had never visited the park before. Shoebury is to the East of Southend and can be overlooked - the project enabled more visitors to the area and brought with it an economic advantage to the area. Repeat visits to the park have increased now that people have been able to see what the park offers – it is a huge resource for nature and wildlife and is located on a beautiful unexplored part of the coastline.

 

5.2   Barge Pier has been one of the most unique settings for Poppies: Wave. Set within Gunners Park Wildlife area, and being situated on the Thames Estuary meant that Poppies: Wave took on different hues depending on the direction of the sun and whether or not the tide was in; presenting visitors with a different view every day. There was no shortage of visual stimuli on visiting Poppies: Wave, which is reflected in the thousands and thousands of photographs and artistic interpretations captured by members of the public, which even now continue to provoke discussion and new dialogue.

 

5.3   Two commemorative benches and a lectern have been installed in Gunners Park, Shoeburyness. The lectern tells the story of the Poppies: Wave visit to Shoeburyness and serves as a poignant display and reminder of our military history and the sacrifices so many made for us to live the life we do today.

 

6.       Additional commemoration approaches

 

6.1   In honouring the 100 years of armistice day, four military silhouettes were installed across 

the borough. The silhouettes – three soldiers and one airman, are cut from ‘corten steel’ which develops an attractive and stable rust-like covering over time. Communities have embraced the silhouettes, which serve as a real talking point.

 

6.2   More than 1,100 visitors including children and young people attended the Fields of Battle – Lands of Peace Exhibition, a photographic display showing how the battlefields from the First World War have transformed into unique natural landscapes. The free exhibition demonstrated the power of imagery to communicate knowledge and offered a completely new understanding of the First World War through the lens of an individual.

 

7.       Participation in national commemorative events

 

7.1   Southend was honoured to be able to participate in Battle’s Over – an international commemoration marking 100 years since the guns fell silent at the end of the First World War.

 

7.2   The opportunity for communities to come together during a number of events, including a Beacon Lighting, and show respect for the service men and women who gave their lives in the First World War was a truly humbling and profound experience for many local people.

 

 

 

8.       Overall lessons and recommendations

 

8.1   Southend-on-Sea Borough Council’s participation and involvement in contemporary and traditional First World War commemorations has:

 

        Provided an opportunity for local people and visitors of all ages to reconsider existing narratives about past events and confirm or repurpose their meaning

        Created a greater understanding of the First World War and its impact on communities in Southend-on-Sea, particularly Shoeburyness.

        Encouraged a broad range of perspectives and interpretations of the First World War and its impacts locally

        Enabled young people to take an active part in the First World War Centenary commemorations and offer new perspectives and insights into past events

        Offer an array of volunteering opportunities to all ages and sectors of the borough

        Allowed us to work more closely with local armed forces organisations such as SAAFA, Royal Artillery Association and the Royal British Legion.

        Provided the opportunity to leave a borough-wide legacy of the First World War community heritage to mark the Centenary.

 

8.2   Conflict will always remain an enduring influence on our culture, literature and worldview. People and places are connected to the First World War, either through family history, heritage of local communities or its long term impact on society and the world we live in today.

 

8.3   For this very reason we want to highlight to the Government that it is extremely important that it continues funding and promoting cultural projects and programmes across the country which create unprecedented opportunities for people of all ages to remember world and life changing events. Our own experience of delivering unique remembrance and commemoration initiatives over the more traditional approaches has seen improved community cohesion, intergenerational work and friendships, improved understanding of local history and heritage, strengthened family connections and an appetite for further commemorative art and education opportunities.

 

8.4   When delivering cultural projects, collaboration between all parties is key, with clear expectations from the outset.

 

8.5   It is important for the Government to be aware of how the public wish to experience cultural events and how these may differ from an artist’s vision. Two-way dialogue with hosting partners and artists should be given more prominence from the outset and a flexible approach adopted to ensure that audiences are able to personally experience culture in a way that meets their needs.

 

 

March 2019