KWoA Pride of Place intergenerational project

The Pride of Place intergenerational project encourages older people to get to know their younger neighbours better through sharing stories, memories and interests across the generations.

Supported by Awards for All, local arts charity Kendal Windows on Art (KWoA) has been working with older people, children and young families based in Milnthorpe. The project has provided accessible local activities that have given more opportunities to "get out and about", encouraging walking in the local area and enjoyment in being active. The older participants have greatly inspired local children, developing creative activities together from the stories that they shared. Many of the older people's memories were from their childhoods during or just after WW2 which the children found fascinating. Some of the shared stories that inspired everyone can be found in further posts in this blog..

"The Biscuit Picnic"

During this project, children based in Year 1 at Milnthorpe Primary School discovered a fascinating story which the Year 6 children had been told during their visit to the “Young at Heart” group. An older lady explained that when she was a child in WW2 she lived in Manchester.

One day when she was at school, the air raid siren went off and her class was lead by her teacher into an air raid shelter. During the bombing, heavy rocks fell against the door, trapping them inside. Fortunately, the children had a very kind teacher who made everyone feel calm. She suggested to the children that they could open the emergency tins of biscuits  and have a “Biscuit Picnic”. This kept the children distracted until help arrived and they were able to get out of the shelter.


Working with KWoA, the children considered the plot of the story and decided that the characters were the kind teacher, the children and the heroes that saved them. They also decided that if they were going to ‘play’ the story we would need emergency boxes, biscuits and shelters. The children were experts at making shelters with tables and blankets but had help from KWoA volunteer Norah Mercer, parents and older neighbours to make beautifully decorated boxes and delicious biscuits. Parents and younger siblings were then invited to their “Biscuit Picnic” in the hall where the children built shelters then went inside to open their boxes and eat their biscuits!

"Past, Present and Future"

The children based in Year 2 have been extremely busy looking into Milnthorpe’s past, present and future with KWoA community artist Nicki Smith. Nicki has also been extremely busy working throughout the school and project managing this collaborative project and has thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it!

The children were lucky enough to meet their older neighbour and local historian Roger Bingham who had many tales from Milnthorpe’s local history to share. From spooky sightings at the Vicarage to an elephant in a fountain, Roger had everyone spellbound with his stories which he told on a walking tour of the village. The children then worked hard writing down their favourite local story. The children also thought about what “Landmarks” are in the village and walked around Milnthorpe to locate and photograph them. Back in school they then drew some beautiful drawings of these landmarks.

Considering the present day Milnthorpe, the children have also developing their local research digitally by creating a series of entertaining animations. Thinking about Milnthorpe in the future really inspired the children and they came up with some very inventive designs to show how the village will look when they’re older.

"The Pillowcase Children"

During this project, the children have been inspired by older people’s childhood memories of WW2 and fascinating stories from when Milnthorpe welcomed evacuees. One older gentleman told the story of his time as an evacuee in Milnthorpe. He remembered as a boy arriving in the village from the North East with his younger brother and sister, carrying their belongings not in suitcases but pillowcases. Parents could visit the children at the weekend and one Sunday the children’s mother arrived on the coach to see them. After spending precious time together, the mother got back on the coach home leaving the children to wave as she went. But as the coach began to leave, the youngest child, the boy’s little brother, suddenly jumped on the coach to go home with his mother, leaving the boy and his sister in Milnthorpe without their sibling. One of this gentleman’s strongest memories of WW2 was travelling home from Milnthorpe with his sister with three pillowcases rather than two – his, his sister’s and his little brother’s.

Inspired by this story, the children based in Year 3 at Milnthorpe Primary School considered what they would put in a pillowcase if they were going on an adventure. From ‘practical’ suggestions of toothbrushes, food and clothes to “what if you can take anything – no rules” ideas such as football pitches, statues and chocolate fountains, the children drew all their different items then selected their favourite five. Children based in Year 4 had been very lucky to meet the local Craft Group in Milnthorpe earlier in the project and through sharing skills across the generations from tatting to loombands, the school built links with Craft Group members. These talented older residents have come into school along with other skilled community members to help the children develop their sewing skills.

The children and older volunteers have also enjoyed a visit from KWoA textile artist Priscilla Jones who amazed everyone will her delicately coloured and intricately detailed mixed media and textile work. Working with their older neighbours, the children have created  stunning appliqued pillowcase artworks which show the different items that the children would choose to take on an adventure. The pillowcases were then displayed throughout St Thomas's Church in Milnthorpe for the wider community to enjoy. Every pillowcase tells a story, and connects us back to the ‘pillowcase children’ who arrived in Milnthorpe back in WW2.