Heath Town Project

Project Information

Heath Town Project

Evaluative Conversation with Margaret Vaughan and Jenny Watson from the Hope Community project, and Mariana van Graan, a volunteer with the Chatter Group

The Hope Community Project on the Heath Town Estate was one I’d been interested in for a number of years. Some time ago I’d had conversations with Sue Allen, the Manager of the Hope project, about a possible collaboration with Foursight. When Pertencia was being devised, a possible opening seemed to present itself, given that the play looked at the theme of Belonging. Sue’s immediate positive response was to direct me towards the women in the Chatter Group, who meet every Thursday morning at the Hope Centre.

The group has been going for around 2 years, with support from the Migrant Impact Fund. It comprises various nationalities. Many of the women in the group are refugees or asylum seekers.

Over the two years, the group has changed. People have progressed and moved on to attend ESOL classes, and college. But they are still always welcome at Hope. The strength of the group is that it has become like a family, or a friendship group - much more than simply an informal learning group. Some of the group meet each other on the estate outside of Hope’s sessions.

I entered into the group just after Christmas this year and was warmly welcomed from the beginning. I found myself helping people filling in forms, generally mucking in, joining in with the exercise class as well as the themed group discussions. Eventually, after several weeks of attending the Chatter Group, and after hearing from several women that they were interested in doing something new and different, I asked if any of them fancied doing some drama. ‘Yes!’ came the clear response. 
 
“Initially I couldn’t see or understand how it was going to happen – because it wasn’t something we’d done before. I wasn’t sure how others were going to take to it and was worried and concerned,” said Margaret, the Children and Young People’s Worker at Hope.

It was a gradual process. But it came to be quite normal for us to be playing drama games together, singing and having fun. People seemed ready for the experience of working together like this.

“It was time for a new theme, so it worked well. It satisfied the group’s need for ESOL and speaking and using the language informally, but just in another way” said volunteer Mariana.

“I’ll remember the drama – going into the history of their lives of the women in the Chatter Group,” said Jenny, Community Worker at Hope

We focused on the themes of displacement, belonging, and war. The women shared remarkably openly their stories about sometimes traumatic experiences in their home country, before leaving to seek refuge elsewhere.

“Considering where these people come from, it’s hard for them to trust, but they opened up. Their confidence has grown. They’ll never forget,” said Jenny. “It gave certain people the opportunity and confidence they otherwise might not have had. They did it. They took part.”

“Everybody contributed. And the conversations carried on afterwards. Specific activities, like the one we did in the cafe - using the seed in your hand and passing it on - helped those who are less confident. It breaks down barriers. It ensures that one more confident person doesn’t take over, and helps draw the shy ones out,” Mariana observed.

“This project definitely has made an impact. We all had a try at new things – we didn’t feel too silly, and we laughed together, which was important,” said Margaret, “and I’ve certainly learnt a lot about other cultures.”

A sentiment I’m sure others in the group would echo.

One woman from Sierra Leone at the end of one session: “This has been like medicine for me. Laughter is like medicine for me.”

Thank you to everyone for being so welcoming, thank you for the laughter and enrichment. The relationship continues with the Hope Community Project.  Next Chatter Group Session is on 11th November.