Ancestors Voices Blog
| The sunlit corridors of the Paul Mellon Centre played host to a pivotal day for The Legacy Makers, as our community gathered with purpose and enthusiasm, guided by the gentle nudges of our ancestors. The occasion marked the “Blood Sugar” Community Screening & Panel Discussion—an event that celebrated our transformative work amidst the captivating backdrop of the Drawing Room Display. A Heartfelt Testament: Unveiling Our Story Set against the enchanting setting of the Drawing Room Display at 16 Bedford Square, titled “A Harpy and His Brothers: The Wildman’s in Bedford Square and Newstead Abbey,” our film was present as part of the continuous play. This invitation became a heartfelt testament to the significance of our collective effort, emphasising the transformative power of creative filmmaking and community-driven co-production in reshaping our interactions with British heritage sites. Lisa Robinson of Bright Ideas, Nottingham, introduced the Legacy Makers, highlighting our role as living proof of the impactful outcomes that grassroots initiatives can achieve in unearthing hidden histories. As our stories unfolded on the screen, a profound connection emerged—not just to the history of Newstead Abbey but to each other as a community, bound by a shared purpose. Becoming Architects of Our Legacy As the sun set on that September day, casting a warm glow on us, the Legacy Makers, we became architects of a new chapter in the legacy of our community and British heritage. Our dedication and commitment not only earned us a place in the continuous play but solidified our standing as contributors to a broader narrative we all share. One Stop Driver, One Family The Legacy Makers are more than collaborators; we are a tight-knit family. On our journey home, the echoes of “One Stop Driver” symbolised more than transportation—it embodied the collective spirit that binds us together. As we dispersed, our hearts full and our shared legacy celebrated, these calls served as a reminder that our journey continues. The echoes of our shared stories will resonate for generations to come. In the Warm Embrace of Collective Efforts In the warm embrace of our collective efforts, we move forward, eager for the next chapter of our shared legacy. The stories we uncover together will leave a lasting imprint on the tapestry of our community and beyond. The Legacy Makers stand as a beacon, proving that when a community comes together, hidden narratives can be unveiled, and a richer, more inclusive history can be written—one frame at a time. |
Unveiling Hidden Narratives: “Blood Sugar” Panel Discussion & Exhibition Exploration
Ancestors Voices Comes to a Close…
As the Ancestors Voices phase of the project came to a close, the Slave Trade Legacies family were very proud of their journey.
We have achieved exhibitions at two different heritage locations which acknowledge our ancestors contributions. Together we have created the Blood Sugar film alongside Shawn Sobers, Michelle Hubbard and Kim Thompson. This film is now being shown in Newstead Abbey accessible gallery and can also be viewed online. Furthermore, we have created panels and audio recordings for the visitors centre at Cromford Mills, alongside the mural wall which has also been put up in the gateway at the mills.
However, as much as the project was a success, we are still not satisfied with certain aspects of the exhibitions at Derwent Valley Mills and Newstead Abbey.
Our volunteers within the Slave Trade Legacies group think that the placement of the Blood Sugar Film within Newstead Abbey was not good enough. We feel as if the film could be easily missed by visitors of Newstead Abbey and it is pivotal that our ancestors contributions are recognised by all visitors of Newstead. However, it is great that the film is more widely available on Youtube for people outside of Nottinghamshire to view.
In addition to this our Slave Trade Legacies Family are also not fully satisfied with the exhibition at Derwent Valley Mills. Our volunteers are disappointed that the mural wall is overshadowed by a translucent screen meaning that it can’t be viewed properly.
Even though there are still improvements to be made, our Slave Trade Legacies family is incredibly proud of our journey on this phase of the project.
Join us on the next phase of the project in Darley Abbey:
University of Nottingham Awards
24th November 2018
The Slave Trade Legacies Family celebrate their University of Nottingham Award
Thank you to the University of Nottingham for awarding the Slave Trade Legacies Family with the Longstanding Volunteer Award!
Blood Sugar Celebration Event
24th November 2018
Screening of the Blood Sugar Film
At Broadway Cinema in Nottingham, the Slave Trade Legacies group and the University of Nottingham hosted a screening of the Blood Sugar film. The Slave Trade Legacies Family along with their family, friends and guests watched the film and learnt about how our enslaved ancestors contributed to the history of Newstead Abbey.
At the event poet Ravelle- Sadé shared some poetry with us. After the film we also hosted a discussion to reflect on what was explored within the film.
Please click here to view the poster for the event:
Blood Sugar Film Short Listed
8th November 2018
Bloodsugar film short listed down to the final six at Bafta
The Blood Sugar film sparked important conversations and brought the Slave Trade Legacies family closer together. The biggest achievement of all is that the Blood Sugar film is now permanently shown at Newstead Abbey. Visitors of Newstead Abbey will now be able to make the connection between the heritage site and the slave trade, recognising the contributions of our ancestors.
We are incredibly proud of film maker Shawn-Naphtali Sobers, and artists Kim Thompson and Mizhyelle Poet and the Slave Trade Legacies family for their work on the film.
Another big thank you to Susanne Seymour for nominating the work and our volunteers for the award.
A Place in the Country – Slave Trade Legacies
May 2018
A Place in the Country
The Slave Trade Legacies Family were invited to feature their work on ITV. The ITV’s ‘A Place in the Country’ addresses the important topic about race and the countryside. The feature enabled us to share our powerful message from our work on this phase of the project. Our volunteers discussed why and how country house heritage staff should talk about heritage sites’ connections to enslaved labour. Clips from the Blood Sugar film were also featured on ITV News.
Working with Universities
Principles for Community-Academic Partnerships
Common Cause Research project worked with us and around other 20 community-academic partnerships across the UK to come up with a list of 10 principles for conducting fair and mutual research partnerships.
10 principles for community-university partnerships:
- A commitment to strengthening the partnering community organisation
- A commitment to mutual benefit
- A commitment to transparency and accountability
- Fair practices in payments
- Fair payments for participants
- A commitment to fair knowledge exchange
- A commitment to sustainability and legacy
- A commitment to equality and diversity
- A commitment to sectoral as well as organised development
- A commitment to reciprocal learning
Please find the full document for the 10 principles below:
Common Cause
21 September 2018
Launch of the Common Cause Report featuring our case-study
The Common Cause Research project has been researching the landscape of Black and Minority Ethnic community-university partnerships. After two years of work, in September 2018 they released a report detailing their findings and recommendations alongside a list of 10 principles for conducting fair and mutual research partnerships. We are really proud that Slave Trade Legacies is one of the partnerships discussed in this national report. Yesterday we attended the launch at the Film Institute with our partner Dr Susanne Seymour, University of Nottingham.
Read our case-study:
The full report:
Put Her Forward
14th September 2018
Statue of Veronica Barnes
Veronica Barnes’ Put Her Forward statue was finally unveiled. Veronica Barnes is one of 25 UK women who were selected to have a statue made of them by the Put Her Forward project. The statue was made using the latest digital technology.
The statue of unveiled during an event at the Nottinghamshire Archives where Veronica has been working to save historic archives linked to Black History in Nottingham as well as her wider work in the community over the decades.
Impact Case Study
Summer 2018
Interviews and Focus Groups with the Slave Trade Legacies Family
After we had celebrated our exhibitions at the two heritage sites, we begun to work on an impact case study with the University of Nottingham.
Our interviews explored the project’s impact on our volunteers, their families, the general public and the institutions that we have worked with. Our volunteers found that it was a very valuable experience to reflect on the project and their achievements whilst also exploring the effect it has had on the people and places around them.
Ancestors Voices 