Colchester United FCStadium Legends
Colchester United fans will be getting creative to show what makes the club special to them as part of a new project.
Stadium Legends brings together people of all ages from the surrounding community, including past and present players, club employees, fans and school children. Aged between 8 and 85, the 60 participants will celebrate the history of the club in the community.
Over seven sessions, they will use their memories and stories about the personal impact football has had on their lives to create a film, a sculpture, and an exhibition.
This exciting community project is being co-ordinated by Colchester United Community Sports Trust working in partnership with Colchester United Football Club and its supporters association, Colchester and Ipswich Museum Service, local mental health groups from The Haven and Oxford Road Project, Age Concern, The Gilberd School and Boudicca Primary School.
Stadium Legends is part of a national project created by The Federation of Stadium Communities and funded by the Football League Trust.
Jeanette East, CUCST Education Manager, said: “We’ll be working together to look at the importance of football to communities and their emotional well-being.
“We are one of only two Clubs to pilot Stadium Legends this year which is a fantastic opportunity. There are so many benefits to be gained from bringing people of all ages together to learn as part of a team, particularly through this project which is both innovative and creative. Bringing so many community partners together will truly meet our aim to change lives and communities through sport.”
At the first session former manager Dick Graham spoke eloquently about his time with the U’s whilst 50’s star Reg Stewart swapped playing memories with current stars David Fox and Matt Heath. Paul Abrahams, Barry Smith, Terry Price, long standing groundsman Dave Blacknall and former physio Ray Cole also enthralled the audience with their memories whilst rising star, Tom Bender, completed the line up as a fitting glimpse into the Club’s future.
The film and exhibition created as a result of the project will be unveiled on 19 December at Colchester United’s home match with Carlisle. The exhibition will then move to Hollytrees Museum in January 2010.
It is hoped that the sculpture created during the project will eventually have a permanent home at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.
John Pollard Mental Health Officer, Colchester and Ipswich Museum Service, said: “Stadium Legends brings together a wide and diverse number of local community groups and encourages people to work together on creative projects. Spending quality time together can help improve understanding and challenge all sorts of stereotypes and stigma, particularly around mental health.”
Why don’t U come and join us?
For further details contact Education Manager, Jeanette East jeast@cucst.org.uk or 01206 755159
A short video of the launch can be viewed here.
Wanted!
Memorabilia Needed – Everything & Anything Colchester United Related Welcome – The Older the Better!
Local artist Anne Schwegmann Fielding is looking for Colchester United fans to temporarily donate their memorabilia to help generate ideas for a piece of art work for the Stadium Legends community programme.
If you have any old tickets, match day programmes, press cuttings, football rattles, badges, scarves, replica kits, boots etc, Anne would be very grateful if you would lend her your belongings for a short period of time, to take pictures, photocopies and casts of the items. Any donations will be extremely appreciated. Don’t worry you will get them back!
If you have any items you would be willing to donate, please contact Geoffrey Rowe on 01206 755157 or email growe@cucst.org.uk
