GNR40 Heritage is a project marking the heritage of world’s largest half marathon in the context of the changing social, cultural and industrial landscape of the region.

The core of the project is a film drawing on archive footage, race day shots + interviews with local heros, historians and journalists. Segments were broadcast on the BBC during the race day coverage, as well as a premiere taking place in Newcastle, plus a ten minute edit screened at libraries, together with an exhibition at St Mary’s Heritage Centre, aligning with Heritage Open Days.

Running alongside was community programme, involving working with groups of young people, women, people with disabilities and volunteers to engage with the heritage of the race. Workshops included creating animations exploring how South Shields could learn from it’s past to develop it’s future; understanding the importance of heritage and women’s stories in shaping the region’s history; learning cartoon drawing and designing a poster about the race; recording and editing oral histories; co-designing a zine.

I took overall responsibility for the successful delivery of the project, including liasing with National Lottery Heritage Fund, leading on the Community & Engagement programme and supporting successful delivery & distribution of feature film GREAT NORTH: A Run, A River, A Region.