Expressive arts were commissioned to work alongside students from Worcester College of Technology to produce a creative representation of the history discovered on and around the existing college site. Worcestershire Record Office's Worcester Archive Source Project team invited students from Worcester College of Technology to carry out historical research into life in the streets of old St Andrew's parish - where Worcester College of Technology now stands.

The students are based at Worcestershire Lifestyles, a charity which provides learning and enhanced lifestyle opportunities to adults with disabilities. Their digging around inspired them to create a piece of art to decorate a wall at Worcester College of Technology.
 
Local artist Victoria Westaway from Expressive Arts came on board to help the students create their 'Archive Source Map of Old St Andrews Parish'.

Beth Roper, Outreach Worker at the Worcester Archive Source Project, said: "This is a big achievement for the students and their work has ignited a real interest in local history.  The parish really was a maze of tumble down houses, inns and smuggling with many interesting characters that have fired the students' imagination. Victoria's approach to this community art piece has been very inspiring."

The Map includes the layout of the historic and existing streets as well as key buildings in the locality. Further layers were added through the use of names, and details about historical characters and personal accounts of the research.

Victoria's approach to this community art piece has been very inspiring..

Within these layers additions of abstracted and digitised images of the documents were included. The Map is like an excavation giving a sense of exploration in the piece, requesting the viewer to look deep into the history of the area. The piece now hangs in the reception of Worcester College of Technology in the All Saints Building.

For more information about the project go to Worcester Archive Source Project..

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