A celebration of the people who make Northamptonshire what it is today is being unveiled in November at an exhibition organised by local arts, community and heritage organisation 60 Miles.
The exhibition, made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund, is set to be officially launched on Wednesday, 13th November 2024. It will showcase the ‘60 Miles presents: Community Comics’ project, with extracts from a new anthology of comic books, audio recording, pieces of writing and other creative gems on display.
Using money raised by National Lottery players, The National Lottery Heritage Fund supports projects that connect people and communities with the UK’s heritage.
Laura Graham, the project’s Community Facilitator, explained “It’s easy to think of Northamptonshire’s heritage in terms of its historic landmarks, famous figures, and pivotal moments. However, the true essence of our county is its people – their stories, their struggles, their triumphs, and their everyday lives.
“That’s what this project is all about: telling the stories that don’t always make the headlines, but that truly define our communities and capturing these stories so that the voices of Northamptonshire’s communities are not only heard today but are also preserved for future generations. We are grateful to National Lottery players for making this project possible.”
Six Northamptonshire community groups feature in the comic books and exhibition, each having worked with the 60 Miles team over the summer to explore and share the stories that were most important to them.
The groups featured are:
- Affinity Day Care CIC, based in Daventry and Northampton, which provides day care for people later in life
- Q Space, a voluntary group for LGBTQ+ people in Northamptonshire
- Deafconnect, a charity for the county’s deaf and hard of hearing
- Power of the Mind Networks, a Wellingborough group that uses storytelling to prevent women from becoming socially excluded
- Northamptonshire Mind, the county’s leading mental health provider
- Indian Hindu Welfare Organisation, a voluntary organisation based in Northampton’s Weston Favell Shopping Centre, which provides activities and events for the local Hindu community
Andy Routledge, 60 Miles Founder, said: “What’s particularly exciting about our comic book anthology is the range of forms and styles it contains. Some stories are deeply personal, reflecting individual experiences or family histories. Others are collective, representing the shared experiences of a particular group or community. Together, these diverse styles mirror the diversity of Northamptonshire itself, a place where many different worlds coexist.”
As part of the Heritage Fund-supported project two launch events are being organised by 60 Miles, set to take place at V&B Northampton on Wednesday, 13th November at 6pm and Saturday 16th November at 1pm. These are free to attend, but due to limited spaces the organisers are urging people to book as soon as possible. Visit https://bit.ly/60MilesComic.
The exhibition space is upstairs at V&B, which is opposite the Guildhall in Northampton town centre. There is lift access and there will be BSL interpreters at the events.
A two-week exhibition will then run at V&B Northampton on from Wednesday, 13th November to Sunday, 1st December. This is a pop in exhibition, no need to book. It will include a number of oral history recordings alongside the comics and creative outputs, which the public are invited to listen to as they explore the collection.
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