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Millennium Development Goals
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Global Village Project
We are working with four village communities in Shropshire to add a global dimension to local celebrations.
In June this year Bitterley will be hosting visitors from Birmingham to begin to develop a link with an urban community. Whereas Farlow community will be working with Peter Chand and local storyteller, to develop a scarecrow trail with a difference – exploring issues of identity and belonging.
The project’s second year featured diverse celebrations in the four participating villages. Hinstock had two events celebrating culture in the Balkans: Téa Hodžic Trio visited the village in January as an Arts Alive event and the Mladi Metalac women’s choir came in May 09.
Farlow village celebrated the second Farlow Festival, a three day event in June celebrating food and trade, local and global, as well as community and school art. In Bitterley, the community came together to open the new community garden space and to christen the beautiful cob oven built by members of the community. The villages of Maesbury and Maesbury Marsh held a Green Halloween event on 31st October with support from Bridges to add a global dimension to the traditional celebration.
This project is funded by the ECCB and the Walker Trust. For more information contact Alison:
alison@shropshirebridges.org.uk
sylvia@shropshirebridges.org.uk
 
Millennium Development Goal Countdown
This project focuses on raising awareness and increasing action towards the fulfilment of the Millennium Development Goals, international goals set to reduce world poverty by 2015.
We are in the first year of this long term project with school and community clusters. This year we have worked with three clusters and a total of 10 primary and 3 secondary schools, all learning about the Millennium Development Goals and looking for ways to engage themselves and others in the issues they raise. The clusters are based in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin. Each cluster is focusing on one goal to reduce poverty each year and looking to work with local community groups in order to achieve changes in attitude and actions. Next year we will have one more cluster on board.
So far, following training for the teachers last autumn, schools have looked at world poverty, environmental sustainability and working in partnership. Many of our project schools took a very active part in Fairtrade Fortnight. Pupils have helped raise awareness in parents and local people of the issues around  Fairtrade through questionnaires, cafes, presentations and facilitating simulation games to enable people to identify with the issues. Other schools have engaged in issues around poverty and waste for example through a photo competition and producing a thought provoking shadow animation. There has been a wide range of people involved in events and action, including  parents, Senior Citizens, churches and craft groups.
At the moment our schools are looking forward to the first of our MDG summer conferences taking place in Bishop’s Castle Community College, Marches International School and Blessed Robert Johnston Catholic Secondary School. At these conferences, Year 6 and 7 pupils will share what they have learned and done to help make the world a fairer, more sustainable place. They will then look to the next years of the project, when they will engage with different development goals.
If you would like to know more about this project, please contact Nina Cowley(Community) or Sylvia Ruxton (Schools):
Nina@shropshirebridges.org.uk
Sylvia@shropshirebridges.org.uk
Funded by the Department for International Development
(DfID)
Department for Internation Development
 
Picturing Our World
What’s your take on the major global issues of our time? This project uses photography to explore some of the major global issues, such as education, the environment or health, highlighted by the Millennium Development Goals. We are working with Shropshire people and communities with direct connections overseas. The groups have been taking photographs to illustrate their story. The result is a series of exhibitions in Shropshire and overseas that we hope will enlighten the way we think about our world. 'Picturing Our World' is a three year project core funded by the Department for International Development and sponsored by Fogarty and Co. Travel.
For more information download the project introduction document and contact Alison:
alison@shropshirebridges.org.uk
 
Through Your Eyes
How do you see the world? What if you could see the world through another person’s eyes…
This project works with people of all ages and backgrounds to explore well-being and poverty at home and around the world. Groups will share learning with other participants through art forms such as drama, creative writing, photography or painting.
The project uses an approach that starts from our own experiences goes on to explore what other people in the area and around the world perceive and experience in their lives.
If you are interested in finding out more or getting involved please download the introductory information to the right of this page. This is a three year project funded by the Department for International Development.
For more information contact Nina:
nina@shrosphirebridges.org.uk
 
 
Past Projects
 
Developing a Cross-Cultural Curriculum
A one year project in which 3 secondary schools developed ways of working across Citizenship, History and Geography to enhance cultural aspects of the curriculum. We have been working with 5 overseas trained teachers based in Birmingham. The participants have undertaken 3 placements in their allocated school. The project was supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.
For more information please contact Alison:
Supported by:
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
 
Views from Shropshire (2006 – 2009)
What is it like coming to Shropshire from India in the 1960s? And what was it like be the first black family moving into the neighbourhood? These are some of the real life experiences collected from various ethnic minority groups in Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin, which have been developed into a book, exhibition and resource pack for schools and community groups.
Click here to view the ‘Views from Shropshire’ site and download resources. For more information on purchasing resources see our resources page. Funded by the Heritage Lottery.
For more information contact Mel:
admin@shropshirebridges.org.uk
Lottery funded
 
The G8 Challenge
g8 banner
A three year project working with Primary School teachers and 7 – 11 year olds to engage them with, and take action on, topical global issues with the help of local MPs and leaders. 8 schools in Shropshire have taken part in a schools G8 summits, with schools representing non G8 countries such as Ghana, Jamaica and China.
The summits have led onto action by school councils and a conference (June 2008) for project schools to share with themselves and other schools about how they have engaged with global issues such as poverty, malaria and energy efficiency. Guidance on how to develop pupil-led global action in school will be produced in the final year of the project.
 
Fairtrade School Status
Bridges is supporting schools across the West Midlands who are interested in, working towards or have obtained Fairtrade School Status. Fairtrade School Status is a scheme run by the Fairtrade Foundation.
For more information about the scheme visit:
www.fairtradeschools.net
Or email:
Sylvia@shropshirebridges.org.uk
 
Our Community, Our Environment
Three local schools and communities are addressing a global environmental issue that affects their area. Pupils will find out from their communities what people think and share this through an event. Members of the communities will then come together to prepare to take action on the global issue they have identified.
Funded by the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund.
For more information contact Sylvia:
Sylvia@shropshirebridges.org.uk
 
Global Food Chain (2007-2008)
Ever wondered where your food comes from? Or whether it is more ethical to buy locally produced or fair trade food? Three Shropshire Primary schools have investigated food issues affecting their school and local community via video diaries and local action. The Global Food Chain website is now available for all schools to use. Schools can upload their food issue videos and share their thoughts with other schools.
To find out more information on using the site, download the introduction sheet or contact:
admin@shropshirebridges.org.uk
 
Global Citizenship for Shropshire Schools
(2005-2008)
A project working intensively with three primary schools each year to help them bring the global dimension to the whole curriculum. Funded by Oxfam.
For details of the ‘World in Shropshire’ resource produced as a result of this project please see the resources section of our website.
For more information contact Sylvia:
Sylvia@shropshirebridges.org.uk
 
Tackling Controversial Issues (2007–2008)
Using Experiential Education to Tackle Controversial Global Citizenship Issues in Secondary Schools (2007–08).
This project explored the extent to which experiential education methodologies for tackling controversial issues add to the skills, values and attitudes associated with global citizenship.
We worked in partnership with Telford Learning Innovation Centre and secondary school citizenship departments in Telford and Wrekin. Funded by Oxfam.
For details of the online resource exploring the crisis in Darfur, and guidance on using experiential education methodologies, please visit the resource section of our website.
For more information contact Davina.
Davina@shropshirebridges.org.uk
 
The Carbon Trading Game (2006 – 2008)
Bridges helped to develop an online pan-European carbon trading website that helps pupils consider solutions to Climate Change, in a project led by Field Studies Council and working with partners across Europe.
Funded by the European Union. For more information contact Davina:
Davina@shropshirebridges.org.uk
 
Roots Music (2006 – 2007)
A project to use roots music such as Bangra as a starting point for exploring global issues and diversity. This project worked with secondary schools in Shropshire.
Funded by the Youth Music Action Zone. For more information contact Sylivia:
Sylvia@shropshirebridges.org.uk
Get in touch
Bridges, The Studios, Mansell Rd, Wellington Telford, TF1 1QQ
T.01952 255526 Email. info@shropshirebridges.org.uk
 
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