Deep Pockets and Dirty Faces ......... enaging young people in the story of the past

Now I think a love of history should start young if only because then you have heaps of time to explore the past.

The performances ......... tomorrow and Friday

And that takes me to an exciting project run by the Together Trust who for nearly 150 years have been helping young people.

It started in 1870 as a rescue operation offering destitute boys from Manchester and Salford a bed and a meal for the night.

The charity quickly extended its work to include girls as well as boys,and  provide more permanent homes offering training for future careers along with holiday homes.

It also campaigned against some of the worst cases of child exploitation taking negligent parents to court and arguing against the practise of employing young children to sell matches on the streets of the twin cities.

And now under the direction of their archivist the Trust is involved in bringing the story of the charity to a group of young people who in turn will be performing a slice of that history.

Philip on admission to the charity

“It is now only a few days until our two HLF performances of Deep Pockets and Dirty Faces. The young people involved have been working hard to create a theatrical extravaganza to entertain and educate the local population about the Together Trust’s past.

It’s been an interesting few months for the group as they’ve learnt acting skills and design skills, as well as more about the history of the Together Trust. 

It’s an area that most knew very little about, especially the journey that some children took across the seas to Canada. Part of the project’s aim was to create a sense of empathy from the young people today with the stories of children who had received services from the same charity as themselves. 

Although circumstances surrounding admission to the various Together Trust services has vastly changed, the charity still exists to help young people in the local area.

The project has allowed them to imagine being in the position of the orphans themselves and how they might have felt if they were to leave the country. 

Learning a trade .......... in the Rrinting press department

Through the project we have studied the journeys of a selection of children who travelled to Canada from the Manchester homes. 

From handling unique archives through to experiencing Victorian activities, it has allowed for the past to come to life for the individuals involved.”*

Now that I think is a pretty good way of bringing history alive.

So that just leaves me to suggest you follow the link to the Trusts’ blog where there is lots more about Deep Pockets and Dirty Faces.

Location; Manchester

Picture; courtesy of the Together Trust

* It's performance time... Getting down and dusty,