I started going to Queen Street Mill at the beginning of 2023 as part of The Hope Streets Young Producers. We did a fantastic Digital Tour for QSM titled ‘A Brief Look Back’ where we filmed several short videos with North Films of a day in the life of a 1800s/1900s apprentice weaver. This was a super fun project and we all personally learnt a lot of new skills. This was the start of our wonderful youth group!

‍

After this, we carried on as QSM Young Creatives and did a brilliant Roller Disco event where we had 300 members of the public come through the Museum’s doors. it was a very successful day! We also did a Halloween ghost tour which was heaps of fun and laughs.

‍

 We got nominated for a Burnley Culture award last year. Unfortunately, we didn’t win but it was a truly unique and special experience for all of us who attended!

‍

This summer, we worked on a QSM Young Creatives Fun Day in partnership with the In Focus youth arts festival to bring more Happy Places to everyone’s doorsteps, and our exhibition of local writing in partnership with Burnley Words Festival.

‍

These experiences have helped me with my creativity, social activities, communication and most of all friendships. I have met some awesome people through attending sessions/working on the projects and I have had a chance to work on building and understanding my interests. I have learnt lots about QSM Heritage through volunteering my time and efforts to learn more about the history that lives within the Mill and as a collective group we will always want our projects to be inspired by or about Queen Street Mill.

‍

It’s an outstanding opportunity for today’s young people to be a part of such special community bonding projects, where it keeps the history alive and connects and builds up friendships for years to come!

‍

This group has helped today’s youth look back on the tough jobs people had to endure to keep their families happy and fed. The hard labour and importance of Queen Street Mill lives on with us and has truly impacted QSM Young Creatives. We take pride in keeping the stories alive and bringing the communities back to the Museum. 

‍

I hope we keep our Youth group going and we stay together to do more special events for the community. We need more valuable funding to do this, for us to do more wonderful projects in the future! 

‍

I am proud to say that I am a Queen Street Mill Young Creative.

‍