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Name Let’s Paint The Town Red
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Organisation ENGAGE Youth and Families Support Project
Let’s Paint The Town Red is a youth-led community project that aims to bring the local community together through co-produced family activity packs, inspired by Melton Mowbray’s historic phrase “Paint the town red”.
In September 2020, myself and youth worker colleague Kate from ENGAGE brought together a small group of young people aged 11 to 17 with complex needs to explore ways they could be involved in their rural community, learn something new about where they live and have a positive impact using storytelling and creative media. Our project was supported by the Heritage Fund, through The National Lottery.
Young people discussed the heritage of Melton. Being the rural capital of food, pork pies and Stilton cheese featured heavily, as did historical links including wife of Henry VIII Anne of Cleves, listed building Cardigan House, and the kings and queens who have visited the town over the centuries.
The tale that interested them the most was the story of Henry Beresford, the Marquess of Waterford, who, according to legend, in 1837 went on a drunken spree through the town with a gang of aristocratic friends armed with pots of red paint. Our group didn’t know about the phrase or its link to Melton, but it was a story that resonated with them. They thought it was fun and naughty; some related to the behaviour of the main character and found it was a story that needed to be explored and shared.
This came at a time when Covid lockdowns were slowly lifting and local people were beginning to find a new “normal” to their daily routine. Young people recognised there was still a lack of services and activities for them, and wanted to bring the community together, while doing something fun.
Over six months, our young people met weekly and put together an interactive book of activities and stories that showcased their town, and ran two community events to promote and give away the activity packs to families.
They headed out into the community, exploring the heritage of where they live, building on their courage and motivation to speak with businesses and heritage site staff, and to promote what they aim to achieve. The project enabled the group to discover skills they didn’t think they had, overcome social obstacles and challenges that helped them to grow, and empowered them with the perspective that they could impact their community (see My View, below).
This was the first time they felt empowered to lead on something they were passionate about. They came to the group with a range of complex needs that isolated them from feeling socially accepted, such as autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, social anxiety, mental health problems and poor self-image. Some were young carers and felt the project gave them respite from their family situation.
Paint The Town Red was an excellent project for young people to discover their potential, and begin a journey of finding meaning and acceptance in their community. It was so successful that we will be running it again in 2022 and working with the community to launch it during Melton’s annual Paint The Town Red Festival.
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Joe Roughton is youth and community development worker at ENGAGE Project
MY VIEW
By Brandon, aged 13
I really struggle with friendships. I have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and that has excluded me from youth clubs and other groups because of my behaviour.
This youth group has helped me to be myself, find friends that are good for me and to have some responsibilities. I enjoyed learning about local history and creating packs to give away to families. I hope everyone with a pack helps to paint the town red in their own homes.
I felt very supported when I went out of my comfort zone, especially when I was helping to run the community events. Talking to the public is not a strong point, but I gave it a try and enjoyed the experience. I can’t wait to do it again next year.
