HALTON BOROUGH COLOURS

HALTON BOROUGH COLOURS BEING BOLD IN THE BOROUGH!

On Wed 1st June 2022, Halton Borough Colours had its first parade in Victoria Park Widnes. The Studio ran the project to explore and give visibility to the diversity of our youth groups in Widnes and Runcorn. We asked GLOW to be a partner and worked with the young people in the group to shape and plan the project. Taking inspiration from the material banners already hanging in The Studio the Glowsters decided to work with their original artist Georgina Ridehalgh.

We then reached out to youth groups in the area to see who was available to create their own banner with Georgina. Funded by Halton Borough Council ‘5 Ways To Wellbeing’ grants we made 8 new banners including GLOW’s own. Georgina led the sessions enabling the groups to explore their identity, how they benefit from being part of the group and how they should be represented in banner form.

The sessions were fabulous, great fun and sometimes quite moving, working with GLOW, Ella Together, Halton Young Carers, Halton Play Council, 8th Widnes Scouts, Halton Youth Cabinet (VIBE), Four Estates, and with young people currently living in Daresbury Hotel awaiting the decision to their family’s asylum claim.

For the parade groups could come along and carry their banners, create some noise and follow ‘Are We Alien?’ and our Squid friend ‘Cali Mari’, street entertainers from Artemis and Fool’s Paradise chosen by GLOW. We hope this will grow into an annual event, and maybe merge with other groups who would benefit from having more visibility in Halton.

HALTON BOROUGH COLOURS BEING BOLD IN THE BOROUGH!

HERE’S WHAT THE PARTICIPANTS HAD TO SAY. I enjoyed seeing people who are speaking out and telling people who they are, Community togetherness Very therapeutic Connecting, socialising, and learning new skills Brings community together for a new activity, concentrating on colours and materials, gives a chance to talk to each other while creating. Trying something new and being creative, being part of something bigger Proud LGBTQIA+ We got to do what we wanted to do Working together, making things out of material Working as a team and with new people Working with friends as a group Community spirit