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In June of 2024 The Inclusion Network, a fantastic CIC (Community Interest Company) and North and South Education CIC did a joint bid to Sefton Community and Voluntary Service (Sefton CVS) as part of the Hearts of Gold Project celebrating 50 years of the Borough of Sefton. This is a heritage project focused on putting heritage front and centre in Sefton. North and South had already done a Project (Project 3) with The Inclusion Network -  an excellent community organisation in the heart of Bootle, providing a range of services from Nursery Forest Schools up to Warm Hubs for the elderly. Check out their website here - https://theinclusionnetwork.uk/

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We started work in September and the project lasted six months, with a series of podcast recordings at The Inclusion Network, online (with one participant from the east coast of the United States!) and in Bootle Strand – a shopping centre in Bootle currently undergoing a massive redevelopment.

We did three podcasts – one on the now demolished school – St. Augustine’s - which closed in 1987. It was great to hear stories from the past from an ex-student who still lives in the area, and an ex-teacher who now lives in the USA. They had such fond memories of the school.

The second episode was about the current use of the site of the old-St. Augustine’s, which is the home of The Inclusion Network and Northfield Juniors Football Club. We spoke to John, who helped found The Inclusion Network and was involved in the early days of the football club, which provides up to 17 youth teams to the community. We also spoke to Aaron, who is the Secretary of the Football Club today, about the great work all the volunteers do in keeping the club going and giving so much to the young people involved. We then did sessions with people who work at and use the services at The Inclusion Network. We looked at the range of services on offer, and it was so heartening to see how happy all the people are who work at and come to The Inclusion Network. To see the site today as such a community asset is fantastic.

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The final episode related to the Strand Shopping Centre, the main centre of Bootle. We spoke to people who remember the Strand from the 1960s onwards. There were so many memories! We spoke to people who shopped there and worked there. We then chatted to people who work in and use the Strand today, including the Big Onion, a community-based enterprise hub. Finally, we sat down with Paulette Lappin, Deputy Leader of Sefton Council, about the redevelopment of the Stand and her key role in it. Exciting times!

The past, present and future elements of this project and the sites and places and people we visited and talked about is clear throughout!

We then did a celebration at The Inclusion Network, where excerpts from the podcasts were played. (Please check out the podcast page on this website to listen to these or visit The Inclusion Network website near the top of this article). It was great to see so many attend, including people from Sefton Council, Sefton CVS, participants in the podcasts, employees at The Inclusion Network, and also members of the general public! We also celebrated a 60th Birthday Party with one of the participants!

Heritage is alive and well in Sefton. Thanks to everyone for taking part.

We did a review process with Sefton CVS at the end, with plenty of feedback given about what went well and how we could make projects like this even better in the future!

Special thanks to Heritage Lottery for providing the funding to Sefton CVS too!

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