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• Educational project results in visitor’s centre showpiece

• Date:

  2nd June 2008

• Contact:

  Sarah Egerton

• Organisation:

  The Civic Trust

Pupils at a local school in Norfolk were drafted in to help design a stained glass window to compliment one which had existed for many years at one end of the visitors centre at Holt Country Park.

Working with the arts team at North Norfolk District Council, the ranger team selected local artist Lillian Shaw to visit Holt Community primary school and introduce the concepts of stained glass windows and how they are made. Pupils from the school then visited the park by foot and gathered information and inspiration with the help of the ranger team. They took away drawings, notes and some materials such as leaves and pine cones.

Back in school they used their collections obtained at the park to write a series of poetry and created designs for the window. A selection of the best ideas were then narrowed down and the artist drew these up as possible design proposals, being careful to maintain as much detail from the pupils. These designs were then subject to a vote at the school for the final option.

While this was being achieved, the artist worked with every child in the school, giving them all the opportunity to learn the skills need to make a window. The school became so involved they then commissioned a set of 12 windows - one for each month of the year - to be put in place around the school for the children to enjoy. The window for the visitors centre was launched in a community celebration and has since been greatly enjoyed by visitors.

It complements the old ‘summer window’ and represents the autumn and winter. Gazing at the glass the viewer can spot a feather, textured bark, a hibernating hedgehog, spider, sweet chestnuts and much more.

Rob Goodliffe said: “From this project the school became very aware of the park. We used it to help the children become involved in our consultation for future plans of the park - many very interesting ideas emerged from this and also backed up some of our own observations.”