About the Project

Woolaway Reminiscence Project
2019 – 2020

A 12 month reminiscence project developed by artist Carolyn Lefley and Somerset Art Works

Council-built, structurally defective Woolaway houses are in the process of being demolished and rebuilt by Somerset West and Taunton Council on an estate in North Taunton. During this time of change and upheaval, artist Carolyn Lefley met with residents and their families, to listen to, record and archive memories of life in the Woolaway houses.

The project celebrated personal stories and shared social history, ideas evolved in collaboration with residents. Alongside this blog – which includes images, audio and film – Carolyn created two large collages, which represent decades of lives lived in the area, snippets of conversations, photographs of people’s homes and cyanotype prints of plants from gardens and streets. The two final artworks have been carefully packaged and once the new Community Space is finished, they’ll be displayed there.

For more information contact:
Woolaway Community Office at 27 Rochester Rd, Taunton
Email: northtauntonwoolawayproject@somersetwestandtaunton.gov.uk
Telephone: 01823 219 159 / 0300 304 8000
Facebook: northtauntonwoolawayproject
Email: woolawaystories@gmail.com 

Carolyn Lefley works with photography and moving image and has previously worked with Somerset Art Works on a community art project in Yeovil, with local school children and the mental health charity Mind.
http://www.carolynlefley.co.uk/

A Somerset Art Works community engagement project, working with the North Taunton Woolaway Project. Somerset Art Works is a registered charity and membership organisation, Somerset’s only countywide agency dedicated to developing the visual arts. Part of the Arts Council England’s National Portfolio of funded organisations for 2018-2023.
https://somersetartworks.org.uk/

Funded by Arts Council England and Somerset West and Taunton Council