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Broads Theatre Project


JennyMorgan

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I'm not sure why we should be being upset by this :? You seem to see the words Broads Authority and immediately assume that funds that 'should' be spent on protecting and developing the navigation are involved.

Nowhere in this article does it mention the use of navigation funds or even National Parks funding for this part of what is a large and wide-reaching project (http://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/looking-after/projects/water,-mills-and-marshes). It does, however, specifically mention Heritage Lottery Funding and donations to build up the overall investment total which is, as is standard practice on these occasions, being spun to demonstrate official commitment to the project.

Even if part of the overall total for this particular part of the overall scheme does come from the Authority's overall funds I do not see that it would be inappropriate, as long as it is properly accounted for, as long as it is not taken from the navigation budget. This project is, after all, meant to be a celebration of local culture and is a means of promoting the Broads and enjoyment of the area as well as providing employment to a local (well at least regional) theatre company. Surely all this falls under the remit of "have regard for the economic and social interests of those who live and work in the Broads", not to mention the need to "promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of the Broads by the public" which is, unless I am much mistaken, part of the core responsibilities of the Authority.

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John,   what does concern me is the waste of officer time in regard to this project. Am Dram and the arts in general does not come under the remit of the Authority so why on earth has it become involved?

Granted that the excuse/justification may well be that  the Authority is promoting opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of the Broads but in this instance I question whether the Authority doesn't have matters of far greater importance to deal with.

Let the project go ahead by all means, in principle it has my full support, but let it stand alone from the Authority. They have more pressing matters to deal with.

Don't forget that about half our toll goes towards Authority overheads. In my opinion it beholds the Authority to reduce those overheads rather than spread its wings as it has. 

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While this might be welcome to some, I am not one of them. 

The issue I have is when one delves into what this forms part of and you see The Broads Authority partnered up up with ‘various stakeholders’ and as they say in their own words “to develop and implement a multi-million pound project to enrich, protect and help people make the most of unique heritage sites and landscapes.”

Now when I read this I immediately thought ‘bark chippings and signage’ – but I could be wrong.

The partnership is called: Water, Mills and Marshes: the Broads Landscape Partnership. It sounds like the title of a book but what will this partnership actually do?

It turns out (again in their own words) “The project will identify opportunities to document and repair iconic drainage mills on Halvergate marshes, explore potential archaeological sites and provide training to maintain heritage skills.  

It also aims to improve local people's access to, and understanding of, activities within their landscape and will engage their help in telling the story of Halvergate's watery landscape from past to present.”

So as I thought, bark chippings and signage. 

They will identity pretty places, make getting to them a little easier and erect some signs to tell the occasional visitor what the area is about in no more than 100 words.  A few people will have spent a few days ‘documenting’ the area – lots of things written down and photos taken that then will be kept somewhere for ‘future generations’.  I have heard this sort of thing before with local authorities having school children document and take photos of places that will be kept to be a snap shot of their time – only for all the items to end up forgotten in just a few years turning up in some Archive boxes.

This is not a costing a few thousand pounds, they got a partial grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund of £2.5 million – but recon the total project will cost £4.5 million and cover 38 projects. On the Broads Authority website there are some pages dedicated to the project and it appears to have begun back in 2014.  Back then monthly newsletters were produced and this continued through into 2015 but when it reached November of 2015 all went silent.  Now, in September 2016 the EDP are reporting how ‘the project has taken a major step forward after theatre project appointed to lead drama section’. Why worry about keeping your various donners and stakeholders updated with newsletters if the EDP can do the job for you?

What began as an idea to conserve various locations (6 projects initially) and give local people more insight in them and help maintain heritage skills – has gone on to be 38 projects of which one seems to be ‘drama’.  I can only presume that this will include re-enactments of how Wherry’s made their way along the rivers, or how Eels were once caught – well I was close - as one reads through the article in the EDP you find they wish to produce a piece called ‘Breydon Crowther, which would explore life on the marshes in the late 1800s’.

What pains me the most is individually these ideas and projects are fine – and I am sure those ‘stake holders’ in the main are only part of this because it makes them look good helping promote a wonderful natural part of England that is of course now a ‘National Park’ which the Broads Authority can then say focuses attention on the area and promotes it to more people – including the young – to take a more involved role and thus through this help maintain the Broads – which in turn (somehow) would be linked to maintaining the navigation.

I’m sorry but it won’t and that’s the problem. 

These ideas and projects are not individual groups and community organisations seeking promotion and funding to help their goals – it is the Broads Authority themselves coming up with new ideas to spend vast sums of money (even if the majority share is not form their coffers) and then saying ‘it will help the local community and heritage sites’ – why are they getting their fingers in so many pies?

I say it will appeal only to a few people who are already keen and interested in the past and in archaeology and perhaps drama and maybe enjoy Tofu and are Vegetarian, I don’t know, but that is what will be going on rather than causing a whole new bunch of people who would otherwise have no interest or ideas in such becoming interested and keen in it.

More worryingly too is the whole project which began slowly with 6 ideas for projects in 2014, has had earmarked £2.6 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund (yet their November News letter’s headline is ‘HLF Awards us £2.6m grant!’ does not seem very earmarked to me, more in the bag. That said the whole project will only last 4 years, and has already soaked up £1.6 million in private donations!

If they can get £1.6 million in donations for a project that has not actually begun, but has been in constant flux in the hope that it will get going since 2014 get this much attention? You’d think local communities could drum up a few thousand to get Instead Shoals dredged but wait, they have embraced Social Media.

Indeed they talked of their “Astounding reach of 199,726 people through Twitter with @Broads_LPS”. So that’s how they did it - and there we were thinking the Broads Authority not using the likes of Twitter enough to engage and indeed the EDP were only saying recently how the Broads Authority is investing money into reaching out to a new generation through such technology and media, and how more money will be  spent on a new website.  They did not need any of this it seems, since they were doing just fine all along.

The reach of @Broads_LPS is made all the more amazing, since their actual Twitter followers number just 183 with 11 likes. That is what they call ‘astounding’ and consider Social Media working well for them. OMG!

It stinks of stuffy people sat on plastic chairs with chinzy china drinking coffee with some rich tea biscuits on a green and brown felt carpet – just think 1975 provincial Library.  I am sorry, I am out. 

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OK Iain...Trilby is on...whip out...:naughty:

While i have the greatest respect for the Norfolk Historic Environment Service and the Norfolk Archaeological Trust, as an archaeologist, I'm left scratching my head somewhat as to the validity of some of the schemes. Indeed identifying possible archaeological sites in the Broads is of the utmost importance but there are far better, more effective, more cost effective ways of doing this. At this particular juncture of research into Norfolk's ancient past organising a dig to let amateurs investigate an area we could 'go and ask Granddad' about is a bit...well, 'off script'. I'm not a fan of digs comprising teams of amateurs...Time Team has a lot to answer for...predominantly unemployed qualified archaeologists. If it's public involvement and education that is the goal they can start by looking to the erroneous pap they currently present in the museums as fact. Incidentally the major excavations in the area are being undertaken by Cambridge and Birmingham and are looking at the landscape as a whole not in isolation.

The Norfolk Historic Environment Service by the way is the best in the country, and certainly the one which has made most inroads into opening up information to the general public. I'm fairly sure they could find better ways to spend the cash if left to their own devices.

Promoting the Broads does not require another raft of crackpot schemes. What it needs is the basics. Look to the navigation, extend it, provide facilities on the water and off it,make sure the information you are providing is correct and to the minute and empty the damned bins. Just like the Field of Dreams...'if you build it people will come'.

Now I'm off to buy Robin a Tofu sarnie :naughty:, excellent posting that man!

 

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31 minutes ago, Timbo said:

OK Iain...Trilby is on...whip out...:naughty:.

Now I'm off to buy Robin a Tofu sarnie :naughty:, excellent posting that man!

 

Well said Tim "IJ" bo! Just can't picture you holding a whip ! :norty: However, many years ago, I did go and watch a proper dig in York, not far from the Minster. All very quiet and deep in troweling!!!

cheersIain

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2 hours ago, BroadScot said:

Well said Tim "IJ" bo! Just can't picture you holding a whip ! :norty: However, many years ago, I did go and watch a proper dig in York, not far from the Minster. All very quiet and deep in troweling!!!

cheersIain

They were saving their energies for the boozer when the day was done! cheers

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6 hours ago, LondonRascal said:

I can only presume that this will include re-enactments of how Wherry’s made their way along the rivers, or how Eels were once caught – well I was close - as one reads through the article in the EDP you find they wish to produce a piece called ‘Breydon Crowther, which would explore life on the marshes in the late 1800s’.

There we are, that's the job for me!

Me an old Wussername can stand on a couple of posts on Breydon in a pair of waders and an old smock and give 'em a load of old squit about harnsers.

They'll probably believe every word of it!

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47 minutes ago, Vaughan said:

There we are, that's the job for me!

Me an old Wussername can stand on a couple of posts on Breydon in a pair of waders and an old smock and give 'em a load of old squit about harnsers.

They'll probably believe every word of it!

Waders Vaughan? You mean tights? It's 'theatre' Vaughan...or as my ex-Mrs once noted 'That's a funny name for a pub! The Atre. What's an Atre?'

I can picture the scene Vaughan and Wussername in tight's, rude smocks and reed hats. The sun just setting on the makeshift theatre quickly erected at St Bennet's by removing one or two moorings. Just as the last lingering rays of the sun caress the crown of the mill in the gatehouse with glowing light...our thespians take center stage. The crowd stills to a hushed silence as they are treated to... THE BALLAD OF THE WOGGLER'S MOOLY in two part harmony with actions!

...and that's a million quid right there thank you very muchly!

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Joking apart :

I am sorry but this sort of thing runs off me like water off a duck's back. It's what my father would have called "same joint, different gravy". Or as Robin says - all bark chips and signage.

Yet another promotion film for yet another "partnership project". I have seen so many of these over the years that they leave me cold but the first one, in 1959, will always be the best, and only effective one. Do you remember "The Wind in the Reeds", by Philip Wayre, with commentary written by Ted Ellis?

Look up the East Anglian Film Archive on www.eafa.uk/catalogue/6343 - pour a glass of wine and spend a happy half hour on the Broads that I loved, but we risk losing if we are not careful.

Lovely shots of Surlingham Broad with the old wherry hulks and about 17 minutes in you will see colour film that I don't think exists anywhere else, of a bittern feeding her chicks on the nest.

I met Philip Wayre, through the Broads Society, and my father was among those who worked with him in making this film.

I don't think they could make another one like that now, even with a million or so of Lottery "smackers"!

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Some very good points of view raised with a lot of thought gone into them imho.

Before I go any further well said Robin, Timbo and Vaughan - very good of you to be so articulate and going into details.  I too have been giving this plenty of thought, been busy typing my very long-winded educated professional opinion up on a word doc ready to paste onto this post.  But then after even more thought I came up with the following which is a lot shorter, more concise and straight to the point, here it is:-

 

'Wot Robin Said'

 

Griff

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1 hour ago, Vaughan said:

Joking apart :

Look up the East Anglian Film Archive on www.eafa.uk/catalogue/6343 - pour a glass of wine and spend a happy half hour on the Broads that I loved, but we risk losing if we are not careful.

 

Glass of 'foreign muck' or a 'poi-ah-tews'? We are talking ol' Broads.

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I really despair at attitudes on here sometimes. “You can never please all of the people all of the time!” Who was it said that? It does have a ring of truth in most schemes and projects whatever they may attempt to address. But to wholesale carp and grumble as previous contributions on this topic do is just obstructive negativity. The project makes suggestions as to what could be done and asks for contributions and ideas for development. It will involve youngsters  at school and college. How often have I heard folk bemoaning the fact that the young seem to take no interest in the future of the Broads?

The intention is to improve access at key areas such as Beccles, Norwich, Oulton Broad and, not before time, even Yarmouth. Also to create new and improved walkways where Robin will have new opportunities to wander talking to his camera. This should delight him I would have thought!

Restoration of wind pumps and other historical buildings that illustrate the heritage of the area.

£2.5 million is nothing in the scale of things today compared to the wild amounts that are thrown at allsorts of weird and wonderful projects. I know simply this does not make it right but its a start in the right direction and will eventually benefit the area and its residents, be they human, fishy, furry, botanical or feathered!

If folk disagree or object to elements of this, contribute your own ideas in a constructive rather than destructive manner. It really achieves nothing at all to throw stones and grumble from behind a tablet, iphone or PC via a somewhat less than national internet forum!

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4 minutes ago, VetChugger said:

How often have I heard folk bemoaning the fact that the young seem to take no interest in the future of the Broads?

I respect and understand your post but although I may seem to be joking sometimes, I speak as someone who doesn't need to read "Coot Club" - I lived that childhood myself, and I am glad to see my grandchildren growing up in almost that same way. 

To me, it is not so much that children must be taught about it in class, or by "projects" - it is more that the Broads must be maintained, as the boating playground that they have always been, so that our children and grandchildren can come to love them naturally, and with the same passion that I have always had for them.

 

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The Broads has its own, often unique, culture and heritage. 'Outsiders' selectively highlighting what they see as 'acceptable' facets of it, the ones that fit comfortably into their preconceived niches, is all very well but first having destroyed so much over the last ten or so years  does somehow make a mockery of the whole 'vision', to coin a popular term.

By the way, some outsiders do an excellent job, Ted Ellis for example, but then he absorbed the ethos of the Broads. Others have too, but then they also have become Broadlanders. Not a term that I could apply to many at Yare House.

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2 minutes ago, Vaughan said:

I respect and understand your post but although I may seem to be joking sometimes, I speak as someone who doesn't need to read "Coot Club" - I lived that childhood myself, and I am glad to see my grandchildren growing up in almost that same way. 

To me, it is not so much that children must be taught about it in class, or by "projects" - it is more that the Broads must be maintained, as the boating playground that they have always been, so that our children and grandchildren can come to love them naturally, and with the same passion that I have always had for them.

 

Vaughan, your response is one that fully deserves respect and appreciation.

 

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2 hours ago, VetChugger said:

The intention is to improve access at key areas such as Beccles, Norwich, Oulton Broad and, not before time, even Yarmouth. Also to create new and improved walkways where Robin will have new opportunities to wander talking to his camera. This should delight him I would have thought!

Just what we need, more walkways so we can all walk to the broads and point at what we once navigated on!

Access is not a problem, there are plenty of boats. It's the broads, a water based activity centre ideally accessed by boat. And don't forget the damage we can save the environment by not shipping in all those chippings and signage.

 

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