Some time ago I posted that Oswaldtwistle Players and Mid Pennine Arts were getting together to celebrate the local shops of Oswaldtwistle. Well, it's taken a little while but everything is in place now. We've got funding from Awards For All and this is what's happening.
From 6th July, I and a photographer will be visiting the shops in Oswaldtwistle to take pictures of them outside and inside their shops. We'll be asking lots of questions about how long the shop has been there and if they know any history about it etc.
This will form an exhibition which will be held at Oswaldtwistle Mills from 1st - 8th September. It will then be put into the Architruck (a big exhibition truck) and hopefully placed in a prominent place more centrally in Oswaldtwistle for a couple of days.
On Saturday 2nd September, Oswaldtwistle Players will be presenting the Flying Girlywhigs potted history of Oswaldtwistle. It will be fast, furious and very very funny. Time and venue to be confirmed.
There will also be a postcard pack produced which all shops who participate will get as a souvenir.
When all the other districts (this is also being done in Burnley, Rossendale, Pendle and along the Blackburn Road stretch of Accrington) have been done there will be a huge celebratory event and exhibition at Mid Pennine Arts (probably this time next year), there will also be a conference about the future for small independent shops and a coffee table book produced. In other words, it's all part of a very big project.
So, and this is probably the really interesting bit - how can you get involved?
Well, in conjunction with all this there is also a photography competition which anyone can enter. All you have to do is take a photograph of a shop either inside or out (you must have the shopkeepers permission) and ideally the shopkeeper will be on the photo although that's not essential.
You can load your pictures onto Accyweb and then vote in much the same way as other recent photo competitions. The winner will then be exhibited in the exhibition and will also receive a £50 voucher prize.
Click here to link to the gallery
I would like new pictures please so I realise it may take some time to co-ordinate. The gallery will be open to load photos until the end of July and then there will be one final week for voting. I'm really sorry but the photos must be of Hyndburn shops (sorry for all of you around the world) but anyone can vote for the winner.
I really hope you'll all get behind this project and support it. Local shops are dying out and we really need to promote them and help them.