the pippin project
A community and environment project in Wiltshire
An exciting and wonderful arts project sprung to life in October 2013.
Scott Farlow and Karen Wimhurst began work, with children in four primary schools in Wiltshire and South Gloucestershire, creating, planting, composing, making, writing, singing and having the very best time of it.
At the heart of the Pippin Project has been the planting of four apple orchards in the participating schools of Great Bedwyn, Newton Tony, Abbotswood and Wylye Valley. Through a range of creative experiences the children have been encouraged to value and to realise their duty of care for their new orchards, as well as the natural environment that surrounds them. They also explored the history of apples and ancient cultural traditions associated with orchards. The project culminated with a bit of English madness, a community wassail.
The Pippin Project has been rich and diverse. The children have experienced:
- walks into local woods collecting all variety of natural things, bark, moss, mud, leaves, sticks, berries and, of course, apples
- visiting local apple orchards and tasting apple varieties such as Bedwyn Beauty, Ellison's Orange, James Greaves and Discovery
- drawing, painting and creating collages, using woodland materials
- working together to write manifestos for the protection of their orchards
- composing music and writing lyrics for wassail songs, and drinking and dancing songs
- coming up with a wassail dance
- taking part in a wassail to celebrate their new orchards with the wider community.
I am very fortunate to have been commissioned by The Pound to photograph the project and produce an audio visual slideshow of the Pippin Project.
