Did We Make You Smile?

December 20th.

Did you take part in any of our projects this year?

We’re gathering Happy Ossett Observer memories from our first year of projects. Would you please take a moment to give us some positive feedback about our projects. We’re trying to summarise our first year and rather than us sit down and say ‘And we did this and we did that’ … we thought we’d ask YOU to tell us what you thought.

So, did you come to a Swap Shop? Flock To Ossett? A Workshop? The Uke Club? The Weekend Extra? A Kind of Loving? London Community Gospel Choir? Did you yarnstorm, crochet, make snowflakes? Did you drink our beer? Make sheep? Did Mr Beaumont offer you musical solace? Did you write for us, sew for us, paint for us, play for us?

Please tell us your Happy Memories of our first year.

Thank you.

 

10 Comments

Dee

There’s so much I could say to the request for happy memories in 2012. My thoughts are not of a single event but rather an overall change in balance. At first, I wanted to get involved just for me. I’ve spent so long doing academic activities in my spare time that I thought a bit of creativity was long overdue. Playing an instrument was on my pre Doomsday list. As my commitment has increased, I now take part in the Ossett Ukulele Philharmonia for everyone else as well as me, and by that I mean that learning to play an instrument has brought so many other unexpected experiences to my life. I have met some very lovely people and feel a sense of commitment to them. Their spirit and community has changed my view of living in Ossett and I am very happy to be a part of the community that Jacqui and others have created. I attended the London Gospel Choir event and Flock to Ossett where I drank the beer. I also joined the book club run by Kylie. I’m not sure if that falls under the Ossett Observer umbrella but the effect for me was the same – meeting people who want to remain connected in their community and share an interest. I’m still fighting the urge to shrink back into my shy safe zone but there are twinges to push my boundaries by sharing a skill or two of my own. Finally, although I had limited involvement in the #1000 Snowflakes project, I did involve my mum who also found a sense of purpose and community by putting her skill to good use. It has lifted her spirits and consequently, my dad’s too. She was absolutely thrilled to be invited to the private viewing of the installation and have chance to speak to people about it. As a result, this created one of the best photos I’ve ever seen of my mum (thanks to Joel R. 02145_1000_snowflakes.jpg). It shows a sparkly and vibrant side to her nature that I think has been pushed aside over the years through routine and necessity. I’m so glad that this happened and it’s my best memory of 2012. People need people and creativity to feel happy.

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Ossett Observer Admin

Dee thank you so much for this lovely comment, I had to wipe away a few tears when I read about your mum x

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Mr B Huis

I created the ideas for the ‘Ossett Observer’ beers, I served the beers to many happy faces both for Flock to Ossett and #1000Snowflakes. 18 months ago there was nothing much happening in the town, but with these events and others there is massive amount of creative activity taking place.

I have plans for 2013 and it involves something called mabel!

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Ossett Observer Admin

Thank you Mr B Huis, our partnership with local retailers and the fact that you were inspired to make artisan beers based around our projects is an outcome we at The Observer Office are very proud of. Art and Commerce working together.

Mabel was one of our sheep you know 🙂

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Alison Dunne

Flock To Ossett came at a great time for me. I’d just heard I was being made redundant from a community engagement/reader development job with libraries & I was feeling jaded.
I’d been getting into playing the uke a bit & we had a small group going here in Leicester but I was feeling keenly the drop off in what felt like support for community based stuff from the council. Like people would be left to flounder.
I was also feeling slightly cynical due to a high profile but very low impact community project in my area of the city administered by a uni which felt self aggrandising & irrelevant to us, the community it was supposed to cohere…
Coming to Flock to Ossett was magical for me. A relevant, joyful celebration – proven by the numbers taking part & the atmosphere of the day – and playing our ukes with loads of people we’d never met (even in the rain!) was so restorative at a time I desperately needed to know that this kind of thing can & does work & makes people happy.
I keep up with all the ongoing Ossett news & enjoy it from afar. The little town I didn’t really know about before is definitely occupying a little corner in my heart.

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Ossett Observer Admin

Alison, that’s just beautiful. Thank you for making the effort to join us for Flock To Ossett and for taking the time to write such lovely words. x

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Judy Smith

I really enjoyed the bits of Flock to Ossett I experienced. The Godber reading in the old church was a fitting memorial to Stan Barstow and it was lovely to be there with Fran Smith. Then the parade through Ossett – such a colourful and joyful sight with children and parents all involved. The sheep were brilliant! I also enjoyed browsing the stalls and bought some splendid knitted items and other gifts, including Christmas pressies for my ‘Black Sheep’ drinking buddies (say no more!) – yes I have had them in the cupboard for months..
More importantly it was lovely to meet you Jacqui and Ralph as their commitment and enthusiasm is to be admired. Well done!

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Ossett Observer Admin

Thank you Judy, the Godber reading was one of the highlights of our year it felt like a very special occasion. The right work, in the right venue in the right town, with the added bonus of the exceptionally talented Fran Smith to set the scene. We’re very pleased that our event has resulted in the Arts Council funding a fully realised production of the play in 2013 at Theatre Royal Wakefield.

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Joanne Qureshi

Just one of the many lovely memories of ‘Flock to Ossett’ was walking up towards the town centre with my sister in law and hearing the sound of the Samba band. The noise drew us in like a magnet. I instantly felt myself speeding up and rushing to join the crowds who were gathering around.The atmosphere was electric with such vibrancy and enthusiasm. Hundreds of happy smiling faces, young and old. There was a spirit like no other that day.It was such a delight to see people sharing the same sentiments together and being united in what was such a fun packed and memorable day for both children and adults alike. There is something about a band that always brings a lump to my throat. I think it’s because the sound evokes so many lovely memories of days gone by when Ossett held events like this. When the towns people would get their heads together and create something very magical.It was as though someone had just thrown the dust cover off the town and brought it back to life. I enjoyed playing a very, very small part towards the day by knitting a few squares to help decorate the town which has re-awakened my interest in knitting again. (Something I actually forgot I could once do!) and I was pleasantly suprised to find that someone had liked my hand painted vase enough to swap it with me at the swap shop stall and I was lucky enough to recieve a very pretty hand made bracelet in return. I also enjoyed the Elderflower beer on sale which went down a treat. Thankyou to Mr B Huis for that and huge thanks to all involved for such a truly smashing day 🙂

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Ossett Observer Admin

Thank you very much for your lovely memory. I’m pleased that we inspired you to take up knitting again and that our event evoked more happy memories for you. Your post has made us smile 🙂

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