Urban Studies - Trust Annual Report 1995
The Urban Studies group now concentrates most of its energies on the Chippindale Venture and Chippindale Workshop. The organisation of the Venture has now become a major exercise in order to run a programme of urban environmental courses for schools situated for the most part in and around Winchester. This year for the first time, we were encouraged by being invited to undertake a Chippindale Workshop course at Oxford. This was made possible by a grant from the Southern Area Royal Town Planning Institute.
A very successful Chippindale Venture course was run for two schools in Winchester, Compton and Owslebury Primary Schools, with a presentation day held in the Great Hall by kind permission of Hampshire County Council. It was decided to re-cycle the first Chippindale Venture programme held five years ago, which was a proposal for a Heritage Centre situated somewhere in the forecourt area of the Law Courts.
The children, aged 11-12 years, as usual presented some very uninhibited and imaginative ideas, which never cease to astonish their team leaders, teachers and educational expert that come to view and participate on the presentation day. The team leaders are drawn from architectural and landscape firms. The judging involves town planners and local councillors. The school teachers undertake a major job of guiding the team leaders, as well a encouraging the pupils and providing an important link between the two. Last, but certainly not least, are the organisers of these events; this is a major task with considerable responsibility.
The Urban Studies Committee would wish to thank all those people who are so committee and give up much of their spare time to organise these events. We would also wish to thank all our sponsors which include the various firms who "donate” staff to act as tutors. Without any one of these contributions such projects could not take place. We do know that the experience of all those donating to or participating in the project is the reward of seem children begin to understand, then blossom, and finally take such pride in presenting their schemes.