Youth group's poignant project to remember those who served in Great War

THE part played by dale folk in the First World War will be remembered forever thanks to a recently completed project.
Dubbed Always Remembered, the project was carried out by Music at the Heart of Teesdale (M@HoT).
Through the first half of 2016, leading up to the centenary of the Battle of the Somme, M@HoT’s Mike Bettison and Rupert Philbrick researched the sites of each war memorial in the Heart of Teesdale Landscape Partnership area, uncovering the stories that lie written in each stone or plaque.
As part of their work, M@HoT’s youth folk band Cream Tees learnt a number of tunes contemporary to the First World War, as well as composing their own pieces of music reflecting their learning and emotions as they uncovered the hidden history of Teesdale’s First World War.
The Teesdale Longsword Dance team also learnt a new dance, under the guidance of tutor Patrick Langdon.
Both were performed at a special Tunes from the Trenches concert with musician John Kirkpatrick at The Witham, Barnard Castle in July.
Project co-ordinator Neil Diment said: “Now, based on Mike’s research and thanks to local artist and musician Rupert Philbrick’s film making and inspirational work with our young musicians, we have a fine filmed record of the First World War memorials in the Heart of Teesdale area centred on Barnard Castle.
“You can click on our website for links to a video record of each of the memorials in the town and surrounding villages.
“They all include original music created by Cream Tees’ young musicians working with Rupert.”
Former Cream Tees musician and Teesdale School student Edward Hart-Davis built the M@HoT website with a bit of help from his dad, Guy, but put together the Always Remembered web pages, complete with an interactive map, by himself.
He said: “It’s given me lots of really good experience. With both my fiddling and through my work on the M@HoT website, I have enjoyed bringing old traditions of Teesdale to the digital age, and sharing the legacy with anyone who might be interested.”
The group’s efforts have also drawn praise from Barnard Castle mayor Cllr John Blissett.
“The town council was delighted to support this project and has been impressed by the contribution of Cream Tees and the dancers of the Longsword dance team to the success of Always Remembered,” said Cllr Blissett.
“We continue to be reminded of the sacrifices of our forebears in the First World War, as successive anniversaries pass. This project has made a fantastic contribution to keeping those memories real and alive, through the involvement of Teesdale’s young people.”
For more information about M@HoT’s Always Remembered project, contact Neil Diment on 01833 638263 or email: neil@ndiment.co.uk.
For more information about the project and to view each of the video records of the First World War memorials, just click on: www.music attheheartofteesdale.com/ always-remembered.