Storytelling in science communication (#scistoryASC): June 3 2016 at Marine Discovery Centre, South Australia

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One would be forgiven for expecting a few scribbles and awesomely lurid paintings. Not the case at the art exhibition I attended today titled “The Rights of the Child” at St. Peter’s Girls Early Learners’ Centre.

Each display celebrated what the children recognised as one of their fundamental rights, for example the right to eat nutritious food.

Talking to a few of the little artists showing their pieces, it was clear a great deal of thought had gone into each detail.

For example, some children painted the food they felt lucky to receive and others chose to sculpt their favourite dishes out of clay.

Each was lovingly and stylishly presented in frames or in the case of the sculptures, on cute little bread boards and an inviting red-checked tablecloth.

Nature featured strongly, turns out the ELC adopts a Reggio Emilia philosophy which encourages the kids to explore their world in a natural, stimulating and innovative environment.

Three year olds explored their right to connect with nature by exploring a local reserve and taking photos, I could almost smell the bark and fun of exploring.

Likewise, they collected sticks, bark and made their own sculptures to represent their play environment.

The pride of the children, their teachers and their families was palpable.

The work was treated like it was the Mona Lisa in the Louvre, including being officially opened by the Minister for Education and Training, Simon Birmingham.

ELC Director Kate Mount shared her thoughts on this “it’s important to recognise and value the voice and work of the youngest members of our society.

“These art pieces are important, as they provide an opportunity for young children to be celebrated and acknowledged for the unique individuals they are”.

I loved this, no doubt I was probably in the presence of the next Picasso or Monet and certainly these were the most adorably cute little artists I have ever seen!

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This workshop from The Peaches ‘n’ Gin Burlesque Academy is a great opportunity to learn how to twist and twirl a set of beautiful ostrich feather fans.

No prior experience is needed and the instructor is very friendly and helpful as you learn how to handle the fans.

In an hour, you learn the basic techniques for ostrich feather fan dancing plus a few classic poses, the art of tease and popular flourishes.

It is a heck of a workout for the arms, wrists and fingers – the fans are heavier than they look!

I really enjoyed learning about the history of burlesque, there is a huge comedy component to the art form – it is all about staying covered up but giving a few cheeky glimpses of the body here and there.

The workshop isn’t the least bit strip related, but a decent dance workout and there was a very nice vibe in the room as participants got to know each other.

Indeed, two women in my workshop met that day and had so much fun they have decided to do a longer course together….I am thinking of joining them!

This was a beyond fantastic experience – I had so much fun and felt fantastic about my body and abilities.

It has left me with a huge appreciation of the difficulty and technique required in some of the fantastic burlesque shows I have seen recently.

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“It’s about encouraging active citizenship and building sustainable leadership capacity,” Project Officer Joanna Giannes says.

2014 graduate James Stewart developed the confidence and connections he needed to pursue his goal of creating Kick.it – “the best app in the world to help smokers kick the habit” – through the program.

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The 35 Indigenous Pre Recruit Training Course (IPRC) participants, aged 18 to 39, hail from diverse communities all over Australia and the Torres Strait but have moved into Hampstead Barracks, South Australia for the course.

Warrant Officer Class One, Colin Watego, a Bundjalung and Torres Strait Islander, is the Senior Indigenous Mentor, overseeing pre recruits from their applications to graduation.

“There are no easy challenges on the IPRC, the minute you start you’re going to be challenged and removed outside your comfort zone,” Officer Watego says.

“If you stick with it, apply yourself, you will change and you will change for the better.”

Training at Hampstead Barracks. Photo: Jack Brookes

From learning in the classroom to wearing camouflage in the bush, participants will experience a taste of real Defence Force training.

It’s only fitting that the program begins with the heavily regimented drill commands, full of tradition, which they will perform on their graduation day.

“Drill is the foundation for discipline, and with that comes pride, standing together in uniform on sacred ground doing something for the common cause,” Officer Watego says.

Along with physical training, there is a strong focus on maths, English and science education, which opens employment pathways for those who finish the program – whether they pursue careers with ADF or beyond.

The early rises, team work, leadership, respect, and physical and mental obstacles are all designed to test, and create, strength of character.

Warrant Officer Class One, Colin Watego, with new recruits. Image: Jack Brookes

Warrant Officer Class One Watego says the program comes down to one primary goal, “it’s about changing lives”.

“In the process of changing lives we equip them with tools so they can do life better,” he says.

Caleb Hayward, 19, says it was “a privilege and an honour” to be accepted into the program and he intends to make the most of the opportunity.

“It’s a change to my life and something that I’m looking forward to completing,” he says.

“I just want to go through and be the best I can for the others here and myself.”

Raw recruits Caleb, Catlyn and Tyson. Image: Jack Brookes

At the end of the course, Caleb aspires to join the ADF and work his way up to eventually lead as an Infantry Officer.

“I’ve always thought about a career in the Army since I was a little kid and this is a stepping-stone to get into the Army and this can give me all the skills I need,” he says.

“I’ve been a prefect at school and youth leader at churches, so Infantry Officer is another leadership role and I think I’ll be able to do it.”

Caleb was born and raised in Adelaide but his people are the Noongar people from Perth.

Officer Watego says culture, and the participants knowing their story and telling it to others, is an important part of the program.

“As a proud Bundjalung man and a proud Torres Strait Islander myself there is a major component of culture,” he says.

“Is not just about them understanding and learning their own culture… it’s sharing culture, and when we share culture with each other everyone becomes richer.”

The pre recruits are also taught about the rich history of the Australian Defence Force, which is especially significant over the Anzac Centenary.

“We have a long history, particularly this year of the 100^th Anniversary of the sacrifice at Gallipoli, that’s our culture,” Officer Watego says.

“We had Aboriginal men side by side with Australians and New Zealanders and Allies paying the price.

“A lot of [participants] have got relatives, families who they can link to.

“The culture is not just about them having an opportunity to share their culture with us, but for us to share this culture with them.”

Tied deeply to both Indigenous and Defence Force culture are the bonds that are created through sharing the experiences and challenges of the program.

The program begins with the heavily regimented drill commands. Image: Jack Brookes

“The other aspect… is family, that’s in our culture and what happens with these young people is they understand that we in Defence belong to a big family that you can rely and depend on,” Officer Watego says.

Tyson Williams, 19, from Jervis Bay and part of the Yuin Nation, considers his fellow participants family.

“I’ve got a new family behind me that I’m going to get closer and closer with and I’ll walk away with new brothers and sisters,” he says.

Like Caleb, Tyson has is set on going into leadership and wants to study at the Royal Military College, Duntroon, to eventually become an Officer

“I wanted some leadership skills that I can take further in life, I was actually very interested in joining the Australian Defence Force so this is a gateway to that,” he says.

“I feel like I was a born leader in ways, I have had many leadership roles, I was a school captain in primary school, I’ve done a lot of leadership camps.”

Image: Jack Brookes

While the participants live on the Army base and receive training from the 9^th Brigade, it’s hoped when they return home their families will also benefit from the program.

“For our mobs and communities back home, it makes us proud to think that we’re representing them,” Tyson says.

“I wanted to be part of this program to better myself, I wanted to show my mob back home what I’m capable of, be an example for when I go back home.”

Katlyn Morris, 22, who grew up in Saibai Island in the Torres Strait and is from Laura, outside of Cairns, also wants to inspire her community.

“When we go back home it’s going to help our communities and our families get to where they want to be in life,” she says.

She heard about IPRC through her cousin years ago but wanted to wait until her two children were old enough before joining the course.

Image: Jack Brookes

“I can show my children that being independent and being a single mum, women can get wherever they want in life if they put their heads down and get through everything,” she says.

Katlyn’s dream is to become a Navy Officer and, determined to set a positive example, plans to “work for as long as I can”.

“I want to be in Cerberus [Naval Base] by the end of this year,” she says.

“I want to be a Boatswain’s Mate and later on I want to transition over to a Coxswain which is a naval police officer.”

Since the programs inception in 2008, the most rewarding aspect for Officer Watego is seeing the participant’s continued progress after completing the program.

“Our young men and women who’ve come from communities, with many, many different journeys, go through the process, get into uniform, go through their training,” he says.

“Now they’re coming back on IPRC as military staff, contributing the to the journey of these (current) young men and women.”

Images: Jack Brookes

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But Ian Brookes and David Everett, Directors of EverettBrookes Jewellers, share a passion for handcrafting one of a kind pieces.

“Jewellery has been made for thousands of years and we’re essentially using the same tools – hammers, files, saws,” Ian Brookes says.

“I know when I’m siting here filing away this metal, 2,000 years ago in Egypt somebody was doing a very similar thing.”

Located in Adelaide, South Australia, they are also the only jewellers in the country who invite customers to get their hands dirty and become part of the making process.

They honour the sentimentality jewellery holds as much as the aesthetic of the piece, learning about their customer’s story and unearthing the details that will shape the final design.

David Everett, left, shows Matthew Ryan the ring making process

Stories Well Told captured the story of Matthew Ryan who is helping to remould his wife Kelly’s engagement and wedding rings for their 20th anniversary, using the original yellow gold and diamond blended with new materials.

Matthew Starts flattening a gold ingot into a strip ready to roll into a ring

“His kids and grandkids in the future can say ‘well this ring’s a bit more special now’,” David Everett says.

“It’s not about the diamonds or anything else, this has been made by a family member, it’s untouchable.”

Video edit by Ellie Cooper

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One hundred years later, St Bede’s parish at Semaphore will pay homage to the ANZAC’s, recreating the traditional wartime service in an Australian first.

The St Bede’s History Committee has worked to recreate the spirit of the event, to be held on Sunday 3 May at 10am as part of South Australia’s History Festival.

“We want to conduct the full service as it was first held,” Senior Lay Assistant, Colin Lehmann says.

“Members of the Victorian Society and Costumers Guild will dress in period attire and military personnel will be in uniform, including a Light Horse mounted soldier from the Barossa Light Horse Historical Association.

“We want to get the locals involved, as well as anyone who may have a connection with St Bede’s or is interested from a historical perspective.”

Traditional treats will be served, ANZAC biscuits, scones and Jubilee cake, and the Choir will sign the original anthems and hymns.

Remembering: Bruce Naismith from the Barossa Light Horse Historical Association with his mount. Pic: Brenton Edwards

The History Committee will also mark the Anzac Centenary with a special exhibition of military artefacts from Friday 1 May to Monday 4 May.

The RSL, the Military Vehicles Museum, the State Library and the Red Cross are among more than ten groups involved.

The Rev’d Ken Buchez, who will perform the service, says the day will not only honour the past but serve as a reminder of the present.

“It’s about reflecting on the futility of war and the pain of war,” he says.

“There’s a tendency in Australian culture to almost glorify war sometimes.

“The service is a poignant reminder of ‘the war to end all wars’ that didn’t end all wars.”

Historically, it was intended that the Intercession be held on the first Sunday each year of the conflict by all the major Christian denominations in a display of unity.

On 26 December 1914 The Observer printed: The subjects concerning which special prayer is to be offered are the King, the Empire, our Allies, and our soldiers and sailors.

But services were also held throughout the duration of the War to honour the fallen, and into 1919 as soldiers were still returning home after the armistice.

They were hugely popular in Adelaide, with more than 1,500 people turned away from St Peter’s Cathedral.

BETWEEN 600 AND 700 OFFICERS AND MEN AND HUNDREDS OF CIVILIANS ATTENDED THE INTERCESSION SERVICE Krischock Photos
Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 – 1954) 9 Jan 1915: 27. Web. 6 Mar 2015 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page8645529>.

Established in August 1878, St Bede’s would have also held the original service.

Semaphore itself is rich in history, and the parish’s honour role initially inspired the History Committee to investigate the area’s significant connection to WWI.

“Of the 188 names on the memorial board, 144 were there when it was first blessed in 1915,” Colin says.

“A number of people from the local district who enlisted to go to the War have military medals and Distinguished Service Orders.

“Then there are local people who joined the Australian Light Horse, and quite a significant number who joined the 10^th Battalion which is quite famous as well.”

St Bede’s is full of historical artefacts that are still being unearthed, and exploring the contents of the crypt led Colin to a significant discovery.

“I came across an old, metal tin and inside I found the original National Day of Intercession service sheets for the 3 January 1915, decreed by King George Fifth,” he says.

“I then realised the importance of that and I suggested we perform that service.”

THE MILITARY MARCHING FROM THE PARADE GROUND TO ST. PETERS NORTH ADELAIDE Krischock Photos
“[No heading].” Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 – 1954) 9 Jan 1915: 27. Web. 6 Mar 2015 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page8645529>.

“Colin and I have spent a lot of time at the State Library getting all the old records out and scanning them all – about 3000 images,” Committee member, Ross DeGaris says.

“The idea is to try to get that into a database so people can come in and research their history through Semaphore.”

The Committee has also partnered with local schools, creating an ‘adopt a World Ward One hero’ program that will contribute to the RSL’s virtual war memorial.

“We want to make the children aware of the importance of the event as part of the local history,” Colin says.

“And also make them aware that these veterans went away to provide them with the life they have now, that they otherwise wouldn’t have had.”

Children will be given a name from the honour role and will piece together their story to ensure the ANZAC history lives on.

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He wrote of the soldiers’ courage, of how they were worthy of the Allied Forces serving under the British Crown.

Adjunct Associate Professor of Journalism at the University of Canberra, Sharon Mascall-Dare, says Ashmead-Bartlett was the first person to put the Anzac legend on the map.

Ellis Ashmead Bartlett by George Charles Beresford, whole-plate glass negative, 1909 NPG x6434. © National Portrait Gallery, London

“It set off this whole idea of the Anzacs being a Corp in their own right, being a fighting force in their own right, and having a reputation in their own right and a reputation for courage and bravery under fire,” she says.

Charles Bean was the Australian war correspondent, and later became the country’s official World War One historian, providing embedded coverage alongside soldiers in the trenches.

This early journalism played a significant role in the way the Anzac experience was defined at the time and shaped the way the legend is remembered one hundred years on.

But modern reporters, especially over this Centenary, will influence the way the narrative is told in years to come.

“Given the kind of recognition that historians and journalists give to those men, I think journalists in turn need to understand the responsibility they have today,” Dr Mascall-Dare says.

“This is a once in a century opportunity to tell the story of Anzac and tell the story of its legacy so that an entirely new generation can reach an understanding of its significance in a modern Australia.”

Through her PhD research, Dr Mascall-Dare interviewed 30 journalists who have covered Anzac Day over a decade.

Dr Mascall-Dare

Their accounts affirm that Anzac history is at risk of being misrepresented through repetitive themes, clichés and cut and paste stories from one year to the next.

“You hear ‘age has not wearied them’ or ‘the ranks are thinning’ all the time,” she says.

“There’s also talk of the Anzac spirit, which is a very often-used term, but if you actually ask journalists ‘what do you mean by that term?’ very often they find it difficult to define.

“I think with the Centenary we have the responsibility to move on from those clichés and try to communicate the significance and relevance of Anzac Day to our audience in a far more responsible and intelligent way.”

It has been a hundred years since the Gallipoli landings and as the time gap continues to widen it will become more difficult for Australians to connect with the story.

Dr Mascall-Dare says it is essential for journalists to “reach a deeper, richer level of coverage” that will resonate with a wider audience.

“Australia is now a multicultural country and we have lots of people who come from a range of cultural backgrounds and nationalities, and they’re not all acquainted with the story of Anzac,” she says.

Anzac Day dawn service at the SA National War Memorial , Adelaide. Picture: Tait Schmaal

“How are they going to explain the importance of Anzac Day to Australians who have no obvious connection with this aspect of Australian history?

“How are they going to tell this story in a way that those parts of the Australian community also feel engaged and feel connected to the story in some way?

“Journalists have a responsibility to be able to communicate it accurately so a diverse audience from a range of backgrounds can understand it and understand its significance.”

Dr Mascall-Dare says there have been genuine efforts to capture the diversity and find untold Anzac stories with the ‘100 voices of the Centenary’ theme, that has surfaced some stories about “country boys from the bush” for example.

“They were obviously very much part of the Anzac story, but we also perhaps need to talk about Chinese Anzacs or talk about women who served as nurses or indeed women who served as doctors on the western front,” she says.

“Importantly Indigenous servicemen is something that has become very much a theme as part of the Centenary, restoring the stories of Indigenous Australians to the Anzac narrative.”

The post The legend of ANZAC was made public thanks to journalism – but can the media continue telling that legend in it’s true spirit? appeared first on Stories Well Told.

In an Australian first, the Al Salam – or Islamic Peace – Festival will be held this Sunday in Rymill Park to unite Muslim and non-Muslim groups.

Sowaibah Hanifie, 19, from the Islamic Society of South Australia, says, amongst a carnival atmosphere, people will have the chance learn about Islam to dispel myths and alleviate fears.

“We wanted to do things with the wider community and try to combat those stereotypes,” she says.

“Because of everything that’s been going on in the media about our religion it was something we felt the need to do.

“Obviously if no one is out there trying to correct the negative impressions or the misinformation then we can’t really blame anyone for misinterpreting things.”

Sowaibah Hanifie – We want to do things with the wider community and try to combat stereotypes.

Everyone attending is encouraged to ask any questions they have about Islam in what will be a welcoming and open-minded environment.

“We understand that some people are shy, they don’t want to ask, they feel like they might offend us,” Sowaibah says.

“But people can feel free to ask anything, literally anything, that’s on their mind because we’re more than willing and happy to answer.”

Al Salam was inspired by the twice-yearly Islamic Eid festivals, which are a celebration with feasts, sweets and community gatherings.

“We thought why don’t we turn this festival into something we can invite everyone into,” Sowaibah says.

“We wanted to create this atmosphere where people are having fun and they can build a relationship with the people that are working at the festival.”

Like every culture and religion, Islam has it’s own rich style for celebrations, and festival goers can enjoy Middle Eastern food, camel rides, Arabic drums, a cultural exhibition and traditional tents draped with cotton.

Sowaibah hopes people will experience the many positive aspects of Islam, which will lead to greater acceptance and prevent prejudice.

“You get discrimination with people saying ‘go back home’ and ‘what’s that thing you’re wearing, take it off’,” she says.

“But then you also have the other side where people are so welcoming and so nice to you.

“I remember once at work this man was like ‘don’t worry about it darling it’s all fine we understand that you’re not like that’.

“It was totally out of nowhere but I knew exactly what he was talking about.”

The discrimination, Sowaibah says, comes from a lack of education, which is why she likes to be asked questions.

“I get really happy when someone asks me ‘why do you wear the scarf?’ because it’s through those conversation that you combat the stereotypes and the misinformation,” she says.

“Our goal is to change at least one person’s image of Islam because we know that people don’t understand the religion properly because not everything out there is correct.

“Even just changing that one person’s perspective about what our religion means and their understanding of it, and we’ve pretty much accomplished our goal.”

Multicultural SA wants to make the Al Salam Festival an annual event and the state’s Islamic Society is hopeful the rest of Australia will follow their lead.

Initiatives to engage the wider community with the Muslim community began with the Roses for the Prophet project.

“In Rundle Mall we were giving out free roses with a saying of the Prophet attached to it that combated the stereotypes of our religion,” Sowaibah says.

“Then we had a National Mosque Open Day, inviting people to the mosque to ask questions.”

Sowaibah says some of the questions she often encounters, and one’s she encourages people to ask on Sunday, are ‘why do women wear the headscarf?’  ‘Why is it only your religion that’s involved in terrorism attacks?’ ‘What is halal food?’

Sowaibah Hanifie, centre, with some members of the organising committee Zuzie Faiyad and Leanne Zreika.

So Stories Well Told sat down with Sowaibah to bust some commonly held misbeliefs about Islam.

What do you say to people who associate terrorism with Islam?

There are extremists within every sector of the community – there’s been Christian bombings of abortion clinics because they’re also an extremist group of that particular religion. We don’t associate terrorists with Islam, in fact we consider them to be bigger enemies to us because they’ve changed the way our religion is perceived by the wider community and because of them we’re under attack by normal people that would not have had these ideas if it wasn’t for them. ISIS uses religion for their own political benefits but at the end of the day they’re not representing Islam and their actions don’t relate to the religion at all.

So there’s actually diversity within Islam? 

There’s heaps of diversity within Islam, people from all different countries, literally from all across the globe. One lady I know is 13^th generation Australian, but she converted to Islam later on. Then there are people from South America, from everywhere, there are so many different nationalities within our religion but we all unite by this sister and brotherhood we call the Ummah. Even within Islam there’s a lot of different takes on it, there’s all these different ways of understanding the religion.  But there’s a saying that no matter what we’re all equal.

Why do you wear the headscarf (hijab)? 

I chose to wear the headscarf when I was 16. Ramadan is a spiritual time when we fast and try to build a spiritual connection with the religion. During that year I started reading more about the hijab and why Muslim women chose to wear it. I grew so attached to the idea that in Islam it’s not about the way you look, even though women like to dress up. When you wear the hijab it’s saying ‘don’t look at me for what I look like, but look at me for what’s in my heart’. I became attached to the idea of wanting to acknowledge that I’m a Muslim and I’m proud of being a Muslim and I’m a woman and I’m also a feminist and I believe women are worth more than what people misuse them for.

How do you feel about the public headscarf debate?

It get’s really frustrating, but I understand that the debate is necessary because if we don’t talk about it then people aren’t going to understand. But from a Muslim woman’s perspective sometimes it gets really frustrating when people, no matter how much you talk about it, don’t understand. You can’t tell me I’m oppressed when I’m wearing the hijab and I’m telling you I’m not oppressed. But at the same time it gives us the motivation to be part of the conversation.

How does your religion fit into being Australian? 

People always ask, because I was born in Australia, ‘do you find that it clashes with the Muslim way of life?’ I was born here my family have lived here for 25 years and it’s something that goes so well together with the Australian identity. Things like equality and multiculturalism, things the Australian culture really respects, is also a part of our religion so they mesh really well. People say ‘how do you wear that in Australia?’, ‘how do you do this in Australia?’, ‘women are equal in Australia’.  But I can wear the hijab in Australia because everyone respects each other and we have respect for one another’s religion.

The Al Salam – or Islamic Peace – Festival will be held this Sunday in Adelaide’s Rymill Park from 11am

Images: Brenton Edwards

The post Building bridges over troubled water – a festival to help eliminate the cultural fear factor appeared first on Stories Well Told.

These spectacular pieces of art often amplify strong public messages and have the capacity to educate and inform huge numbers of people.

A recent collaboration between Common Ground Adelaide and internationally acclaimed painter and creator Joel Moore, aka Vans the Omega, is a spectacular example of positive storytelling through street art.

As one of the many artists providing amazing examples of work to encourage others and spread educational messages, Joel is inspired by the flexibility and opportunity that painting provides and has incorporated ideas about shared community into his design for Common Ground.

“This piece features a mother and son – which both embodies this message and portrays the unique work Common Ground is doing in the CBD as a housing provider which can now help single parents and children,” Joel says.

“The contemporary yet realistic faces of the woman and boy give a sense of community and a personal touch which is what Common Ground is all about.

“When it comes to art you want something that makes you go “wow”. You want something that makes you stop in your tracks and you want to take some time from the world to admire what the artwork is.”

Dr Alessandro Demaio

Postdoctoral Fellow in Global Health and NCDs at Harvard Medical School and Assistant Professor at the Copenhagen School of Global Health, Dr Alessandro Demaio, also believes street art actually has the ability to communicate complex health messages.

Trained as a medical doctor in Melbourne, Dr Demaio went on to work at The Alfred Hospital and complete a Masters in Public Health including field-work in Cambodia.

In a piece published in The Conversation, Dr Demaio discusses how because we are being bombarded with more and more information from an earlier age, effectively communicating health messages is becoming more complex.

“In the digital age and noise of 2015, how do we connect tomorrow’s health with the ‘under 20s’ of today?,” he asks.

“Might a 2.0 approach to health promotion that includes street art be an option?”

You can read Dr Demaio’s article here…. and we would love to hear about some examples of street art sending out positive messages in your community.

The post The sugar coating that makes health messages easy to swallow appeared first on Stories Well Told.

The spectacle leading up to Richard III’s reinterment in Leicester Cathedral this Sunday is contagious and everyone, it seems, is on board. I was in Leicester recently to see for myself just what kind of impact 500-year-old history was having on the the city today and the Richard III effect was evident as soon as I walked into its centre. Signs directing tourists to King Richard III’s Visitor Centre feature as prominently as directions to the Highway, while plum flags bearing an image of Richard III’s statue flap proudly along the city’s main thoroughfares. The King of Tourism is drawing in the masses and the people are listening.

A beautiful site – Leicester Cathedral at dusk with Richard III statue featuring prominently in its courtyard.

Leicester as a collective has done a brilliant job in both commemorating and educating visitors about Richard III while preserving his legacy and encouraging debate. The Richard III Society, as the driving force for much of this, is equally deserving of such acclaim for leading the charge with their ‘Looking for Richard Project’ which prompted archeologists to their headlining discovery back in 2012. They’ve also made it their mission to improve the reputation of the King, who in the eyes of many was a hunchbacked evil mastermind, and commissioned a statue to be erected in his honour in 1980. Thanks to several ubiquitous reminders, as a traveller to Leicester, it’s impossible not to take an interest and share in the intrigue in his life, or at the very least enjoy a pint in one of several Richard III referenced pubs. In many ways, there’s a curious sense that he’s still reigning.

I started my weekend on a walking tour with Footprints Blue Badge Guides where for two hours our guide, Caroline, led us to the significant Richard III sites in her tour, Richard III: Leicester Connection. For only £4, it’s a very un-London charge and oh so worth it if for no other reason than to pick her brains. We were taken to the now infamous car park, which is still in functioning order for Social Services, however in the 15th Century was home to the friary of Greyfriars (later destroyed during Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monastries). Here we are told that it is believed Henry Tudor ordered the monks bury Richard III in haste after the battle, leaving little clues to future generations that there was a king buried beneath its soil.

Richard III’s grave lies behind that skip. Cars to the right, Social Services to the left.

And in haste they did. The grave the monks dug was too small and there is evidence that Richard III’s hands were tied together, so it’s safe to say they cut a few corners from a traditional royal burial. Yet now when 21st Century viewers look on from the roadside, its significance has been restored despite the incongruous surrounds. Here beyond an open gate, mere metres from where we stand, is the location where Richard III lay for the past 500 years. Of course instead of marked graves and magnificent architecture of the friary, is a skip and about half a dozen cars. The irony is breathtaking. A king. In a car park? This car park?

You can visit Richard III’s original grave at the King Richard III Visitor Centre. His head was where the pin is on the right.

Part of the trench and the grave site itself (as above) has been preserved for viewing, although features within the newly opened King Richard III Visitor Centre, which is an absolute must-see. It’s just a short minute walk away and will take you a little more than an hour or so to explore Richard III’s history and an explanation of the dig and associated research. It puts perfectly into context everything else you’ll see in your travels of Leicester.

This was a very impressive welcome from several Medieval characters who walked around the throne at the King Richard III Visitor Centre.

Leicester Cathedral was the next POI and will next month host the acitvities and Religious ceremonies for Richard III’s reinterment. As part of the preparation, extensive building work has been conducted to make room for Richard III’s tomb. I was fortunate to have a peek at the area, as it was finished just last week. It is here that Richard III will be buried in a coffin created by one of his descendants with, as I am told, a replica of his crown bearing precious jewels.

Bow Bridge, which features on the outskirts of the city’s centre, bears further reference to the King and honours the historic belief that Richard III’s body was thrown into the River Soar below. There are also legends that it was here Richard was cursed on this bridge on his way to Bosworth and that the horse carrying his naked corpse was paraded back to the town via the same route.

Hannah Silverman holding the flag of Richard III featuring his white boar emblem.

Despite the timely relevance of the Richard III experience, the Battlefield of Bosworth has been telling this story for more than 40 years. Bosworth, about 14 miles outside of Leicester, is an extension of the Richard III experience, completing the picture by allowing visitors to walk among one of England’s most significant battlefields. Although awkward to get to without a car (or a bus if you’re travelling Sunday) the centre is comprehensive and full of educational delights for all ages.  Our knowledgable guide, Bill, seemed to have all the answers as he stopped along the route of the battlefield to share narratives from the war.

What struck me as the most powerful aspect of Leicester Richard III experiences is that we are living 500-year-old history now. This might be the final chapter on a story about about a Medieval king but whenever his tale is told, it will end with anecdotes about how his remains were discovered in a Leicestershire car park. A car park thousands of us have now seen and many of those who were involved in the process are still very much alive today.

Learn all about the excavation at the King Richard III Visitor Centre.

Interestingly, one of the recurring comments from guides, tourists and bartenders was ‘you couldn’t write this stuff’ and as cliched as that sounds, they’re right. If Hollywood released a blockbuster about a king who was buried beneath a city for more than 500 years, audiences would demand a Razzie right away for being too far fetched, even for Tinsel Town. Yet it happened, and travellers can experience it for themselves.

But while he’s the star of the show, it’s not all about Richard III, and even if it is, hey, a girl’s got to eat (and sip cocktails). If you’re in town, recommended pitstops include 1573, a restaurant inside one of England’s oldest school buildings; Queen of Bradgate, an exceptionally friendly pub with a hipster vibe including its new addition of a Gin Parlour and The Case Champagne Bar.

This was taken from the Bosworth Battlefield looking on to the village where Richard III spent his last night and took his final Mass.

Whether it’s a result of the increased attention surrounding Richard III and indeed Leicester, the city is now offering more than ever before. Locals tell me there are boutique wine bars popping up all the time and it’s obvious from the reconstructed park lands and squares that Leciester is well aware something hugely significant is happening. What will Leicester be like when this excitment dilutes? No doubt its royal calling card will resonate with travellers for years to come, but for the next month or so, travellers will join in the hype and live this rare historic experience as it happens.

Then again, perhaps it won’t subside. Leicester power players have now launched a programme to expand the city and county into a visitor destination to rival York and Stratford-upon-Avon. According to newspaper reports this could increase the value of the tourism sector which totalled £1.48 billion in 2013. Then there are the books… and the films…

Richard III is haunting Leicester, but the ghosts of England’s past are welcomed by Ricardians, tourism operators and this fascinated traveller alike. Unlike a sporting event or a royal meet and greet, long after Richard III’s tomb is sealed, this attraction is bound to endure.

See more of Hanna’s great travel musings at Not in Kansas Anymore
photo credit: Richard III, uncle of Elizabeth of York, great uncle of Henry VIII via photopin (license)

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I mean the controversy surrounding the search for the body of Richard III.

Central to this story are two well known figures. Philippa Langley (screenwriter and Ricardian) and John Ashdown-Hill (historian and Ricardian).

Firstly, John Ashdown-Hill has two historical areas he has been investigating for many years:

• The site of Greyfriars and thus the most likely site for Richard’s tomb
• The DNA of Richard’s descendants, essential for final identification should any remains be found.

John’s extensive research had tracked down a point when he believed the trail for the Greyfriars site had gone “cold” – one historian made a crucial mistake and mixed up Greyfriars with Blackfriars.  (After all grey is just a shade of black!)  John was convinced he had found the correct site and had approached “Time Team” some years before to try to finance the search for the Greyfriars site but Time Team’s three-day turnaround restraints precluded such a big project.  In addition John tracked down the only living direct descendants of Richard III.

Dr John Ashdown-Hill with the funeral crown for Richard III at Leicester Abbey.

Enter Philippa Langley. Enthusiastic, attractive and persistent – ticking all the boxes. Her background in film includes a project in which she is trying to cast Richard Armitage as Richard III in a screen adaptation of “The Sunne In Splendour” – and let’s face it, any full blooded female would want to see that – you don’t need to be a Ricardian!

Philippa was able to source enough funding for this archeological project (not without many hiccups), primarily from the Richard III Society.  She thus becomes the “client” who engages (and pays for) the University of Leicester to undertake the dig

Armed with John Ashdown-Hill’s research, Philippa engaged the Archeological Services of Leicester University (ULAS). We all know the outcome – Richard III was found and Richard Buckley from the University of Leicester was awarded an OBE.

Philippa Langley, Originator of the ‘Looking for Richard’ project, with a facial reconstruction of King Richard III

But the controversy continues…….

Firstly, the terms of the exhumation licence states that should any human remains be found those remains must be reinterred in the nearest consecrated ground i.e. Leicester Cathedral. But a High Court challenge begins from the Plantagenet Alliance who want to bury Richard in York as it is surmised that this would have been his preferred place for burial.  This Court case delayed the reinternment of Richard III by about one year.  I have overheard arguments in the street about this issue this week!

Secondly, the research of John Ashdown-Hill in narrowing down the site and tracing the descendents initially barely rated a mention on the University of Leicester website until recently – they appear to have succumbed to some pressure to acknowledge him.

Thirdly, the University of Leicester is billing itself as the University that discovered Richard III with no reference to the funding and research arranged by Philippa and her team that made that discovery possible.

Fourthly, the team that engaged the ULAS submitted a tomb design as part of the original proposal.  The tomb was designed by members of the Richard III Society.  At the point at which Leicester Cathedral was granted the right to reinter Richard III, they started a whole new tomb design process with no reference to the aforementioned submission.

Finally, to the future of the Richard III Society:  currently 80 per cent of the membership of the Richard III Society are over 70 years of age.  A considerable portion of those members are computer illiterate.  In light of events of the last two years, never before has such a marketing opportunity existed for the Richard III Society.   And any such marketing opportunities are being blocked by the more stolid members.

Armoured knights formed part of the funeral cortege for Richard III

Quotes of the week:

John Ashdown-Hill: “I think the archeological team should be taking their Ground Penetrating Radar into Westminster Abbey and having a look for any movement in the tomb of Henry VII – probably “turning over in his grave!”

Philippa Langley: “I am just looking forward to getting my life back!”

Phil Stone (chairman of the Richard III Society) at the Society Cathedral Service: “I surmise Richard III would have said the following prayer on the eve of the Battle of Bosworth:  “Oh Lord!  Let me give that welsh bastard a decent thrashing!”

John Ashdown-Hill: “I am just looking forward to April!”  I say “what happens in April?” and he replies “March is over!!”

David Starkey (Anti-Ricardian historian) on the panel discussion (Philippa Gregory, Philippa Langley, David Starkey) on BBC 4 Sunday night:  “Philippa Gregory is nothing but a 2 bit novelist” and Philippa Langley is just a “Ricardian Loon.”

The debate continues…..

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