Coops Foyer in Wigan held an Open Day to celebrate its 10th Anniversary and to commemorate seven men who lost their lives during the Battle of the Somme (1916).
Coops Foyer is one of three Foyers managed by Arena Housing Association, which supports over 120 young people aged 16-25 at any one time. All three Foyers were among the first to receive accreditation to the national Foyer Federation.
Coops Foyer provides secure, affordable housing in self-contained flats for 24 vulnerable young people aged 16-25, and supports their transition to independence through training opportunities and personal support. Staff are available around the clock, and offer support, guidance and mentoring for residents. Residents are required to demonstrate their own commitment to self-improvement, and are encouraged to build positive relationships and achieve their long-term goals with a Personal Development Plan. They have access to one-to-one counselling, life skills workshops, action planning sessions and social activities, as well as free use of computer and internet facilities.
A group of young people from Coops Foyer recently completed a Heritage Lottery Funded project, called The Somme Remembered. The residents researched the lives and deaths of seven former employees of Coops & Co clothing factory, the original occupiers of the Foyer building. Residents participated in creative writing and art workshops, as well as educational and cultural visits, including to the Imperial War Museum, in London.
Diane Wainwright from Arena Housing, who co-ordinated the project, said:
"Learning about the lives of these men, who once worked where they now live, has been a steep learning curve for many residents. It has been an emotional journey, personifying the names and picturing the young men in horrific conditions who died bravely for their country. The project has allowed residents to learn about the Great War and has also helped them to develop personal skills, such as communication, IT, research and group work."
The Open Day was attended by the Mayor of Wigan, Eunice Smethurst. Residents displayed poems, creative writing, artwork and photographs from their research. The display also included a mock trench bunker, and residents and staff dressed in First World War uniforms. The work is on display at Wigan's original library, known as the Wigan History Shop, throughout February and March. Also on display are 28 professional display boards detailing the research on the seven men, and the history of Coop & Co and Arena Housing Association, focusing on Young People's Services and how such projects benefit Foyer residents.
The display can also be viewed at www.coops7.co.uk.
On 1 June 2006, the anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, six residents and four staff members of Coops Foyer visited First World War graves in the Somme region of France, to pay their respects to those who lost their lives.
For further information on this story visit www.foyer.net and www.giveusavoice.net/coops-foyer.
Foyer in Focus is contributed by the Foyer Federation. For further information, contact Louise Meincke, Policy and Communications Officer: louise@foyer.net; tel. 020 7430 2212.
