GEAR Project Design - Austin Ainsworth

GEAR Projects, Gloucester and Gloucester City Council Heritage Services

Community Heritage Engagement Project

Written by: Saul Hughes – GEAR Projects, GloucesterAustin Ainsworth – Heritage Services, Gloucester City Council

CONTENTS

Vaughan Centre excavation - Draft project design Projected programme Risk Assessment Desk based research – Expression of interest form Vaughan Centre excavation - Excavation area photographs Vaughan Centre - Mosaic area photographs Gloucester City Museum - Art gallery photographs Vaughan Centre – Exhibition paintings photographs Gloucester City Museum – The Wheatstone Hall photographs Contacts

PLATES Plate 1 Vaughan Centre - Excavation area looking South Plate 2 Vaughan Centre - Excavation area looking North Plate 3 Vaughan Centre - Possible mosaic area looking North Plate 4 Vaughan Centre - Possible mosaic area looking South Plate 5 City Museum - Art gallery looking from the main entrance Plate 6 City Museum - Art gallery looking towards the main entrance Plate 7 Example of exhibition paintings (1) Plate 8 Example of exhibition paintings (2) Plate 9 Example of exhibition paintings (3) Plate 10 Example of exhibition paintings (4) Plate 11 City Museum – The Wheatstone Hall (1) Plate 12 City Museum – The Wheatstone Hall (2)

Proposal for a Programme of Community Heritage Engagement Between GEAR Projects,

Gloucester and Gloucester City Council, Heritage Services

Introduction This proposal has been produced by GCC Heritage Services and outlines a design for a programme of community heritage engagement. The project partners are GCC Heritage Services, GEAR Projects (Gloucester Emergency Accommodation Resource), GCC Museums Service, Gloucestershire Sites and Monuments Record, Gloucestershire Library Service and Gloucestershire Archive Service. The experiences this project will provide will assist in the rehabilitation programme developed by GEAR Projects for its service users; develop closer connections between Gloucester’s arts community and the marginalised community of the homeless and vulnerably housed as represented by GEAR Projects; develop closer connections between GEAR’s service users and the wider community of Gloucester by the potential inclusion of community volunteers on GEAR’s community heritage projects and the presentation of the results of GEAR’s projects to the community of Gloucester; increase interaction between the community of Gloucester with out of county service providers and help develop national strategies for increasing community heritage engagement with marginalised communities. Background However much they may be fascinated by the discoveries of professional archaeologists, people want to be directly involved in that discovery themselves and in the research and reconstruction that is generated from these discoveries. GEAR Projects provides emergency accommodation for homeless and vulnerably housed people. GEAR’s resources include a day centre (Vaughan Centre), a night shelter and two ‘dry’ houses; GEAR also provides a structured programme of activities designed to help its service users to (re)learn social skills in order to prepare them for reintegration into mainstream society. The projects outlined in this document are intended to fit into GEAR’s structured programme; are intended to develop transferable skills which will be of benefit in many aspects of preparing the project’s participants for a more sustainable lifestyle and to help deliver GEAR’s programme to greater effect. Homeless and vulnerably housed people are often socially excluded and there is a misconception in the wider community that they have few interests, abilities or aspirations. This is far from the truth; people may not

have a permanent home from which to base hobbies and activities but this does not extinguish ambition. The opportunity for people from the Vaughan Centre to get involved in community heritage projects in the Gloucester area can only be beneficial to the local community and to the self esteem and sense of self confidence of those who have been given the opportunity to participate in what can often be seen as a middle-class activity. It may also dispel some myths about people who find themselves, at this time, without a home. Many, although not all, of GEAR’s service users have significant problems with alcohol and/or substance abuse/misuse, a history of prison terms, offending and also people suffering mental health problems; therefore the active and close involvement of GEAR staff is necessary and vital to the success of the project. The ability of suitably trained and experienced GEAR staff to predict and minimise potential problems and highlight specific talents and abilities with its service users and the lack of that experience within HS dictates that the projects will be led by GEAR with professional archaeological technical assistance supplied by GCC Heritage Services, (see risk assessment Ref. No. GEAR/RA/01). Aims and Objectives The principle aim of the project is to help the participants develop transferable skills and to use those new found abilities to achieve a more productive sustainable life. It is intended to develop and realise those transferable skills through a structured programme that uses the heritage of Gloucester as a framework around which that programme can be formed. The skills and abilities, that will be introduced, discovered and nurtured, are:

Self esteem – respect and acceptance of self and others Self expression The confidence and ability to change Recognition of talents – known and undiscovered Confidence to learn new skills Setting and achieving realistic goals Working individually and as part of a team Organisational skills Communication skills Problem solving Analysis and reflection

It is hoped that the development of these skills, abilities and attitudes will lead to better employment and education prospects, the ability to face and tackle problems, sustainable tenancies, stability within relationships and an enhanced quality of life.

National considerations/implications Work with marginalised communities, in an archaeological/heritage context, is becoming increasingly common with greater numbers of community archaeologists and community heritage officers taking a proactive role in extending provision of outreach activities for these groups. GCC Heritage Services plans to work in partnership with community heritage/archaeology officers nationwide in order to develop and enhance the work of Gloucester HS and to contribute to community heritage/archaeology strategies on a national level. For this set of projects HS will be exchanging information/experience with Dr. Jon Kenny, (Community Archaeologist), of York Archaeological Trust who is developing community heritage projects in York with Arc Light, an organisation similar to Gloucester’s GEAR Projects and any other relevant bodies and individuals who may be identified through the duration of the project. It is believed that sharing knowledge and experience gained through the implementation of the project will be of benefit to all involved and should be disseminated to other interested parties as a contribution towards the development of national strategies for such projects.

Potential Projects Fieldwork Participants: Gloucester City Council Heritage Services (HS), GEAR Projects (GEAR) An archaeological training excavation by evaluation trench in the Vaughan Centre (day centre) garden and archaeological excavation by evaluation trench at GEAR’s Saintbridge allotment. The Vaughan Centre training excavation will be located in the garden to the rear of the building (Plates: 1 and 2) and will be conducted in order to teach the basics of excavation and recording methodology to participants. One evaluation trench will be excavated, (4.00m x 1.00m) to the top of significant archaeology or to a maximum depth of 1.20m. The location is a little understood area to the south of the city centre and any information recovered would enhance the archaeological record for this part of Gloucester. The second archaeological evaluation may be conducted at GEAR’s Saintbridge allotment and would be intended to further enhance the skills learned on the Vaughan Centre training excavation and would consist of a maximum of three evaluation trenches, (2.00m x2.00m) excavated to the top of significant archaeology or to a maximum depth of 1.20m. Previous archaeological investigations to the east of the allotment revealed an Iron Age (IA)/Romano-British (RB) field system and settlement, a large quarry site is known to the west of the allotments. The eastern extent of the

quarry and the western extent of the IA/RB settlement have not been found. The evaluation may provide evidence for either or both of those. Both projects would also include pre-excavation documentary research at the Gloucestershire Archive Service, including the Local Studies section; Gloucester Central Library, the Gloucester Historic Environment Record and the Gloucestershire Sites and Monuments Record leading to the production of desk based assessments for the fieldwork projects. Other elements of the projects would include post-excavation finds processing, cataloguing, identification and excavation report writing leading to publication in an appropriate local, regional or national archaeological/historical journal. Research, fieldwork and post-excavation analysis and report writing would be undertaken by GEAR with technical assistance provided by HS. Tools and equipment would be supplied to the projects by HS with new equipment being bought for the projects when necessary and then being added to HS’s equipment list for use on other projects by other groups. It is intended to purchase a camcorder to document the progress of the projects and to place footage from the projects on HS’s part of the Gloucester City Council website or for GEAR to host the footage on their website. Reconstruction Participants: Gloucester City Council Heritage Services (HS), GEAR Projects (GEAR) Creation of a mosaic in the GEAR Projects Vaughan Centre (day centre) garden. The work would link to archaeological research to create a mosaic in the back garden in the Vaughan Centre (Plates: 3 and 4) based on examples of mosaics found or still existing in Gloucester, (Roman mosaics to 19th/20th century shop doorstep advertisement mosaics). The work will be undertaken by GEAR service users and supervised by GEAR staff members with input from HS on archaeological/historical research, (GEAR service users to conduct the research with supervision from HS). It is intended that a mosaic design workshop organised and funded by HS and GEAR and conducted by an as yet unspecified organisation will be undertaken to teach practical and design skills. It is also planned to approach local building supplies companies for donations of materials to construct the mosaic. Documentary research Participants: Gloucester City Council Heritage Services (HS), GEAR Projects (GEAR), Gloucestershire Archive Service (AS), Gloucestershire Library Service (GLS), Gloucestershire Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) Archival research conducted by GEAR and supervised by HS to support the two archaeological field projects and the mosaic project.

The projects would include research skills workshops in the Wheatstone Hall, City Museum (Plates: 11 and 12) and documentary research at the Gloucestershire Archive Service, including the Local Studies section; Gloucester Central Library, Gloucestershire SMR and the GCC Historic Environment Record. Upon completion of the research the results would be written up and included in the relevant project documentation, (e.g. desk based assessment, excavation report, post-excavation assessment, mosaic project report). Linking with other disciplines: Participants: Gloucester City Council Heritage Services (HS), GEAR Projects (GEAR), Gloucester City Council Museum Service (MS) Art – Exhibition of artwork produced by GEAR service users in the Gloucester City Museum and Art Gallery. A one month exhibition (June 2009) in the City Museum art gallery (Plates: 5 and 6) of work produced by GEAR service users in the art workshop at the Vaughan Centre (Plates: 7 to 10), liaison and co-ordination supplied by HS with a donation of £200 towards art materials and supplies also from HS. A future project, if possible, could be for the exhibition to tour museums and art galleries in and around Gloucestershire. Displays and exhibitions: Participants: Gloucester City Council Heritage Services (HS), GEAR Projects (GEAR), Gloucester City Council Museum Service (MS), Gloucestershire Library Service (GLS) There is potential for the results of the fieldwork and reconstruction projects to be displayed as displays or exhibitions in the local community section of the City Museum. It may also be possible for new projects, (e.g. The History of Homelessness in Gloucester) to find a venue at the City Museum, at the Vaughan Centre or potentially at the Central Library. It is also intended to publicise the heritage engagement programme, (concept and results), in appropriate specialist journals, (archaeological and social care).

Gloucester City Council Heritage Services RISK ASSESSMENT – (TO BE READ WITH THE GEAR PROJECT DESIGN)

Contract : Community Heritage engagement Programme Risk Assessment No: GEAR/RA/01 Client : Gloucester Emergency Accommodation Resource For the attention of : GEAR Date : December 2008 From: Austin Ainsworth Contract No: GEAR/C/01 GCC Heritage Services Proposed Start Date: June 2009 Review Date: June 2009 Description: A programme of community heritage engagement

Gloucester City Council Heritage Services Tel: 01452 396165 Fax: 01452 410898 E-mail: [email protected]

Page 1 of 5

Before Control Measures Applied After Control Measures Applied Details of tasks to be carried out

Potential Hazard A Likelihood

B Severity Rating

Overall Risk

Rating A x B

Control Measures

A Likelihood

B Severity Rating

Overall Risk

Rating A x B

Archaeological evaluation by trial trench;

1. Slips/trips/falls Hidden unidentified hazards, concealed objects, loose cables, ice, oil, water. Risk of serious injury.

1 3 3 Low

Refer to SSWD

13 1 1 1 Low

Construction of mosaic 2. Lone Working Accidents, violence. Risk of injury or death. 1 2 2

Low

Refer to SSWD

14 1 1 1 Low

3. Effects of Exposure Cold, wet & windy weather 3 4 12

Medium

Refer to SSWD

16 1 1 1

Low

4. Weils Disease etc. Rats’ urine within standing or running water causing potentially fatal illness. 1 5 5

Low

Refer to SSWD

15 1 5 5 Low

5. Use of alcohol and/or non-prescription drugs/medication on site

1 5 5 Low

Refer to SSWD

17 1 5 5

Low

Gloucester City Council Heritage Services SAFE SYSTEM OF WORK DOCUMENT REF GEAR/SSW/01

To be read in conjunction with Risk Assessment Ref: GEAR/RA/01

2

Project Ref.:

GEAR/C/01 Version: 1 Date of Issue:

24.03.09

Project Location:

Various: within Gloucester city limits

Project Description:

A programme of community heritage engagement

Description of Activities:

Archaeological evaluation by trial trench, documentary research, mosaic construction, art exhibition

1. QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED Project directors should be a suitably experienced/qualified archaeologist (GCC)

and a suitably experienced/qualified homeless case worker (GEAR).

2. TRAINING REQUIRED Briefing of GEAR site staff before commencement of each element of the project 3. EXPERIENCE REQUIRED Team leaders should have at least 5 years experience in social care or archaeology. (one team leader from each discipline required on site at all times) 4. TOOLS REQUIRED Mattocks, shovels, trowels, wheelbarrows, buckets, brushes, hand shovels,

‘Dumpy’ level, cameras, drawing equipment 5. SAFETY EQUIPMENT REQUIRED First aid box

6. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT REQUIRED Warm clothing including hat, gloves and footwear. NB: Steel toe-capped boots and safety helmets MUST be worn during archaeological fieldwork NB: Safety goggles MUST be worn when breaking materials for the mosaic construction

7. SPECIFIC CONTROL LEGISLATION, STANDARDS The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 8. ADDITIONAL REFERENCE DOCUMENTATION Company Health and Safety Manual

9. CONTACTS FOR ADVICE & GUIDANCE Health and Safety Executive: 0845 345 0055

10. PRINCIPAL HEALTH & SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS To ensure that all GEAR staff working on site understand and work to the required safety standard to protect both themselves, their colleagues, and any other person who may be affected by their work. Staff must also work to the safety standards required by the management on the site.



3

11. AUTHORISATION, COMMUNICATION, REPORTING AND RECORDING REQUIREMENTS Authorisation for working on the site will come from the project manager. Any health and safety issues which arise should be addressed to GEAR Projects, Gloucester in the first instance. Reporting of accidents should be undertaken in line with statutory requirements and GEAR’s requirements, as contained in GEAR’s Health and Safety Manual.

12. GENERAL

12.1 Hazards:

Slips/trips/falls

Lone working

Effects of exposure

Weils disease/biological hazards

Precautions:

12.2 Before commencing work:

Check for trip hazards around the excavation/mosaic area

12.3 Staff should have experience of:

Working with experienced member of staff

CDM regulations (where applicable)

Other Health and Safety Practices (all applicable health and safety legislation should be disseminated via safety induction by Site Director. The Site Director is responsible for provision of welfare facilities including facilities for washing hands)

GEAR Health and Safety requirements 12.4 Mark and Avoid

Mark off with high visibility tape any areas to be avoided.

12.5 Excavation

No excavation or other intrusive work is to be undertaken by any GEAR staff unless one of the site directors is present - under any circumstances.



4

13. SLIPS/TRIPS/FALLS

Check topography for obvious hidden hazards

Keep a tidy site

Remove all trip hazards and substances e.g. ice, oil, diesel, water

Ensure the correct footwear is worn

Mark any non-removable hazards

Secure loose cables

Ensure sharp objects are covered to prevent anyone impaling themselves.

Avoid unstable areas if possible.

14. LONE WORKING Fieldwork will only be carried out with teams of two persons as a minimum.

15. WEILS DISEASE

Avoid standing or running water where rats may be active. Wash hands before handling food or eating.

16. EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE

Ensure correct warm and water-proof clothing is worn particularly on cold wet and windy days.

17. WELFARE FACILITIES AND SITE RULES

No eating on site

No smoking on site

No running on site

No alcohol or non-prescription drugs on site

No lone working

Correct PPE at all times (hard hat, safety goggles and steel toe capped boots)

No entry into excavations without permission from the Site Manager/Director

No obstruction to Public Rights of Way

All staff shall have access to a toilet and washing facilities during the trial



5

trenching evaluation.

AUTHORITY Prepared by Austin Ainsworth Authorised by Dr. Lisa Donel Position: Historic Environment Officer

Signed:

Date: 24.03.09

GEAR Projects and Gloucester City Council Heritage Services

Vaughan Centre Archaeological Excavation

Before excavation work on the site at the rear of the Vaughan Centre building can commence, documentary research on the historical background of the site and surrounding area must be undertaken. This research will be written up as a report by the researchers and will form one of the elements of the project archive, which at the end of the project will form a permanent part of the excavation records. Workshops will be held in research methods to help you, the participants, gain the required skills for the work.

Workshops will be held at: Gloucester City Museum Vaughan Centre Research will be undertaken at: Historic Environment Record (HER) Gloucestershire Archive Service

Local Studies Library Gloucester Library Service Gloucestershire Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) Anybody wishing to take part in the workshops and the research please sign your name in the box below.

Vaughan Centre excavation – Excavation area photographs

Plate 1: Vaughan Centre - Excavation area looking South

Plate 2: Vaughan Centre - Excavation area looking North

Vaughan Centre - Mosaic area photographs

Plate 3: Vaughan Centre - Possible mosaic area looking North

Plate 4: Vaughan Centre - Possible mosaic area looking South

Gloucester City Museum - Art gallery photographs

Plate 5: City Museum - Art gallery looking from the main entrance

Plate 6: City Museum - Art gallery looking towards the main entrance

Vaughan Centre – Exhibition paintings

Plate 7: Example of exhibition paintings (1)




Gloucester City Museum – The Wheatstone Hall photographs

Plate 11: City Museum – The Wheatstone Hall (1)

Plate 12: City Museum – The Wheatstone Hall (2)

Contacts GEAR Projects, Gloucester Saul Hughes Senior Project Worker The Vaughan Centre 159 Southgate Street Gloucester, GL1 1EX Tel: 01452 523655

[email protected] Heritage Services, Gloucester City Council Austin Ainsworth Historic Environment Assistant Gloucester City Museum and Art Gallery Brunswick Road Gloucester GL1 1HP Tel: 01452 396165 Fax: 01452 410898 [email protected]

© 2009 GEAR Projects, Gloucester and Heritage Services, Gloucester City Council. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the written permission of the copyright holder.

Documents

GEAR Project Design - Austin Ainsworth