Great films, inspired by our collections and made by young people from Bedford Foyer

Over 2010 the Cecil Higgins Art Gallery & Bedford Museum has been working with Bedford Foyer, Elizabeth Thomas and Orphan Pixel Company on an exciting Foyer film project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The 3 films shown here were devised by residents of Bedford Foyer who were involved throughout the whole process, from editing and sound to acting in front of the camera! The films are aimed at getting young people interested in history and their heritage by telling a gripping personal story about the past. Each script was inspired by an object chosen from the museum’s collections by the young people involved.







The photographs show the young people during the process of making the films.
Richard Fuller, MP for Bedford, has described the films as demonstrating “a remarkable combination of simplicity of execution, clarity and precision of dialogue and first class acting.”

Below are some of the objects that inspired the project.

Viking Sword - Iron sword blade from 10-11th centuries, found at Russell Park, Bedford



Crossbow bolt - good quality iron bolt from the 14th century, found in Bedfordshire.The bolt would have fitted on to a wooden shaft and been fired from a large crossbow. It was strong enough to pierce armour.



This project is part of our Audience Development Project. This is a four-year project which aims to engage a wide range of communities and groups in Bedford Borough with the Museum and Gallery collections and their own heritage through creative activities, events, consultation and involvement in new exhibitions. The project has been funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Bedford Borough Council, The Bedford Charity (The Harpur Trust) and Lousada Plc.