Here we are
I was introduced to Austin after an initial meeting at the Angel about this project. He was sitting next door in his corner sweetshop on Waterloo Road, warmed by the gentle glow of a Calor Gas heater. Austin’s friend hunched himself over the customer side of the counter, eyes fixed on whatever was in front of him seemingly locked into his own thoughts.
Space raiders, bottles of pop and confectionery occupied the shelves. Opposite were seats, stools, an old TV and potted plants in the window. The room seemed to hold the weight of a 1000 years. A museum of sorts. A place shut off from the world outside. Not your usual commercial establishment, but one filled with a warmth, kindness and trust. A place bound by family, friends and regulars. This was Austin’s store, his business, his lifeblood. A place with its own pace, free from the faster-moving world outside.Iona helped to unfold Austin’s past, his unique story, and with consent, I started to take some photographs.
Weeks later ‘Here we are’ grew from a bond between a small group of individuals that came to this little corner of Cobridge weekly to learn about photography and its relationship to storytelling. We photographed sentimental and found objects, each other and also the landscape we are (however fleetingly) a part of. The project grew with time, a collaborative act of resistance. A little wall built against the negative intentions of a few strangers in the aftermath of a planned march through a fringe community that exists in one of the most deprived areas of the country.
‘Here we are’ is a celebration of the people of Cobridge and of its deep rooted history. A little parcel of hope in the face of adversity and a simple demonstration of what England actually is and can be.
Here We Are. 2025.
‘Here we are’ is a celebration of the people of Cobridge and of its deep
rooted history. A little parcel of hope in the face of adversity and a simple
demonstration of what England actually is and can be.
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Telling Stories project, Burslem 2019/20.
A Burslem Community Camera Club project.
The project was community-led, bringing residents, services and partners together,
celebrating the Town and the people that are part of it.
The group photographed, designed and self-published 3 issues of the zine.
Burslem Community Camera Club. 2019/20.
32 page A5 zine. Made in conjuction with my work with My Community Matters.
The zine documents the 2 year community-led project, which I helped to set up
and facilitate.
Longton Matters. 2019/20.
32 page A5 zine. Made in conjuction with my work with My Community Matters.
The zine documents the Longton Matters group, a community-led project, which
I set up and facilitated the project.
The Burslem Park Project. 2020.
32 page A5 zine. Made in conjuction with my work with My Community Matters.
The zine documents the Burslem Park during Cov19. I worked with members of
the Burslem Community Camera Club, docmenting the park and the people that
needed it more than ever during the pandemic. Some of the work was also published
in Hopezine, giving the group inavluable exposure.
Feral Spaces. 2017/18.
Newsprint design and print. A project that helped to facilitate, particulalry working
with the children on photography projects.
Meir carehome
The photo album discussion session.
