Out and About in Huddersfield

Participants identified places to visit. One was Castle Hill, an iconic local landmark on Huddersfield’s skyline – people felt drawn to it as a marker of identity. Climbing up, they talked about the sense of freedom and wildness, and some reminisced about hills in their home countries. Another place was Masjid Noor, a mosque situated in an ex-Methodist church in Thornton Lodge. In the past, this area housed mill workers. Some participants had family who had come over to work in the mills. Others were new to Huddersfield, but all felt the mosque was essential to their sense of belonging. 

I learned about these places in the best way possible – from people who had experienced them as places of welcome. In both these places participants took photos and videos and interviewed each other and local people. Back in the classroom we planned our ESOL reading resources – learners wrote sentences at both E1 and E3 levels. We also recorded audio for slides. We all worked alongside each other – local Kirklees library staff, volunteers and participants from different cultures – Third Sector Leaders let us use their classroom in the local church, where free lunch was served after the session. I was proud to be part of this lovely community project!