The media students who took part in the project with the Mayor of Solihull
In early autumn 2012 Warwickshire Wildlife Trust challenged a group of Year 12 Creative Media students at CTC Kingshurst Academy to produce a short informational video about Meriden Park.
The project gave students the opportunity to develop a stronger understanding of the importance of the park within the community, and the ways in which wildlife adapts to an urban environment. The students were inspired to show the many fantastic features of the park, which is just outside Chelmsley Wood town centre.
To complete the project, the students had to carry out a range of tasks. They used the local library to research the history of the park; interviewed members of Friends of Kingfisher Country Park and park workers; and edited the footage that they had captured. "Interviewing a wide range of people was a very enjoyable and valuable experience. I got to know what their certain roles were in the community and I realised how important they were to it. It was also very enjoyable to be part of such a big project and event" Alex Loewy, Year 12 Creative Media Student
With only a month to do all of this, teamwork had to be top of the agenda: "as a group I think we worked incredibly well. Considering we only filmed on two occasions we collected a lot of good quality footage that we were able to include in our final edit" Thomas Clarke, Year 12 Creative Media Student
The film, which was entitled 'Park Life' after the Blur album of the same name, was premiered at an event organised by the students themselves. The Mayor of Solihull attended and was impressed by the professional quality of what the students produced.