Amanda Kane-Smith
Storyteller
Merry-go-Round Storytelling
Rushmoor
Celebrating 50 Years
‘Rushmoor Celebrating 50 Years’ is a heritage project which sought to capture and document recent history of the towns of Aldershot and Farnborough since they were joined to become the Borough of Rushmoor in 1974.
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As the project lead, I had a short three month timescale to complete the project to create an exhibition and commnuity outreach activities. I worked with local historians, the Council, and the mayor.
Each historian I worked with had a particular area of expertise, so we decided to divide the exhibition content into five themes based on their specialisms:
Farnborough Town, Farnborough Aviation, Aldershot Town,
Aldershot Military, and Rushmoor.
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Aldershot and Farnborough have a shared military heritage which is unique to the area, so it was important to refect this in the exhibition, while also celebrating their culturally diverse communities.
Dividing the exhibiton in this way used the historians expertise efficently, and meant we were able to feature the people, places, events and innovations of each of these subjects in a clear and engaging way for the whole community.
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The exhibition was developed as a travelling display, allowing it to move around the area and reach as many people as possible within the time available.​
To promote the exhibition and generate interest, I organised a series of events designed to create a buzz around the project.
The 'Hands-On Heritage Fun Day' launched the exhibition with an interactive event encouraging community participation. This was followed by the online social media campaign '50 Years in 50 Days,' which targeted members of the community who were more likely to engage digitally. The series concluded with a more formal, talk-based event titled simply 'Rushmoor 50. Celebration Evening', held at the West End Centre, where each historian and invited guests presented on their specialist subjects.​​
Hands-on Heritage Fun Day
​​I wanted this first event to reach the whole community, with a particular focus on engaging families. My aim was to make the event as interactive as possible, using hands-on activities to bring the area's heritage to life. Guided by the tagline ‘Celebrating the past. Inspiring the future’, the event encouraged people of all ages to connect with local history in fun and engaging ways.
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The event was well supported by local museums and organisations including, Aldershot Military Museum, Aldershot RPA, FAST Museum, RAPTC Museum and Wellesley Woodlands who all threw themselves into the idea of inspiring young people through hands-on heritage activities.
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Here's is a short video of the day:
50 years in 50 days
'50 Years in 50 Days’ was an online social media campaign which ran on Aldershot and Farnborough Council’s Instagram and Facebook pages.
Over the course of 50 days, one image was shared every day with some accompanying text.
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Each post told a story about the people, places, and events that have helped shape the Borough of Rushmoor over the past 50 years.
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By using familiar digital platforms, my aim was to spark conversations, stir memories, and help the community connect with their shared history in a simple and accessible way.
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Rushmoor 50 Celebration Evening
The Rushmoor: Celebrating 50 Years project concluded with a formal evening event at The West End Centre in Aldershot, where each historian, along with invited guests, delivered engaging talks on their area of expertise to a sold-out audience.
On the night, attendees also had the opportunity to explore the exhibition firsthand. This sparked conversations and brought attention to current community initiatives that celebrate the area’s diversity and heritage. The event generated a strong sense of pride among local residents and reinforced the value of sharing and preserving Rushmoor’s unique story.
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Following the project's success, discussions are now underway to explore how it can continue—focusing on celebrating the area’s recent history more widely, with particular attention to highlighting the contributions of women in STEM within the Rushmoor community.
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