CoSMM

The OffasDykeYAC leaders and Outreach officer attended this great webinar by @CBA_YAC (thank you folks) so we have the chance to plan a visit to a church or two and record some gravestones – with the permission of the parish – for our archaeological records.
Some of the families have been in the area for hundreds of years …maybe yours has?

Why not ask your older family members what they know of their family in the area or where they come from? Have they any pictures of older relatives, or letters between them? What did they do for work?
What happened to them through the world wars? Did they stay and work the land or sign up or were they “conscientious objectors”? (People that did not fight on religious or moral grounds – they did not want to kill anyone),

Graveyards contain so much information …not only the inscriptions but the style of the gravestone (could they afford a fancy one or just a stone), perhaps a family plot (people of older generations buried in the same place)?

Hi folks.
Thanks for volunteering as coordinators!

Below are some ideas of what we thought groups might organise/arrange – please do get back to us with other ideas (e.g. post comments).

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Category	Idea	Description	Equipment	Risks
Event	Local Offa-ings	"Offa-ing ideas" An event where local schools, clubs, groups, etc. are invited along to see the designs with cakes, coffees/teas (and perhaps judge them?) and the Micro-CoSMM scrapbook (or online blog from the web site from the things you have sent us) Raffle, cakes, refreshments, projector, organised walk, playing our Podcasts, etc.	Venue, permission, funding, etc.	None
Event	Crafty Offa-ings	Arrange an arts and crafts day that is Offa's/Wat's dyke related. Initially at the Offa's Dyke Centre (later at other locations on along the dyke), the event could last no more than 6 hours (10am-4pm) and have a small art exhibition of photographs, painting, sculptures, etc. with "guess the location" raffle and refreshments with cakes based on the dyke(s), Saxons, dyke creation, etc. Prizes to the best 3 public artworks or cakes and the nearest correct answer for the location of the artwork.	Coffee/tea-making facilities, plates and cutlery, table wear, facilities for displaying the artwork (telly for multimedia displays if necessary).	Generic health and safety for the venue and public access to hot food & drink Tidying up afterwards
Experimental	Design a dyke	Experimental archaeology: Get the local schools/colleges/clubs, etc. to design a dyke looking at the designs from the archaeological record. Design a dyke that could be built at a local venue perhaps - even a model at a school	Pens, paper, modeling tools, etc.
Experimental	Build a dyke	Experimental archaeology: 3m by 5m deep with the ramp up the 5m stretch at an angle to the viewing point so the visitors can see the dyke and what it showed and obscured Ideally the first would be at the Knighton Offa's Dyke Centre with a camera from the centre looking at the structure and taking photos periodically - time-lapse or streaming video	Timber, chalk, soil, mattock, safety gear (from local builders?), manpower (local builders?), etc.	Data Protection Local authority permission, warning signs, heritage notice board, etc. (aided by and through the project)
Liaison	Local contacts	Please list the local contacts in schools, colleges, clubs, associations, colleges, guide/scout groups, local press, local businesses (perhaps for sponsorship), etc. that you feel would be helpful	Notes	None
Liaison	Micro-CoSMM meetings	Organise meetings between us and the CoSMM.coordinators and invite other locals to show what's been done - using resources you've fed back to CoSMMOut Could be via Skype or Facebook chat or a mixture of, say, Offa's Dyke Centre meeting room and online chat/skype	To Be Decided Venue if necessary	None
Liaison	Project updates/liasison	Liaison with us about ideas you or your group has had. Anything of interest in the local area? Any concerns about planning, etc. that we may be able to help with	Venue, skype/social media	None
Project	Chain Reaction	A group of volunteers photograph themselves on the dyke from distances of 20m between people (the 1st at a fixed point). Then turn around and photograph the person behind them	Digital camera's or smartphones	Data Protection Care to time it photos so the 'next' person you are photographing stays still until the shot is taken. Ensure the (rough) distance is noted
Project	Personal Historys	Kids (with chaparone if necessary) take recording devices and interview older local residents to see what they remember about living near the dyke and when their forefathers (and/or friends) took them to walk or play around the dyke	Pen & paper recorder (smartphone or other hand-held recorder)	Data Protection Accompanied by adult/chaparone/teacher
Project	Fixed point photography	At fixed points along the dyke, take photos towards the 4 points of the compass. Note the time and date (time of year) and in what direction for each photo in a log Photos to be taken at regular intervals (say, once per month?) Note: Fixed points to be discussed by CoSMM & coordinators with Offa's Dyke Path officer	Camera or smartphone	Ensure the notes are made of the direction, date and time Ensure they are on the path not the monument where possible

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CoSMM

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Offa’s Dyke YAC and Offa’s Dyke Outreach planning more in the field

CoSMM post of day-sheets for volunteers

Event ideas for Micro.CoSMMs

Hello world!

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