Confluence

Youth groups: Mere

The first youth club encountered, in Mere in late 1998, wanted to make a pop song. Karen Wimhurst and Helen Porter took a group to a water mill to make some recordings and try to inspire them with some feeling for the river. In subsequent sessions, the back room of the youth club was transformed into a studio. Three groups came up with three ideas for song lyrics and musical ideas. One of these ideas was developed, with extra lyrics being added and the musical ideas reinforced. About twelve group members decided they wanted to continue with their involvement after these development sessions, understanding that commitment is important.

Suggestions were made that the group members might be able to take part in a youth bands gig in Wincanton. They liked the idea, but a proposal to record the songs at a local young people's cafe quickly came to the fore. The recording would be enhanced by the making of a video, with Kate Seeger from IBEX Video of Sturminster Newton. Kate was the obvious choice as she had worked closely with Confluence in its early stages as a volunteer. The project was enhanced by the successful awarding of funding from the Wiltshire County Council New Audience budget, which had been applied for by the club's youth worker.

Once the song was recorded, Helen and Karen discussed the work with members of the group who had participated. They were really pleased with their work, and by listening to tapes they made in the early sessions, they can hear how much they had improved vocally. They were so proud of the tape that they played it at school, and were keen to arrange for some kind of public showing when the music video was completed. In spite of the drop in numbers of those involved in the project, the result was more successful in terms of the artistic outcome than had been anticipated.