Woodcraft Folk today launches their traveling exhibition, ‘100 Objects Spanning 100 Years’ that tells the story of a century of their cooperative youth education, activism, and community work across the UK and beyond.
Funded by the National Lottery Fund and kicking off at venue 1 Angel Square today in Manchester, the free touring exhibition offers unique and sometimes deeply personal stories about what it means to be a part of the Woodcraft Folk movement.
The exhibition has been part of a wider project where an organising team made up of young members and older volunteers have been researching, auditing, expanding and exploring Woodcraft Folk’s archive, carefully selecting 100 objects to tell the organisations diverse history that come together and have been put on display to create the exhibit.
For an organisation steeped in history there are a lot of impactful stories and moments to tell. From housing young refugees after the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s, to the creation of 44 local youth groups across the country between 2015-2017 and most recently, campaigning for free school meals, partnering with the Peace Pledge Union on a white poppy project, reaching children all over the world through their international events and projects, running four educational youth centres and organising 250 residential youth experiences over 100 days in the first quarter of 2025 alone. There are endless examples that showcase their relentless dedication to the youth sector.
In a nod to the organisations values and aims of co-operation, peace, children’s rights, equality, environmentalism and international friendship, objects and stories have been carefully chosen for the exhibition to reflect these themes; strong foundations that set them apart from other alternative youth groups.
The 100 Objects project has been one in a series of anniversary celebrations for the charity which has also included a book ‘Spanning the world with friendship’ and song launch, international summer camp and a production of a Woodcraft Folk special edition The Journal Co-operative Studies plus much more.
Project Officer Marcus Belben says:
‘From artefacts, interviews and activities we share our stories from over the last 100 years, in celebration of Woodcraft Folk’s anniversary year in ‘100 Objects Spanning 100 Years’ exhibition. We pay tribute to Trailblazers, younger and older, and ask how can we shape the future, spanning the world with friendship! It’s been wonderful letting young members in the organising group lead the way curating objects, stories and interviews they wanted. Woodcraft Folk’s has a diverse history we found it really hard trying to narrow down what we wanted to include. Watch this space – we’ll be adding more dates soon, online resources and we hope you’ll come and visit the exhibition when it’s in your local area, finding out more about how you can get involved with what we have to offer!’
Woodcraft Folk are excited to announce their initial tour dates and locations:
- 14-28 October *Manchester* – 1 Angel Square (Booking essential)
- 5 November -13 December *Rochdale* – Rochdale Pioneer Museum (Wed-Sat 10.30am-4pm)
- 7-31 January *London* – Four Corners Gallery (11am-6pm)
- 5-9 February *Birmingham* – The Edge, 79-81 Cheapside (Booking essential 11am-6pm
The charity is encouraging members, allumi, partners and the public to come and visit their exhibition to celebrate its anniversary but also to gain an insight into its crucial and impactful youth work in the hope people will want to support and get involved in its next chapter. The plan is to add more dates to the exhibition. Learn more about the exhibition and how to visit at www.woodcraft.org.uk/projects-campaigns/100-objects-spanning-100-years/. If you are a Woodcraft Folk local group, organisation or venue who would be interested in hosting the exhibition or a smaller postcard exhibit contact Marcus at marcus.belben@woodcraft.org.uk.
Woodcraft Folk run around 200 local youth groups across the UK, four educational residential centres, an engaging youth programme, regional, national and international events for children plus much more.
