Burgh Castle Almanac

Burgh Castle Almanac was an archaeology, creativity and wellbeing programme which took place at Burgh Castle Roman Fort and the Time and Tide Museum in Great Yarmouth. It engaged metal health services users in the Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft, and Waveney Area.

Burgh Castle Almanac was an archaeology, creativity and wellbeing programme for people using mental health services in the Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft and Waveney area which took place at Burgh Castle Roman Fort and the Time and Tide Museum in Great Yarmouth between January 2018 and May 2021.

It was a partnership with Norfolk Archaeological Trust, Access Community Trust and Norfolk Museums Service, and was funded by The Heritage Lottery as part of the Broads Authority Water Mills and Marshes programme, and later by the National Lottery Community Fund.

The project comprised monthly gatherings of people with complex mental health needs referred to the project by Stonham Home Group, Access Community Trust, Better Together Norfolk and through self- referral. Each month, the group would meet to walk around the Roman fort making a photographic record of the changing seasons. Between times we met at Time and Tide Museum.

The group met 71 times, from January 2018 to May 2021 and produced two exhibitions, aa beautiful film ‘The Return of Happy Times’ and an Almanac recording the experience designed by Robert Fairclough. In 2021 a new community group was formed by the project’s members, the Burgh Castle Almanac Experience, and that continued to meet until December 2022.

Highlights included a night walk with writer Rebecca Stott, behind the scenes at the British Museum with the curator of Romano British collections, walking with archaeologists from the Thames Discovery Programme, bird watching with naturalist and writer Mark Cocker, catching dragonflies with the Norfolk Butterfly Recorder. We had many other marvellous experiences with artists, musicians and experts, but also just as a group, walking, looking and talking together.

The initial project was coordinated by Tod Sullivan, and we worked closely throughout with artist Ian Brownlie. Filmmaker Julian Claxton directed ‘The Return of Happy Times’.

With thanks to our partners:

Burgh Castle Almanac :

Evaluation Report

We’re delighted to publish the final evaluation report of Burgh Castle Almanac, produced by Jane Willis of Willis Newson for ourselves and the Broads Authority.

“If it hadn’t been for Burgh Castle Almanac, I don’t think I would have been here now.”

From the Evaluation Report

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