Heritage project welcomes new trio of budding leaders

Thu 29 August, 2024

A podcast host and film director have been named among the second cohort of the University of Bedfordshire’s Heritage Future Elevators project, which aims to celebrate and preserve a diverse range of heritage stories.

The Luton-based practitioners - Samia Aziz, Jessica Bignall, and Niyadre Taylor – will work on a wide range of projects including a podcast giving a platform to under-represented authors; a scheme to instil a sense of belonging in migrant children arriving in Luton; and a focus on the impact of the Windrush generation.

The Heritage Futures Elevators project will give the trio the opportunity to build on their pre-existing heritage activity to strengthen their skills and reach a wider audience. The six-month programme also provides a £2,500 grant, mentoring support, and opportunities to lead training for fellow practitioners and local educators.

Led by the University’s Culture & Community Engagement Team – supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and working in partnership with the University of Northampton – the project aims to develop new partnerships and strengthen existing collaborations across the heritage, cultural, and education sectors in the region.

Jitty Marwaha, Project Officer at the University of Bedfordshire, said: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome our second Heritage Futures Elevator cohort. With such a focused trio, I am looking forward to supporting them to develop their projects and the impact they will have in the communities of Luton and beyond. We would also like to extend a big thank you to The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery players for enabling such exciting projects to take place.”

To learn more about the programme, you can get in touch by emailing the team at: culture@beds.ac.uk

Click on each of the names below to find out more...

Samia is the creator and host of the podcast, The Diverse Bookshelf. On the show, she interviews authors
from under-represented communities, exploring a range of issues including identity, belonging, history, racism and storytelling. Samia shares book reviews and commentary on her Instagram blog, Read with Samia, and is dedicated to promoting diversity and positive representation in literature and the publishing industry. Samia also works as a communications consultant in the charity sector in a freelance capacity.

Representing Mary Seacole Housing Association, with a project titled ‘Culturally Sensitive Welcome Pack’, which develops welcome boxes to be given to migrant children as a welcome to Luton. This project is designed to raise awareness and welcome young migrant children to our town. Working with local schools delivering workshops to young people, raising awareness of the children’s heritage that are migrating to Luton and supporting them to write letters and poems to be part of the welcome packs. Jessica is eager to explore new opportunities and contribute to the community in meaningful ways with a deep-seated appreciation for the stories, traditions, and artifacts that connect us to our past.

Niyadre is a music video and creative director based in Luton. His work captures the essence of lyrics and sound through powerful symbolism and picturesque imagery, often achieved with the nostalgic and textured qualities of 16mm film, his preferred medium. The self-taught director has gained recognition for his work with Myles Smith, which has amassed millions views since its release, and for his continued art direction with R&B artists such as BINA. and Raelle. Recently, Niya was commissioned by the BFI for his first mainstream short film, 75RUSH, marking a significant milestone in his promising career. With this focus on the Windrush generation, along with subsequent generations, Niyadre is keen to explore this heritage and what it means to those in Luton.