Students create Burrator Alive with History book

City College Plymouth’s, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) students have been creating a book as part of an innovative social enterprise project.

‘Burrator Alive with History’, which launched on Wednesday 2 July, is a 60-page booklet created by the students. Together with their lecturer, Sarah Waters, they have researched, illustrated and taken photographs of sites found around Burrator Reservoir.

The idea for the booklet was inspired by Melody Hossaini’s International bootcamp InspirEngage, which she delivered at the College last year, as well as weekly visits to Dartmoor to carry out conservation work with the South West Lakes Trust’s (SWLT) Burrator Historic and Natural Environment Project. Melody was a candidate on the BBC’s The Apprentice 2011 and is founder of the social enterprise organisation, InspirEngage.

In order to achieve their aim, the students formed a new social enterprise company, ESOL New Frontiers – with the assistance of the College’s Employability and Enterprise Manager, Mike Jones, who secured funding for the project from UnLtd UK.

Sarah Waters, said: “Eleven students from the ESOL 16-19 Foundation Programme have been involved with the project. Their aim was to challenge the young at heart to explore and enjoy the beauty and amazing history of this special part of Dartmoor.

“The booklet has taken six months to produce and it is hoped that its launch, timed to coincide with the opening day of the new Burrator Discovery Centre on Sunday 6 July, will have be an inspiration for all to explore the area.

“The book could not have been created without the dedication and support of many people including the SWLT’s Heritage Officer and volunteers, and many experts in the fields of history, archaeology and geology who have kindly contributed time and knowledge to the project.”

Emily Cannon, Heritage Officer at SWLT, said: “During the initial development phase of the Burrator funding application, we carried out a programme of community consultation with regular site visitors and new audiences. A key area identified was a lack of knowledge of the reservoir area and its wealth of heritage - people expressed a keen interest in having a means to enable them to explore the area in an exciting way, which I feel this book will achieve immediately.

“I would just like to say a massive thank you to ESOL New Frontiers for all their hard work and enthusiasm despite the many wet and stormy days we had earlier this year!”

‘Burrator Alive with History’ can be purchased from the Burrator Discovery Centre.

For more information about the range of courses on offer at City College Plymouth, visit www.cityplym.ac.uk or call 01752 305300.