VIPs

Our VIP group was born out of Escape Arts' 2014 project with Youth Volunteer Bill Jones, 70 Years On: D-Day Remembered. Bill interviewed twelve veterans for the project and produced a short film documenting their experiences. The film was incredibly well received in Stratford; Bill received a Pride of Stratford Award for his achievements and led to our veterans being awarded their Legion d'Honneur medals in a ceremony at Stratford Town Hall. Watch the film from the link below.

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Our VIP group was set up following this project so the group could continue to share their stories and memories and meet others who have their own memories to share. This group inspired the Old Slaughterhouse renovation project, as Escape Arts felt passionately that Stratford needed a place for local people to share their stories.

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As a part of our new project Inside Escape Arts, an insight into the various project run by Escape Arts, we want to start by celebrating our VIPs (Veterans and Interesting Pensioners), with our very own Phillip Sweet taking the microphone to tell us what is so important about this group of wonderful human beings.

As of March 2023, this project has been running for nearly 8 years and brings people to together to share memories, have fascinating conversations and giggles and, of course, enjoy some great food. This group is donation led.

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Further links:

70 Years On: D-Day Remembered

VIPs (Veterans and Interesting Pensioners) with Philip Sweet