Tyneside communities' regeneration photos get national viewing

The charity Church Action on Poverty (CAP) has been working with the Tyneside communities of Walker, Rekendyke, Teams, Meadow Well, Benwell and Scotswood to tell their own stories about regeneration in an exhibition called Images for Change.

The pictures will then go on to be exhibited at the national CAP conference in Gateshead on 10 November, which is attracting local politicians, regeneration officers and academics.

The communities were given digital and disposable cameras as part of Images for Change, a CAP initiative, which aims to identify key issues and aspirations of communities affected by regeneration. They were encouraged to record their own and their families' experiences of regeneration and its effect on the community.

Some residents have also supplied their own black and white pictures of pre-war and post-war community life. Many of these families have lived in the areas for generations.

The national conference, 'Regeneration - Death or New Life for Communities', takes place on Saturday 10 November at the Gateshead Civic Centre.

CAP's Pat Devlin said: "While working with the communities for Images for Change, a shared story emerged and we worked with the communities to identify key themes within that story. The themes are jobs and training, young people, housing, community spirit and people power."

As well as telling the story of their own communities through their photographic exhibitions on 10 November, the communities will join together to make a joint presentation on these key themes.

Devlin added: "While some of these images show the negative impact of regeneration, there is also still a great sense of hope and optimism that comes through these photos and this is, above all, a celebration of the life of the communities.

"We are delighted to be given a national platform to give our Tyneside communities a voice."