Wonderful Worksop: There’s more going on in Worksop than you might think!
September was a good month for Worksop. Not necessarily in the way that makes the national news, but in the way that matters when you live somewhere. There seemed to be a steady stream of things bringing people together, getting people out and about, and reminding us that there is rather more going on in Worksop than we sometimes give it credit for.
September brought Worksop’s community together
One of the things that caught our attention was the return of the Nottinghamshire Police family fun day at Bracebridge Recreation Ground. Hundreds of people turned up in September to see police dogs in action, have a look inside police vehicles, meet some of the specialist teams and let the children get involved. There were drones, forensic activities, police cadets and plenty of opportunities for people to actually meet the officers who work in the area.
It sounds like a fairly simple community event, but these things have a value beyond giving families something to do on a Saturday afternoon. It gets people talking to one another, gives children a different experience and makes the organisations that are part of the town feel a little more accessible.
September also brought Heritage Open Days, which is something Worksop is particularly well placed for. The canal walk organised through Mr Straw’s House took people along the towpath and into some of the history of the town, while Mr Straw’s House itself opened its doors as part of the national celebration.
There is something quite nice about being able to walk through a place you think you know and discover that there are stories underneath it that you have never really noticed.
And then there was the Clumber Park Memory Walk, where people came together to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society and to remember people affected by dementia. It was one of those events that manages to be both enjoyable and quite poignant, with people walking together through one of the area’s most beautiful settings for a cause that touches an awful lot of families.
You could probably argue that none of these things, on their own, says very much about Worksop. Put them together, though, and they start to tell a story about a town.
And the story isn’t just about what’s happening in September. It carries on into October.
And October is already looking busy
Worksop Library recently held its ninth Fun Palace, a free event bringing together local organisations, community groups and businesses for a day of crafts, science, music and activities. There was a little bit of everything, from sensory play and nature activities to coding and robotics, with the UK Atomic Energy Authority bringing along a robot dog and giant plasma ball. There was even a walkabout theatre involving two curious aliens!
You don’t necessarily think of a library as the place where you are going to find robotics, science demonstrations, music, crafts and community organisations all in the same room. But that is exactly what happened at Worksop Library.
And there are more ordinary things happening too. At St John’s Church in Worksop on 8th October, there were craft activities, a drop-in support group and a sanctuary drop-in, alongside the usual activities of the church.
Over at Mr Straw’s House, October brings The Big Draw, with visitors’ drawings of the house being collected and displayed throughout the month.
There is also plenty going on for people who simply want a night out. Worksop’s Savoy Cinema has a programme of films and filmed theatre and opera, while Dukeries Live continues to put on live music, with more gigs planned through October and beyond.
The everyday things that make a town
Sometimes we are guilty of thinking that somewhere has to have a major new attraction, a huge investment project or some spectacular event before we can say that things are going well. But a town is really made up of the everyday stuff.
There are obviously challenges, as there are in any town, and there is no point pretending otherwise. But sometimes the negative stories become so familiar that we stop noticing everything else. So perhaps September was a useful reminder and October seems to be carrying on in much the same way.
There are people in Worksop organising things, making things, helping people, putting on events and finding reasons to get together. You don’t have to look very hard to find it.
Worksop doesn’t always shout about itself. And if you take a little time to look around, there is actually quite a lot to like.