PEOPLE in Sutton are turning into storytellers as part of a new arts project. Residents are being encouraged to share their stories and memories of the area as part of arts organisation ADeC s Sutton Grapevine initiative. ADeC, who were awarded a grant

PEOPLE in Sutton are turning into storytellers as part of a new arts project.

Residents are being encouraged to share their stories and memories of the area as part of arts organisation ADeC's Sutton Grapevine initiative.

ADeC, who were awarded a grant by the Arts Council for Sutton Grapevine, commissioned the artist group Proboscis to rove around the village, gathering stories in lots of different ways.

Digby Chacksfield, ADeC's arts development manager for communities, is pleased with the public's response to the project.

He said: "This has been a really good event, with lots of different activities taking place across the week. We have collected many weird and wonderful stories about Sutton. I particularly liked hearing how the fire brigade dealt with fires in the hot summer of '76."

He added: "Although the week of events has ended, people can still submit their stories, memories and experiences."

The project aims to discover how communities use online space and physical space and involves groups that might not normally interact and ADeC hopes other towns and villages will be inspired to start their own "grapevines".

Proboscis will be back in Sutton for Sutton Feast Week in July, with an exhibition and audio broadcasts at St Andrews Church.

For more information visit www.suttongrapevine.org.uk or www.adec.org.uk.

Pic cap; Artists Alice Angus and Karen Martin

Photo: HELEN DRAKE.