We're very proud of the work we've undertaken with schools and communities, which range from a 7 month heritage project at Ludlow castle, to a short project aimed at encouraging pupils not to bully. Please see below a few highlights from these projects:

Castle Connexions

"I thought the film was very professional and evidence of the progress all the students made during their time with you. Their confidence and enjoyment shines!" - Sue Byatt, Deputy Head Teacher, Ludlow Secondary School

Castle Connexions was a youth project aimed at bringing the history of Ludlow Castle to life through theatre, creating an awareness amongst local youngsters of the heritage on their doorstep.

Appletree Theatre, in partnership with Heritage Lottery Fund & Shropshire Council, devised this unique project, which saw the youngsters taking on all the activities within the project including:

- researching historical facts at the county archives
- working with a professional writer to create scripts
- designing an exhibition to promote & market the project
- performing outdoor theatre at the Castle
- filming & editing

Check out the short "movie trailer", showing you highlights of the Castle Connexions project" - just click on it to start playing...

"Thank you for letting my son be apart of your Castle Connection Team. I know he really enjoyed it and got alot out of the time with you all." - a proud Mum

Wellington Workhouse Project

“A thoroughly enjoyable & worthwhile project - Apley Wood Primary School

This drama and film project saw Appletree working with a number of local schools in the Telford & Wrekin area to recreate the lives and experiences of children who lived in a Victorian Workhouse. In partnership with Shropshire Archives, Appletree worked over a 3 month period with 2 x primary schools and a secondary school, on a project that centred around an old Workhouse building, which is now the Wellington Public Library.

This involved helping pupils create characters and situations through drama workshops, enabling them to vividly enact just how different the lives of children in a workhouse were to their own lives today. The project culminated in several public performances, both in school and on location at the "Workhouse", as well as the production of a DVD which was shown at several public buildings around the area, as a showcase for the pupils work.

Working with Appletree achieved everything I hoped we would in getting over the ideas and engaging the children thoroughly in real history. I love the way the film has been edited, and you've both been really flexible in your approach to the whole project - I know it wouldn't have worked without that. The most important thing is that the children were able to create their own drama - you went entirely with their ideas, while Jules had done all of the research work to make sure the underlying facts didn't stray too far from reality.  I realise I was asking a lot to have so many children work and be filmed on location, but they've all been so engaged in the process, particularly in the film making that there was no risk of them behaving in any way which might have prevented that. I'm sure they'll all remember the project, and we have a great product to use with our resources in the future - thanks for everything."
Liz Young- Education Officer (TCZ & FYT projects, Shropshire Archives, Shropshire Council)

You can view the DVD by clicking on the You Tube link below: