About Wiltshire Centre for Independent Living
By Zoe Millington
Wiltshire Centre for Independent Living was set up in 2005 by a group of disabled people to support disabled people living in Wiltshire to have choice and control to live independent lives. Our vision is for all disabled people to be able to live independently through individual choice, control and equal rights. Our mission is to provide the support required to achieve this.
The Wiltshire Centre for Independent Living group have kindly given permission for us to share their images and artworks created created as part of these sessions.
"I was very comfortable to not have my video on today due to being a little under the weather. In fact I am only dressed in my pyjamas and am resting on my bed so the fact that I could still take part was immensely satisfying! I very much enjoyed sharing my own precious object and appreciated the objects and related stories of everyone else's precious objects."
"I loved interacting and hearing other's stories."
"It was nice to chat to other people."
"Further connection with all who are taking part. A better understanding of individuals. I learned somethings that I didn't know before."
"It is not easy to choose just one object to portray myself but in the end I chose something that I am both proud of and feel privileged to have."
"At first I thought the task would be daunting.... how could I choose from all of the things that I possess ! However, when I got down to the task I was far more discerning than I thought I would be and ended up being very happy with my choice."
"I think that this kind of 'get together' could be extremely beneficial for many different types of groups, both those who can't get out and those who choose not to go out. I think more of these groups should be set up to help individuals with anxiety, mental health difficulties, etc.. I noted how the, perhaps most shy person of our group, was able to be 'brought out' to be more confident with their verbal interaction."
The Wiltshire Centre for Independent Living group have selected two objects from our archives to go into this online museum. Please do explore the objects below, we hope you enjoy them.
A toffee tin produced by Hoadley’s of Melbourne, recovered from the backfill of the junction of four First World War practice trenches at Larkhill. Abel Hoadley opened a jam factory in Melbourne in 1889 and by 1894 was selling a range of jam, sauces and confectionary. Hoadley’s first advertised toffees in 1912, and it is entirely possible that this tin of toffees was bought to England by one of the many Australian soldiers who came to Larkhill to train before being sent to France. Abel Hoadley died in 1918, and the Hoadley company continued; being acquired by Rowntree’s in 1970 and Nestlé in 1988.
18th century crotal bell, made at the Robert Wells Foundry in Aldbourne, Wiltshire. Robert Wells was born in 1725, and founded the Wells foundry in 1755. The foundry was in operation under Robert, and later his sons Robert and James, until 1825, when sadly the business went bankrupt. Smaller versions of this bell would have been worn by horses and oxen, but a bell of this size is more likely to have been mounted on a cart or wagon, and would have helped to warn other road users of its approach. As well as producing 30 different sizes of crotal bell, the Wells foundry also produced church bells; an example of which, cast in 1792, still hangs at the church of St. John the Baptist in Pewsey.
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