Workshop History
1977-79
Judy Harrison became the first fellow in photography at the former Photographic Gallery now the John Hansard Gallery at Southampton University.
Working with an number Southampton Schools (including Mount Pleasant Junior School) and using a darkroom at La Sainte Union teacher training college now New College, University of Southampton
1979-82
MW given a large former Victorian washroom within Mount Pleasant Middle School (now the Junior School) Newtown, Southampton enabling us to operate from a permanently equipped darkroom.
The project is now managed by Southampton Council for Racial Equality. Now known as Mount Pleasant Photography Workshop with the help of funding from Calouste Gulbenkian foundation, the Arts Council of Great Britain, Hampshire County Council who gave an Urban Aid grant
1983
Workshop separated from Southampton Council for Racial Equality to establish its own independent identity, setting up its own management committee.
Committee: M.Saunders, B.Davis, S. Smith, B.Panesar, J.kooner, A. Melville, M. Tank, H. Lakhpuri, J.Singh Rathore, R.Braun, S.Gillings and D.John
September: The Photography Club set up 6.30-8pm Wednesdays run with the support of Jerry Rathor.
Minutes from Committee meeting held on 2nd March 1983 one of the first to be held by MPPW
1984
STEP FORWARD news journal started with 2nd edition selling 460 copies. Judy Harrison hours increased to 28 per week. Workshop takes over upstairs home languages room at MPJS.
ILFORD donate print drier and run an article on the workshop in their in-house magazine.
Committee: Martin Saunders, Barry Davis, Steph Smith, Nidhish Sodha, Harjab Sigh Lakhpuri, Naoni Hitchens, Mike Dukes, Vinod Desai, Jharmal Singh Rathor, Jharman Kooner, Manju Tank, Aqbal Singh Landa, Sucha Singh Digwa and Jatinderjit Singh Birk
New enlarger bought at a cost of £320.
Photo Club member Lakhbir Singh wins runner up for his age in family section of Daily Mirror younger photographer award.
Photo Club Night moved to Thurdays 7-9pm
1985
Committee: M.Saunders, H.S.Mudher, J.L.Fabling, D.Ellis, B.Davies, L.Folkes, M.Dukes, J.S.Landa, N.Sodha, A.Ward, J.S.Rathore, Mrs.K.Rathore, S.K.Rathore, G.K.Landa, L.S.Rathore, D.S.Roath, Tommy Sidhu and N.Landa.
Workshop now employs assistant Anita Sood to support Judy and working on Photo Club nights.
Joint event MY DAUGHTER MIND run with SOUTHAMPTON ART GALLERY. Lunchtime Photography classes for Mount Pleasant Middle school staff.
Improvement to the Darkroom takes place.
STEP FORWARD issues 5 and 6 out
1986
STEP FORWARD 6 and 7 out , now given out FREE with a print run of 1000 includes article about the improvements to KINGSLAND MARKET.
Middle school pupils with the help of the Workshop in prize for NUCLEAR FREE ZONE peace poster.
Caribbean People Exhibition is shown at Workshop AGM, Caribbean Festival at Hoglands Park, World Archaeological Conference Guild Hall.
APNA Photo Group later to also be know as the women’s group (Friday afternoons) started with the help of Mr. Pandya’s MPMS Home Liason with nine mothers coming to the first meeting with work starting on dual language story sacks.
Telephone extension is installed in the darkroom.
1987
Committee: Brian Willis, George Ping, Harbans Mudher, Martin Saunders, Aqbal Singh Landa, Usha Bhovan, Kamla Kaur Rathore, Angela Edwards, Kerwin Rodgers, Jharmal Singh Rathor, waseem Darr, Agnieszka ward, Ses Wilson, David Singh Roath, Meenakshi Purohit, Lakhbir Singh Rathor.
Judy’s title changed to Photographic Director and her hours increased to 32 per week.
Meenakshi Purohit and Avtar Singh Bassi complete WHERE DO YOU PLAY? a survey & photo story carried out in the Newtown area of Southampton.
Girls only group started Thursdays 4.30-6.15pm.
STEP FORWARD issues 9 and 10 out
1988
Committee: Brian Willis, George Ping, Harbans Mudher, Martin Saunders, Asha Kaur Rathore, David Ellis, Kamla Kaur Rathore, Angela Edwards, Satvir Singh Potiwal, Brenda Pugh, Adnan Chowdry, Rachel Brett, Ann Walker, David Singh Roath, Meenakshi Purohit, Upkar Singh Potiwal.
Workshop has 10th birthday party on 4th March 1988 with Clive Webster (now
Executive Director of Children’s Services and Learning, Southampton City Council) agreeing to read some of his poems.
Judy Harrison goes on maternity and Deidre McGale is employed to cover for her.
AGM this year included music by KALYUG and an exhibition & talk from Eddie Chambers “combating Racism Through Art”
STEP FORWARD issue 11 out
1989
Committe: Clive Webster, David Singh Roath, Kamla Kaur Rathore, Angela Edwards, Satvinder Sigh Rai, Martin Saunders, Asha Kaur Rathore, Ginny Levett, Adnan Chaudry, Kaleen Anwar, Avtar Bassi, Brenda Pugh, Satvir Singh Potiwal, Guljar Singh Potiwal. Harbans Singh Mudher, Habob Brora, Upkar Singh Potiwal and Pritpal Kaur Potiwal
Judy back from maternity. Urban Aid funding finishes to be replaced by grant from Hampshire County Council.
APNA Women’ group now has a Creche with paid workers. Girls Group now on Friday’s 4-6pm run by Deidre McGale on a sessional basis.
April 1989 Martin Reid employed as part time Photographer. May 1989 Anita Sood leaves to be replaced by Deidre McGale.
A new group is started called 16+ a photographic group for adult every Monday night later to move to a Wednesday.
At the Committee meeting held on 13th December 1989 a discuss was held about getting shared premises with ART ASIA.
STEP FORWARD issue 12 out
1990
Committee: Kamla Kaur Rathore, David Singh Roath, Narinder Chahal, Asha Kaur Rathor, Ginny Levett, Kaleem Anwar, D. Sunder, Avtar Kaur Bassi, Angela Edwards. Lakhbir Singh Rathor, John Noon, Jane Wincott, Narinderpal Kaur Rathor, Ian Howell and Ranthir Sigh Rathore.
Photographs taken by workshop participants form part of the FABLED TERRITORIES first Asia photographic exhibition in Leeds & then exhibition comes to Southampton.
Southern Arts inform Workshop they will be moved from revenue funding to project funding. This starts a long campaign to retain this funding.
Bhatra Sikh oral history project started.
AGM this year feature Bhangra by Jawaani-Kishan Bhangra and the screening of Gurinder Chanda’s film I’M BRITISH BUT…
Deidre McGale leaves the Workshop to take up a new post at CameraWorks London.
1991
Assistant Photographers post scraped to be replaced by two posts; Admin Worker Pauline Bray and Sessional worker to support Girl’s and Youth Groups Meenakshi Uppal.
Workshop no longer gets revenue funding from Southern Arts, work starts on making up the shortfall.
Martin Reid hours increase to 22 per week. Workshop starts to offer silk screen printing. Asian Lanuages slide tape complete.
Workshop buys its first computer an Amstrad 9512 with a grant of £650.
STEP FORWARD issue 14 out
1992
Workshop has a name change we will be now known as MOUNT PLEASANT MEDIA WORKSHOP. A new logo is design by Total Coverage.
Committee: David Singh Roath, Kamla Kaur Rathore, Asha Kaur Rathor, Ginny Levett, Tim Kelly, Angela Edwards, Avtar Singh Bassi, Liz Filer, Angela Glenn, Nosa Malcolm, Bobby Rhoad and Satpal Singh.
Southampton City Council increase Workshop’s funding in the light on Southern Arts cut.
Judy Harrison leaves the Workshop. Pauline Bray leaves.
HER THREAD OF TIME booklet produced by the Girl’s Group produced instead of STEP FORWARD.
Workshop interviews for a new Director but are unable to appoint anyone.
In June with the support of Consultant Wyn Rees we decide to change Martin’s job title to Community Photographer and employ a co-worker and an Admin worker. Working towards the Community Photographers being full time, offer training within the community, develop a structured education program and to move the focus of the Workshop’s activities from the ongoing weekly workshop to project work. Meetings would be set up to “drum up business” with the community.
Sharan Dass is employed as second Community Photographer and Anita Langham as Admin/Finance worker.
Upstairs Office is decorated and a carpet laid.
We have a choice to purchase a computer to support our creative project work; APPLE MAC or and IBM PC. We go for a APPLE MAC Classic II at £2000!
1993
Committee: David Singh, Jaha Are Hussian, Ginny Levett, Tim Kelly, Sukhdev Singh Rathore, Joyce Parker, Bobby Singh Rhoad , Lesley Clifton and Flornis Khan.
Anita Langham leaves. Richard Abbott works on marketing on a voluntary basis.
Workshop starts getting help on its first development plan from Janice Bell, IBM through Business in the Arts South.
MPMW incorporates as a limited company, Jane Feerick new Admin/Finance worker, MPMW is successful in gaining project funding from Southern Arts again for Hand Bag project with Northam Community Centre run by Artist Christine Wilkinson.
Exhibition on local area produced for NRA (Neighbourhood Renewal Area)
STEP FORWARD issue 15 out
1994
Directors: Tim Kelly, Az Rehman, Mar Mateo, Ginny Levett, Janel Sloan, Talib McGaw and Joyce Parker
Community Photographer job title changed to Project Coordinator
MPMW get charitable status.
STEP FORWARD now has a 4000 print run containing articles on community based activities it is delivered through letter boxes in Kingsland, Northam, Newtown/Nicholstown and St.Mary’s.
Article on MPMW appears in MAILOUT magazine.
We start to hold regular Director development days, first one to be held is on Saturday 15th October 1994
1995
Open Access Sessions replace the 16+ these are now on Tuesdays 1-9pm. We stop running the Thursday night Youth Group and Friday Girls Group to focus on working with established youth groups and centres on project work on an outreach basis.
We invest in more APPLE MAC computers and start running regular training courses.
MPMW education work with schools is included in the Arts Councils PICTURE MY WORLD book.
As part of work on our second development plan we embark on a fact finding mission visiting similar projects throughout the country. STEP FORWARD issue 17 out
1996
We run successful Photographic Festival with the hub being a photo-booth installation in Southampton Art Gallery. We also have a item on Meridian news!
Workshop and City Eye work on a joint idea of a Media Cantre which could get funding from the new SRB in the area.
We receive a £2000 increase in revenue from Southampton City Council to increase Project Coordinator’s hours to 28 each.
We start discussions with Mount Pleasant Junior School about moving to another part of the school.
We are successful in gaining a grant of £8,400 from the Sports and Arts Foundation to invest in equipment for our Media Suite.
The Workshop gets a dail-up Internet connection with CompuServe at £6.50 per month!
We launch our first Web Site.
Sharan Dass leaves the Workshop. Andrew Ball is taken on as a sessional worker for Open Access sessions
1997
Southampton is now a Unitary Authority we get £36,150 from them, we no longer receive funding from Hampshire County Council.
LEAP FORWARD (AKA STEP FORWARD 19) a document to support our bid for new premises is produced
June 1997 Caroline Rackham is employed in the new post of Photography & Media Co-ordinator 20 per week. Martin Reid go to full time hours
Photropolis festival.
Southampton FC Young supports photo project
Receive £1000 grant from Royal Institution of Architects to employ Robert Chambers to carry out a feasibility for our move to the front of the school.
We place a joint bid with Southampton Institute to Southern Arts and Arts Council England for funding for a media research project called PATHWAYS.
Meeting with City Eye re. joint Media Centre take place
1998
Directors: Ginny Levett, Tim Kelly, Mar Baldwin, Joyce Parker, Vicky Griffiths
Last STEP FORWARD, this issue is delivered to every home in St.Mary’s Kingsland, St.Deny’s, Northam and Newtown/Nicholstown.
On the Margin project with Solent People Theatre.
MW runs Still Life Festival photo festival.
We decided not to continue with joint Media Centre idea with City Eye.
We fail to secure funding from Arts Council for PATHWAYS project, but we go ahead with Southern Art’s £2000.
1999
Directors: Ginny Levett, Coreen Forbes, Mar Baldwin, Joyce Parker, Ajmer Khaira
As part of a broad range of cuts we receive notice from SCC that we may get £2,500 cut in our grant for 99/00. In the end this turns out to be only £300
SCC carry out a feasibility for possible move to front of school.
We revamp our Web Site now with our own domain name mpmw.co.uk
2000
We get a grant from the Lloyds TSB Foundation for equipment for the SOTONWEB project.
We get involved in the SCAN consortium.
We start to send out 6 monthly newsletters focusing on our project work, courses and events.
2001
Work starts on the refurbishment of our new premises.
We start to implement 2001-03 development plan TOUCHING THE HORIZON
September 2001 we move into and new refurbished premises at the front of Mount Pleasant Junior School.
2002
Caroline Rackham hours increase to 28 per week.
MPMW loose £6000 in revenue funding as part of a broad range of cut backs made by Southampton City Council.
DigiGenic events take place in June/July to celebration our new premises including The Great MPMW We-like-a-bit-of-a-laugh-party
We start offering FREE courses in Digial Imaging, Web Site design and desktop publishing to Southampton based community groups and charities.
2003
Caroline Rackham hours increase to full time.
Jane leaves but continues to work freelance on the finance “remotely”
This Way Up Festival take place with an exhibition at St.Mary’s Church
We are successful in getting RALP (Regional Arts Lottery Program) for the production of the Pathways Clicketly Click Web site and a large format printer.
2004
Win an 5 star award for Clicketyclick website from Schoolzone.
Work with Solent People Theatre, City Eye and NSPCC on Positive conflict project. Other projects this year include Anansi stories with Black Heritage and the Mela Kites project.
2005
Project Coordinators reduce their hours to part time Caroline to 24 and Martin to 30. Karen Barber is taken on as Admin worker at 8 hours per week and Anna Vickers as Project Coordinator 12 hours per week and Darkroom Coordinator 6 hours per week.
2006
Re-jig in staffing hours Martin Reid 30hrs, Caroline to 24hrs, Anna Vickers 21hrs and Karen Bleakley now 5hrs on a freelance basis.
MW involved in a number of larger projects including Weston Shore. We carry out a number of projects for Creative Partnerships, HELLO 2, New Communities CD, Weston Youth Group, AWAAZ and Unit for Hearing Impaired.
2007
The Media Workshop complete its largest project ever, Weston Tower photo murals.
2008
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