Towards the end of last year, I collaborated with a group of talented students from Kingston University to tell the Wimblecomm story and show how our charity (Wimbledon Community Association) connects people, places, and passions across the borough of Merton.
As part of the university’s Broadening Horizons scheme, the project focused on local regeneration and gave me the opportunity to show how Wimblecomm uses the digital space to connect the Merton community. With a range of ideas and an extensive list of people, organisations, and communities that I wanted to feature, I left the creation of the video in the capable hands of Mei, Gaia, and Sumayyah who worked tirelessly to bring everything together and create the charity’s first official video.
The biggest challenge of the project was easily time, but the professionalism of the students was evident at each stage of the process, and I commend Sawyer and the Kingston University Careers and Employability Service for matching us with such fantastic students. As well as connecting people in Merton, this project connected 3 students who had never met before, and really embodied our charity’s vision. Working on this project was one of my 2020 highlights, and something that helped me fulfil my purpose in my role at the charity.
In 2021, as we work to grow our small team, we will be celebrating the charity’s 75th Anniversary and will continue to focus on connecting people, places, and passions across Merton, giving more of the community a chance to share their stories. Watch our video below to learn about our charity’s past and present and discover the many ways that you can be involved in our future with Wimblecomm.
I’d also like to extend a special thanks to the following people and community organisations that agreed to feature and share a piece of their story.
- David Hall, Chair of Trustees at Wimbledon Community Association (WCA)
- Peter Walder, Founder and Chief Executive of Colour House Theatre
- Shernette May, Director at Sherwood Park Hall CIC
- John Merriman, Film Merton Leader, Chair of Merton Chamber of Commerce, Director of Crown Lane Studio and Metronome Life
- Wimbledon BookFest
- Wimbledon Guild
Written by Genevieve Etienne-Farrell
