It's a serious mistake to think that the terrible foot and mouth disease epidemic which devastated rural communities in 2001 has been and gone and is being forgotten. Farms may have been re-stocked and others sold, more people are seeking locally-produced meat at new farmers' markets, rural tourism is recovering, there have been number of public inquiries, and Cumbria has become a Rural Action Zone in the aftermath of foot and mouth disease (FMD). However, it is far from over.

Irthrington School -drawing in slip (on dinner table) of sheep in pyre (these, and other "bad" images were later rubbed out before children went on to make clay flowers) Artist: Jan Merry

Contrary to popular belief, foot & mouth does affect humans: not with blisters and sores, but by affecting their emotions, mental health, livelihoods, ways of life and ways of living in the countryside in the 21st century. Farming, tourism and rural businesses are recovering, but as the Cumbria Foot & Mouth Inquiry report plainly states: "…we have genuine concerns that there are deeper societal effects that may be difficult to address." This conclusion is partly based on the initial findings of a study into the health and social effects of FMD by Lancaster University's Institute of Health Research. But Cumbria's Director of Public Health Medicine is also on record as saying that there were - and remain - problems of "emotional, social and mental health."

One of the areas of Cumbria worst affected by FMD was the Eden District - the most sparsely populated in England - where the tail of the epidemic lingered on in what became known as "the Penrith Spur." Small rural communities were in deep distress: the sights, sounds and fears brought in the wake of FMD certainly were horrific - not to mention the unforgettable, disgusting smell of the innumerable pyres piled high with dead animals. These things were almost unbearable for those directly involved in the front line, the farming families themselves, but to a degree were felt by everyone living and working in the countryside. During the FMD crisis many people experienced long periods of enormous stress, as a result of which there are ongoing health, financial and social problems - and children are not immune from these effects.

Just before Easter in 2001, at the height of the crisis, Eden Arts was approached by an Eden valley primary school requesting an artist to work with staff, children and the local community on a project in an effort to articulate and express anxieties in a creative and positive way. There was obviously a need to be met, and Eden Arts immediately set about obtaining funding from the Cumbria Community Recovery Fund for artist residencies in six schools in the worst affected areas. Based in Penrith, Eden Arts has a strong track record in arts development projects involving education, health and social inclusion in partnership with other voluntary groups and external agencies. The artists for the FMD project were very carefully selected; the main criteria were that they had experience of working in education or healthcare settings, and had connections with farming.

The project soon came to the notice of Alan James of Cumbria LEA's Healthy Schools initiative. He was already concerned about the emotional health and well-being of children and staff at primary schools in communities hardest hit by FMD, especially since part of the National Healthy School Standard (NHSS) aims to provide practical support to schools in creating a safe environment and in building self esteem and emotional well-being for pupils and staff. The Eden Arts project was perceived as a good model on which to base a county-wide project, and a multi-agency steering group was set up led by Cumbria Healthy Schools, with Eden Arts as project manager, and including representatives from the arts and from farming, along with education and health professionals. A successful arts lottery application through Northern Arts and a substantial grant from the Northern Rock Foundation, with additional funding from numerous other charitable trusts and district councils, have now made it possible to roll out the project to over 30 schools in rural Cumbria.

Schools were identified with reference to the DEFRA map of confirmed cases of FMD, and approached by letter. Those involved - schools from the Eden valley, Wigton and Carlisle areas and around Ulverston in south Cumbria - were given a wide choice of art form areas, and were then matched with an appropriate artist. At planning meetings with the artists both parties signed up to a contract covering agreed aims, objectives, responsibilities and timetable. The total time allocation was one day's planning and preparation, four days work with the children and further time for INSET for teachers, sessions with the local community and post-project de-briefing.

Over 20 artists - writers, dancers, potters, painters, sculptors, musicians - have worked in these schools, responding to issues identified by staff and giving pupils, teachers and the wider community opportunities to express themselves, and enjoy a memorable uplifting experience. The vast majority of schools opted for visual arts projects - because there was a "product" - preferably something permanent. The range of visual arts work was eclectic - curtains printed with bright dancing animals and people; felt-making using fleece from local sheep to make a "before and after FMD" banner, and pictures depicting local places and community; wood carving including a seat covered in 'mini-beasts' at one school and a commemorative "totem pole" in another.

The creative writing residencies at Appleby in the Eden valley and at Great Orton - notoriously the village of the vast animal burial site - were particularly successful producing moving and often very powerful work:

PLAGUE 2001
Black.
A tunnel,
A fire-face, mouth open;
Sharp, poisoned teeth.
It roars, a fire-breathing dragon,
Over the dark, gleaming fells, Over the river Eden,
Swooping past the school,
Bubbling through waterfalls
Like an underwater volcano,
Like a whale, blowing,
Exploding death,
Forcing through huge train tunnels -
Touching everyone.

Group work: Class 8
Appleby Primary School

Evaluation of the project is now complete. The residencies have provided benefits for all participants. Participants and artists have learned new skills, children have been able to view FMD issues constructively and look forward to the future, and artists felt they were able to make their own contribution to community recovery. Some of the children's comments on the evaluation forms really sum up the experience for the majority of schools:

"It was cool working with such a talented artist; it was fun!"

"She let us make whatever we wanted without limits."

"I don't mind telling you about what happened."

"When are you coming back?" and, from Appleby: "I like being a sheep!"

In total 25 artists spent over 120 days in schools, 1578 children had the chance to work on creative projects and 108 teachers took part in training. No mean feat by anyone's standards.

Milburn School: tile panel depicting the school, countryside and local people. Artist: Roam Short

Where do we go from here? Well, obviously some schools now have permanent artworks to enhance their environment - but there is also an invisible legacy left to all schools in the form of the skills the artists have passed on to teachers. The evaluation report will outline the lessons learned by all concerned, and should itself provide a useful resource for arts, education and health projects for the future. Finally, a website is being developed for the children to share the work they have done via an on-line gallery and chat room, and indeed for them to make links with other schools and develop future arts projects in their new on-line community.

Contact:
Sue Allan,
Eden Arts
Tel: 01768 899444
e-mail: edenarts@aol.com
www.edenarts.co.uk