Dover’s historic Maison Dieu (Dover Town Hall) were involved in a BBC Bitesize Roadshow event at the Goodwin Academy, Deal on Tues 7 Nov as part of a UK-wide schools tour, which includes visits to 125,000 secondary school students in a bid to inspire young people on their futures. Over 700 young people aged 13-18, attended the event.

Martin Crowther, Maison Dieu Engagement Officer, took part as a panellist at the school, which also welcomed Roger Simpson, News Director at BBC News, who’s been in the chair for some of the top breaking news stories of the last few years, from Brexit and the Covid Pandemic to the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Also sharing the story of her career was Barham-based fashion designer Dulcima Showan, who specialises in creating bespoke wedding dresses from upcycled fabrics. Music fans may also remember her from folk duo Dulcima, who reached the UK final to be the UK’s Eurovision entry in 2016.

Martin shared a presentation on Maison Dieu engagement, highlighting work-placement opportunities for students and an exciting youth photography project with the Positive View Foundation.

He then chatted about his career path and current job, as well as introducing the roles of creative people engaged on the Re-awakening the Maison Dieu project - from curators, architects and designers, to artists and conservators.

Projects to inspire young people and make heritage accessible to new audiences were also touched upon, including Canterbury Christ Church University's Medieval Animals Heritage project, working creatively with SEND families across Kent.  

The panel fielded questions from an enthusiastic audience, who first had to catch a rugby-ball shaped microphone! These varied from How do you get into your career? and What’s your average day like? to What’s the scariest thing you’ve ever come across? A mummified head was the answer to the last question… though in a previous heritage job, not at the Maison Dieu!

Helen Foulkes, Head of BBC Education and Newsround commented:

“The Bitesize Schools Tour provides an opportunity to change a young person’s life by opening their eyes to local careers they may never have thought possible or existed.”

The Maison Dieu’s commitment to showcasing job opportunities for young people in heritage, creative careers and the arts, continues on Friday 26 Jan 2024 with a Creative Careers Café event for Dover secondary schools, in partnership with Artswork and EKC Dover College. Interested teachers should contact martin.crowther@dover.gov.uk