News - 7/08/2009
Up Close Exhibition Extended
River Clyde Homes has today announced plans to extend it's 'Up Close' exhibition until the 12th September 2009 after its phenomenal success over the past 10 weeks.
The 'Up Close' exhibition opened in Greenock's Oak Mall in May and was due to close its doors today 6th August 2009, however RCH has decided to keep it open for a further five weeks due to the vast numbers of visitors continuing to attend each day.
Rhonda Whytock, from River Clyde Homes has regularly manned the exhibition, said: "The positive feed back on the exhibition and some of the stories we have heard from people coming along have been fantastic. We have had people crying and laughing at the memories the exhibition has brought back and there have been a lot of visitors returning time and time again."
Over the past 10 weeks Up Close has attracted over 10,000 visitors; a staggering 12.5 per cent of the population of Inverclyde.
The exhibition profiles the past, present and future of social housing in Inverclyde and recognises River Clyde Homes' six Real Community Heroes. Displays include video footage, photographs, memories, artefacts and material from school pupils on how past generations lived.
An education programme was also undertaken to spark the imagination of the area's younger generations and ensure this key audience not only learned more about how their relatives lived in the past but were given the opportunity to say how they want to live in the area in the future.
The extension will mean that school groups in the local area will have an added opportunity to attend the exhibition upon returning from summer holidays.
Roy Steele, chair of River Clyde Homes, said: "We are delighted that the exhibition has attracted such a massive number of visitors. Our key aim with 'Up Close' was to engage with tenants, the local community and I think we have more than achieved our aims.
"Together with the wealth of material people are uploading to the interactive website, the exhibition has got people talking about the past, present and future of Inverclyde. I hope the extended dates will mean we see many more repeat visitors as well as those coming along for the first time."
The free exhibition will continue to open each Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
