During its first reporting period, Ginnel Pigs CIC established the foundations for its work developing creative and cultural experiences that connect communities with local history, heritage and storytelling. The company developed relationships with local cultural organisations, engaged community performers and delivered its first public project. Malkin – Creative Development A director of Ginnel Pigs CIC undertook an adaptation of Malkin, a collection of poems about the Pendle Witches by Camille Ralphs, working in consultation and collaboration with the poet. This development culminated in a table reading hosted by The Dukes Theatre, Lancaster, in June 2025, attended by the poet and involving four community actors. The reading provided an opportunity for local performers to participate in the development of new theatre inspired by Lancashire's history and cultural heritage. Feedback from participants was enthusiastic, demonstrating the project's creative potential and the value of involving community performers at an early stage. One participant commented: "I loved last Friday and was on a high all weekend afterwards [...] hearing the words come off the page was really quite special." Lancaster City Museums – Immersive Christmas Experience Throughout the year, Ginnel Pigs CIC met with representatives of Lancaster City Museums to explore opportunities to bring local history to life through creative storytelling and performance. These discussions led to a commission to develop three original scripts for an immersive Christmas experience at Lancaster's Cottage Museum. The experience invited audiences to encounter three ghosts from different historical periods: Norse, Georgian and Victorian. Each character had become displaced from their own time and needed the audience's help, creating an interactive and entertaining way to explore history and changing Christmas traditions. The project involved historical research, scriptwriting, creative development and rehearsal workshops with community actors. Across three weekends in the lead-up to Christmas 2025, the production delivered 36 performances attended by 163 audience members. Audience feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Of the 30 audience members who completed feedback surveys, 90% awarded the experience five stars. Comments included: "Very lucky to have things like this on our doorstep." "It was all incredible! Loved the 3 different characters and stories and the decor - incredibly atmospheric and really brought history to life." "Fascinating opportunity to see the past come to life." "Loved untangling the Christmas traditions and learning the history." One audience member described the lasting impact of the experience on their family: "This event has stayed with us and we have talked about the different settings and times with the kids [...] it felt very special, we will remember this for a long time." Community Benefit Through these activities, Ginnel Pigs CIC contributed to the cultural life of Lancaster and the surrounding area by: Creating opportunities for community actors to participate in the development and delivery of original theatre. Making local history and heritage more accessible through imaginative, interactive experiences. Providing engaging cultural and educational activities for families and audiences of different ages. Supporting collaboration between local cultural organisations, artists and community performers. Encouraging curiosity, conversation and a deeper connection with the region's history. The company's first year demonstrated the potential of creative storytelling to engage communities with their shared heritage, while establishing partnerships and a foundation for further community-focused cultural activity.

During its first reporting period, Ginnel Pigs CIC engaged with a range of stakeholders, including local cultural organisations, museum staff and volunteers, community performers, creative collaborators and audiences. Lancaster City Museums – Ghosts of Christmas Past Staff at Lancaster City Museums were consulted throughout the development of 'Ghosts of Christmas Past', helping to shape its historical subject matter, content and approach to engaging audiences. Performers were drawn from museum employees and volunteers. Script development was collaborative, allowing actors to contribute their own interpretations of the material and influence how the characters and stories were brought to life. Lancaster City Museums also undertook audience consultation following the performances. Feedback reinforced the value of presenting local heritage in an accessible, imaginative and interactive way, particularly in attracting new visitors to the Cottage Museum and encouraging audiences to engage with the history on their doorstep. This feedback will inform the CIC's approach to future heritage-based performances and collaborations. 'Malkin' – Creative Collaboration The adaptation of 'Malkin' was developed in close consultation with its author, Camille Ralphs. Ongoing dialogue throughout the writing process helped ensure that the theatrical adaptation remained faithful to the poet's original vision while exploring the possibilities of live performance. The CIC also engaged community actors through a development reading at The Dukes Theatre, Lancaster. Their participation and feedback helped identify the creative potential of the work and opportunities for further development. Consultation continues with three of the participating actors, with the intention of developing the piece collaboratively when funding and schedules allow. Ongoing Stakeholder Engagement Ginnel Pigs CIC intends to maintain a collaborative approach to developing its work, involving artists, performers, cultural partners and audiences in shaping future projects. Feedback gathered during its first year has reinforced the importance of community participation, creative collaboration and making local history accessible through engaging cultural experiences.

No remuneration was received

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