Our forgotten stories raise £10,151

A new running total has been announced for the money raised since 2022 for three Burton charities through the telling and sharing of forgotten stories from the town's history.

A total of £10,151 has now been handed over. The latest donation followed a talk to a Leicestership group about Burton fairground ride and cinema pioneers Orton & Spooner and went to Burton & District Mind, the mental health charity.

The other charities, who benefit from money raised through forgotten stories of Vale Rawlings, Lily Thomas and Rebel Women are YMCA Burton and SARAC, the charity for survivors of sexual abuse.

The project, now known as Forgotten Burton Stories, was started by Elaine Pritchard in 2022 when she published a book on Orton & Spooner to coincide with a Burton sculpture trail called The Big Burton Carousel.

Elaine explained: "My good friend Tilley Bancroft of Making Trails had heard me talk about Orton & Spooner and how little recognition they got in their home town for almost 20 years. She decided that she would theme a trail around carousel horses (or gallopers as they are properly known in Britain). The charity that benefitted, when the horse scupltures were auctioned off at the end of the trail was Burton & District Mind.

Demand for Mind's services rose sharply

"Tilley and I were both aware that demand for Mind's services had risen sharply both during and after the 2020 pandemic. The lives of George Orton and Charles Spooner were touched by tragedy and loss, yet they devoted their lives to creating happy memories and fun for other families. So, when I decided to write and publish a book about them to coincide with the trail it was an easy decision to make Burton & District Mind the charity that would benefit."

The book, called Labour of Love, is still available to order online priced £12.99 with all Royalties going to Mind. Elaine began to be asked to deliver talks about the duo in person and online and all speaker fees continue to be donated to the charity.

Elaine's next idea was to write a book about Burton's forgotten First World War humanitarian Lily Thomas. During lockdown she had written a play about Lily, called The Godmother, which was performed in Burton at the end of 2021. While doing additional research about Lily, she came across a brief mention in one book of a Burton WW1 conscientious objector called Vale Rawlings who, it said, had been at the centre of a highly controversial court case weeks before the war started.

"I followed this 'loose thread' and unravelled an amazing story that it seemed hardly anyone in the town, or outside it, remembered, " said Elaine. The result was that Elaine began plans for a play and a book about Vale.

More local history talks now available

"I was helped by Will Walker, secretary of East Staffordshire Trades Council and a keen trade union historian, and together we decided to set up a community interest company so that all profits Vale's story made - through a play, book and talks - would go to charity. We chose YMCA Burton and SARAC as they seemed highly relevant to the campaigning Vale did in his lifetime and his practical help for those in poverty and facing oppression and injustice. We also found we were getting interest from organisations who were willing to make donations to maximise the amount we could raise for charity. We founded the Vale Rawlings Community Interest Company in February 2024 as it was important to us that all the finances were publicly available so that everyone could see what had been spent and what had been donated to charity."

The play abut Vale, called Strikers! was performed as a rehearsed reading with a 30-strong community cast at Burton Town Hall in December 2024. A book, called Friendship, Love & Truth, came out a year later. It is still available priced £15.99 with all profits going to YMCA and SARAC. Message this website to order your copy or go to our Kofi page.

Although other commitments have so far prevented Elaine from writing a book about Lily Thomas, she does now deliver regular talks about her to groups and organisations. She also offers a talk on Rebel Women which covers the stories of Lily Thomas, Vale's sister Lily Rawlings, George's daughter Annie Orton as well as suffragettes and women who broke through the gender barriers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Activities under the Forgotten Burton Stories banner have diversified and increased as Elaine has been asked to attend events and shows as well as give talks: "I never turn down opportunities to share forgotten stories if it's something I have the time to do and if it will in some way raise money or awareness for the charities we support.

Technology changes but people don't

"It's important to me, and Will, that these stories are continually shared with new audiences. There is so much in them that still resonates with out lives today. Technology is always changing, but people don't. The fears and the prejudices, the compassion and the creativity we see around us today were all there 100 and more years ago. There has always been misinformation and misunderstanding as people seek to promote their beliefs and ideologies. There have always been innovators and activists who seek to improve life for those around them. I often wonder how if Vale, Lily, George and Charles would be surprised to learn that in the 2020s many of the issues that dominated local and national agendas are still with us - and we still don't have the answers.

"But I think hope, joy and human connections are at the centre of all Burton's forgotten stories. It's heartwarming to see how these tales can make people of all ages think differently about the streets they walk on and the buildings they see when they learn who else walked that same route and looked up at the same buildings. Stories from the past can help us make sense of our lives today and they bring comfort, entertainment and inspiration."