With thanks to Lauren Hockney for writing a really good article, Beyond the Point featured in The Echo on Wednesday 29th August. It was published on line the following the day and our website views shot up to a record breaking 299!!
The BTP Boys, famous once again!
TWO teenage history fans hope to bring the past into the present for people on Canvey after launching a website in their spare time. In between studying for their GCSEs and enjoying other hobbies, friends Joe Mander and Liam Heatherson, both 15, found time to set up Beyond the Point just over a year ago. The pair, who have been friends since they were six, wanted to promote Castle Point’s history, and particularly Canvey’s past, to local residents. They spend much of their spare time visiting places of interest and recording their experiences, which are then uploaded to the website for others to share.
Joe, of Gainsborough Avenue, Canvey, goes to Castle View School , and says he and Liam, a pupil at Westcliff High School for Boys, will continue to work on the website at weekends and during school holidays when they go into Year 11 next month. Joe said: “School does come first, but we are going to carry on and just do visits at weekends, so we will fit it in around our school work. “We’ve always had a strong passion for history and we know the Canvey community as a whole is very passionate about it as well, so that’s why we started the website.”
Liam, of Heilsburg Road, Canvey, added: “It’s really interesting and a different hobby. “It’s quite important for the website to continue. History has a big influence on the island because it has its own unique location, rather than some other towns inland. “It’s got a strong sense of community and its own pocket of history.” The idea for the website started after a visit to Canvey Wick, where the two teenagers found some concrete remains which used to be part of an oil refinery. Other areas the pair have explored include Two Tree Island, near Leigh station.
For more information, visit http://www.beyondthepoint.co.uk
Source: http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/9899062.Teenagers_bring_past_to_life_with_website_about_Canvey_s_history/?ref=la | Image and text are copyright protected which Beyond the Point does not own.
—————————————–NEWS UPDATE————————————————-
A little news update now! Beyond the Point is having a stall this Saturday (September 8th 2012) at the Essex Records Office. With thanks to the Canvey Island Community Archive for telling us, we will be taking our stall down there and, once again, exhibiting our finds and sharing our experiences for the day. The times are 10am-4pm (approx) and we will be selling our DVD’s, annual publication and postcards as usual. If you would like to come and support Liam and myself, you can find directions here. After receiving a phone call from Liam this evening, I can announce that we will be holding a talk at the War Memorial Hall on Canvey, on Monday 17th from 7pm-10pm. – As this is very recent news, please keep an eye on the website, forum, Facebook or twitter for more information on this event, but reserve the date!
