Let’s Not Forget
A Walk in the Past
Let’s Not Forget – A Walk in the Past is an exciting two-year heritage project bringing the stories of Dallow Ward in Luton to life through art, technology and community collaboration.
Let’s Not Forget
A Walk in the Past
Let’s Not Forget – A Walk in the Past is an exciting two-year heritage project bringing the stories of Dallow Ward in Luton to life through art, technology and community collaboration.
Funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund · Delivered in partnership with Revoluton Arts · Digital development by Three Counties Media
A Free Interactive Heritage Trail
Across Dallow Ward
Funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, this innovative project will create a free digital heritage trail designed to help residents, schools and visitors explore and celebrate the area’s rich local history in a modern, engaging way.
Delivered in partnership with Revoluton Arts and supported by specialist digital partners, this project blends creativity, technology and community voice.
This is heritage you can walk through, experience and interact with.
Created With the Community
This is a community-led project shaped through consultation and co-production.
Working alongside Revoluton Arts, we are commissioning local artists to develop creative responses to Dallow’s heritage.
We are also engaging local schools, community groups, faith communities and Luton cultural organisations.
What Are We Creating?
At the heart of the project is a digital map that will guide people around seven key heritage locations across Dallow Ward.
Using their phone or device, visitors will be able to:
- Navigate the heritage trail
- Explore each heritage zone
- Unlock Augmented Reality (AR) experiences
- Access digital storytelling and commissioned artwork
- Experience the past layered over the present
Working closely with Revoluton Arts and local artists, each of the seven heritage zones will feature creative interpretations of Dallow’s history.
The AR experiences are being developed in collaboration with Three Counties Media, ensuring the trail is immersive, accessible and technically robust.
The digital map will be free, easy to use and designed for families, young people and the wider community.
The trail connects seven key locations
across Dallow Ward:
Together, these locations form a connected heritage route across the ward.
Meet Your Digital Guide –
Nurse Dessie 🧸
Leading the way is Nurse Dessie Bear, Mary Seacole Housing Association’s much-loved mascot.
Nurse Dessie will welcome visitors at the starting point of the trail and act as a friendly digital companion throughout the experience.
Using Augmented Reality, she will:
- Encourage exploration and curiosity
- Introduce the trail
- Help visitors understand how to use the digital map
- Guide users from one heritage location to the next
- Provide simple, child-friendly instructions
Her presence ensures the trail feels welcoming, inclusive and easy to navigate — particularly for young people and families.
This project is about more
than heritage — it is about connection.
∞
Digital content accessible beyond the life of the project
“Dallow Ward has a rich and layered history shaped by industry, education, green space, migration, faith and community life.”
It is one of Luton’s most diverse areas — home to multi-faith communities, multiple generations and people from many cultural backgrounds.
Yet many of these stories remain untold or disconnected.
Let’s Not Forget – A Walk in the Past aims to:
- Celebrate Dallow Ward's diverse heritage
- Promote social cohesion through shared storytelling
- Highlight and honour multi-faith communities
- Build pride in place
- Encourage intergenerational understanding
- Strengthen a sense of belonging
- Make heritage accessible to communities experiencing inequality
Through collaboration with Revoluton Arts and local creatives, the project ensures that stories are interpreted artistically and inclusively, reflecting the lived experiences of the community.
By combining art, technology and storytelling, we are creating a shared heritage experience that encourages understanding, respect and unity.
Free, Accessible &
Built to Last
The heritage trail will be:
- Completely free to access
- Designed with digital accessibility in mind
- Environmentally conscious
- Available for long-term community use
The digital content will remain accessible beyond the life of the project, creating a lasting legacy for Dallow Ward.
Completely Free
No cost to access the trail, map or any AR experience
Digital Accessibility
Designed with digital accessibility in mind for all users
Environmentally Conscious
A digital-first approach with minimal physical footprint
Lasting Legacy
Content remains available long beyond the project's end
The project runs from January 2025 to December 2027
and includes:
Phase One
Community Consultation
Deep engagement with Dallow Ward residents and local organisations to shape the trail’s creative direction and heritage priorities.
Phase Two
Artist Commissions led by Revoluton Arts
Local artists commissioned to develop creative responses to each of the seven heritage locations across the ward.
Phase Three
AR Development with Three Counties Media
Building the Augmented Reality experiences and digital map, alongside school engagement activities.
Phase Four
Public Launch Event
The completed heritage trail launches publicly with a community celebration event.
Phase Five
End-of-Project Showcase
A final showcase celebrating the journey, community involvement and lasting impact of the project on Dallow Ward.
Our Funders
Let’s Not Forget – A Walk in the Past has been made possible through the generous support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The funding has enabled the project to bring together local residents, artists, schools, community organisations, researchers and heritage partners to celebrate and preserve the rich history of Dallow and the Rothesay Conservation Area. Through this support, the project has delivered extensive community consultation, heritage research, artist commissions, public artwork, augmented reality experiences and innovative digital engagement tools that will create a lasting legacy for the community.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s investment has ensured that local people have remained at the heart of the project, helping to shape the stories, artwork and experiences that form part of the heritage trail. The result is a unique community-led project that preserves local heritage, celebrates local identity and creates new opportunities for learning, engagement and exploration for future generations.
We would like to express our sincere thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund for their support, guidance and commitment throughout the development of this project.
Created With the Community —
Our Partners
This is a community-led project shaped through consultation and co-production.
Working alongside Revoluton Arts, we are commissioning local artists to develop creative responses to Dallow’s heritage.
We are also engaging:
Revoluton Arts
Revoluton Arts is our main creative partner for this project.
They are leading on artist engagement, creative direction and community-based artistic development across the trail. Their expertise in socially engaged creative practice ensures that the project is bold, inclusive and rooted in local experience.
Through this partnership, we are supporting local artists while embedding creativity at the heart of heritage storytelling.
Three Counties Media
Three Counties Media are leading on the technical development of the Augmented Reality and digital map elements.
They are responsible for building the AR experiences and ensuring the digital trail is accessible, interactive and future-ready.
Their technical expertise enables the creative vision to become a fully immersive digital experience.
This is heritage you can walk through,
experience and interact with.
A free digital heritage trail designed to help residents, schools and
visitors explore and celebrate Dallow Ward’s rich local history.
Two Years of Heritage, Creativity and Community Collaboration
The project officially launched in March 2025 and marked the beginning of an ambitious programme of consultation, research, co-design and creative development.
From the outset, local people have been at the centre of the project. at the start of the project there was a massive research project that took place over the first three months . Consultation sessions were delivered with residents, community groups, schools, faith organisations, Mary Seacole Housing Association staff and key stakeholders to identify important stories, heritage locations and themes that mattered most to the community.
Throughout the project, numerous steering group meetings, design workshops, artist development sessions and planning meetings were held to ensure community voices helped shape every stage of development.
Working alongside commissioned artists, augmented reality designers and project partners, concepts were developed for each heritage location. Feedback gathered throughout consultations directly influenced the final artwork, storytelling and digital experiences.
The project has combined heritage research, community engagement, creativity and technology to create a trail that reflects the rich and diverse history of Dallow and the Rothesay Conservation Area.
Community Consultation and Co-Design
Community consultation has been at the heart of the project.
Throughout delivery, local residents, community organisations, schools, faith groups and stakeholders have been invited to contribute their memories, ideas and feedback. These conversations have helped shape the stories being told, the locations selected and the final artwork designs.
A major milestone was the Dallow Community Consultation Event held in September 2025. This event provided the community with an opportunity to experience the project firsthand, view artwork concepts and interact with augmented reality elements before production began.
The consultation brought the project to life, allowing residents to see how local stories would be interpreted through both physical artwork and digital experiences. Feedback gathered during the event enabled final adjustments and refinements to be made before artwork production and installation commenced.
This process ensured that the final trail was genuinely co-designed with the community and reflects the voices, experiences and heritage of local people.
Meet the Artists
The project has worked with talented artists to transform local heritage stories into engaging and accessible public artwork across the trail.
Tom Hill
Tom Hill is an established sculptor who specialises in creating sculptures inspired by nature, wildlife and local stories. Working primarily with metal and wood, his artwork is recognised for its craftsmanship, attention to detail and ability to connect people with places through creative interpretation.
Tom has extensive experience creating public art and sculptures that celebrate local identity and heritage.
Website:
Alec Saunders (ALECLDN)
Alec Saunders, also known as ALECLDN, is a London-based mural artist, illustrator and creative practitioner. Alongside his work as an artist, Alec is passionate about community engagement and inspiring future generations through creativity.
His work explores themes of identity, culture, community and place, often drawing upon local stories and lived experiences to create vibrant and meaningful public artwork.
Website:
Working closely with residents, community groups and project partners, both artists have played a key role in developing artwork that celebrates the rich history, diversity and heritage of Dallow and the Rothesay Conservation Area.
Bringing Heritage to Life Through Augmented Reality
A key element of Let’s Not Forget – A Walk in the Past is the use of innovative augmented reality (AR) technology to bring local heritage stories to life.
This aspect of the project has been developed in partnership with Three Counties Media, who have worked alongside the project team, artists and community members to create immersive digital experiences linked to the heritage trail.
Throughout the project, Three Counties Media attended consultation events, design meetings and community engagement activities to ensure the digital content reflected local stories and community feedback.
Their work has transformed heritage research, historical information and community memories into interactive experiences that visitors will be able to access through their mobile devices.
By combining public artwork, storytelling and digital technology, the project offers a unique way for people of all ages to connect with the history of Dallow. Visitors will be able to discover local stories, meet digital heritage characters and explore the area’s past in an engaging and accessible way.
Website:
Innovation Through Artificial Intelligence
As part of Let’s Not Forget – A Walk in the Past, the project has explored the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance visitor engagement, support learning and help evaluate the impact of the heritage trail.
Working in partnership with the University of Bedfordshire, the project team has collaborated with academics and researchers to develop an innovative AI-powered tool that will provide visitors with an interactive way to explore the heritage trail and learn more about the stories behind each location.
The AI tool will act as a digital heritage guide, allowing visitors to ask questions about the locations, artwork, historical events and people featured throughout the trail. Whether visitors would like to learn more about a specific site, explore the history behind an artwork or discover additional information not included on the interpretation panels, the AI system will provide accessible and engaging responses that enhance the visitor experience.
Alongside supporting learning and exploration, the AI tool will also help capture visitor experiences and feedback. Rather than relying solely on traditional surveys and questionnaires, visitors will have the opportunity to share their thoughts through conversation, helping the project team better understand what people have learned, enjoyed and discovered during their visit.
The project provides a valuable opportunity to explore how emerging technologies can be used within the heritage sector to improve accessibility, engagement and evaluation. By combining heritage, public art, augmented reality and artificial intelligence, Let’s Not Forget – A Walk in the Past demonstrates how innovative approaches can help connect communities with local history in new and meaningful ways.
The collaboration with the University of Bedfordshire has enabled the project to test and develop new methods of visitor engagement while contributing to wider learning about the use of AI within community heritage projects.
About the University of Bedfordshire
The University of Bedfordshire has supported the development of the project’s Artificial Intelligence element, helping to explore how AI can be used to enhance visitor experiences, provide additional heritage information and capture meaningful feedback about the trail.
Through this partnership, the project is helping to pioneer new approaches to heritage interpretation and evaluation, creating opportunities for research, innovation and community learning.
Find out more about the University’s heritage and community engagement work:
https://www.beds.ac.uk/culture-and-community-engagement/culture-sector-engagement/heritage-projects/
Creating a Lasting Legacy
Beyond the physical installations, the project has helped strengthen community pride and identity.
Residents have been given opportunities to share their memories, celebrate local achievements and contribute to a positive narrative about their community. By capturing stories that may otherwise have been lost, the project has helped preserve important aspects of local heritage for future generations.
The completed heritage trail will provide a lasting resource for residents, schools, visitors and community groups. Through public artwork, storytelling and augmented reality experiences, the project will continue to educate, inspire and connect people long after the project has been completed.
The trail stands as a celebration of Dallow’s rich heritage and demonstrates what can be achieved when communities, artists, heritage organisations and local partners work together.
IMPACT STATISTICS
Hundreds of Residents Engaged
Schools, Faith Groups and Community Organisations Involved
Extensive Community Consultation Programme
PROJECT TIMELINE
March 2025 – Project Launch
Spring/Summer 2025 – Community Consultation and Heritage Research
Summer 2025 – Artist Appointments and Design Development
September 2025 – Dallow Community Consultation Event
Autumn 2025 – Final Design Development
Winter 2025/26 – Augmented Reality Content Development
Spring 2026 – Artwork Production
Summer 2026 – Installation of Artwork and Final Testing
September 2026 – Public Launch
Launching September 2026
Join Us for the Official Launch of the Heritage Trail
After two years of research, community consultation, creative development and collaboration, we are excited to announce the official launch of Let’s Not Forget – A Walk in the Past on Thursday 17 September 2026.
This free community event will take place at Brantwood Park from 11:00am – 3:00pm and will provide visitors with the first opportunity to experience the completed heritage trail.
The launch event will celebrate the journey of the project and showcase the incredible work that has been developed alongside local residents, artists, community groups and project partners.
Visitors will have the opportunity to:
- Take part in guided walks along the heritage trail
- Experience the Augmented Reality elements for the first time
- Explore a gallery exhibition showcasing the project’s development and community journey
- View the commissioned artwork installed across the trail
- Learn more about the stories, people and places that inspired the project
- Meet project partners, artists and members of the project team
- Discover how art, heritage and technology have come together to create a unique community experience
Meet the Characters of the Past
As part of the launch event, visitors will also have the opportunity to meet live actors portraying characters connected to the stories and heritage of Dallow. These interactive performances will help bring local history to life, creating an engaging and memorable experience for visitors of all ages.
Whether you’re a local resident, history enthusiast, school group or first-time visitor, we invite you to join us in celebrating the launch of this exciting new heritage trail.
More information about the launch event will be released soon. Watch this space for updates.
contact team for more information
nbushnell@maryseacoleha.com
jbignall@maryseacoleha.com
ebushnell@maryseacoleha.com
Mary Seacole Housing Association Ltd,
12 Cardiff Road,
Luton, LU1 1QG