We Are Redruth: Who Gets to Belong?
Redruth is a town with a remarkable story.
Once described as the "richest square mile in the world", its mining heritage remains visible in the landscape, the architecture, and the stories people tell about the place. Festivals such as Murdoch Day and the International Mining and Pasty Festival continue to celebrate that history, reflecting a genuine pride in Redruth's past.
But what about Redruth today?
That question sat at the heart of We Are Redruth, a community project exploring what it means to be from Redruth in 2025.
A Town in Transition
The project arrived at a moment of significant change.
Historic buildings and spaces such as Kresen Kernow, the Buttermarket and The Ladder have been refurbished and reimagined as cultural and community venues. New people are moving to the town, attracted by comparatively affordable housing. Redruth is becoming more diverse, bringing together different experiences, cultures and perspectives.
For some, these changes bring excitement and opportunity. For others, they can create uncertainty and a sense of loss. As communities evolve, questions naturally emerge: Who belongs here? What connects us? And whose stories are celebrated?
Rather than looking backwards, We Are Redruth looked around.
Celebrating Everyday Heroes
The project began with a simple idea: the people shaping Redruth today deserve to be seen.
Through workshops held across the town, participants explored what Redruth means to them. Together we discussed identity, belonging and place. We designed flags, mapped our connections to the town and reflected on the values that make Redruth unique.
From there, the project set out to capture a snapshot of the town's people.
Over five portrait sessions, 200 residents aged from two weeks old to over eighty years were photographed. Long-term residents stood alongside newcomers. Families, volunteers, workers, creatives, community organisers and neighbours all became part of a collective portrait of contemporary Redruth.
The aim was not to identify local celebrities or legends. Instead, it was to celebrate everyday people whose actions, however small, contribute to the life of the town.
Bringing Stories to Life
A photograph can tell us what someone looks like, but it tells us very little about who they are.
To go deeper, we created a podcast series inspired by Desert Island Discs. Participants shared music that mattered to them alongside stories about their lives, journeys and connections to Redruth.
Music became a bridge between people who might otherwise assume they had little in common.
A lifelong resident and someone who moved to the town last year might disagree about many things, but they may both love the same song. Those moments of unexpected connection helped challenge assumptions and encouraged listeners to see one another as individuals rather than categories.
What We Learned About Belonging
One of the most revealing aspects of the project was the conversation it sparked about who gets to be considered "from Redruth".
Some responses, particularly online, questioned why certain people were featured. What made them "real" Redruthians? How long had they lived here? Had they contributed enough?
These reactions highlighted a deeper tension around identity and belonging.
Interestingly, many people strongly defended the importance of historic figures such as William Murdoch, who lived and worked in Redruth for a relatively short period of his life. Yet contemporary residents making contributions to the town today were sometimes viewed with greater scepticism.
The contrast revealed something important: belonging is not always about facts. It is often about recognition, familiarity and emotion.
Who we celebrate says a great deal about who we believe belongs.
Pride, Connection and Community
While some conversations were challenging, the overwhelming response was positive.
Participants reported feeling proud to be involved. During Murdoch Day, people of all ages embraced temporary We Are Redruth tattoos and took part in the parade carrying banners celebrating neighbours, friends and people they admired.
Many participants spoke about feeling seen and valued. Others enjoyed discovering stories about people they had previously passed in the street without knowing.
These moments may seem small, but they matter. Communities are built through countless everyday interactions, acts of kindness and shared experiences.
One participant described the project simply:
"I felt incredibly proud and honoured to be part of the We Are Redruth project. The photoshoot was great fun and it was wonderful seeing all of the placards being paraded around town. Redruth really is a wonderful town to live in and its people are what make it. I'm proud to call it home."
Relationships Take Time
The project also reinforced an important lesson about community engagement: trust cannot be rushed.
Many of the strongest connections formed during the project were with the people delivering it rather than with The Ladder as an organisation. For some participants, engagement consisted of attending a workshop or portrait session once or twice. Building familiarity with an organisation, understanding what people want from a space, and creating lasting relationships requires much longer-term investment.
The project demonstrated the value of creating welcoming first encounters, but also highlighted the importance of sustained engagement if participation is to grow over time.
A Living Story
Perhaps the most important outcome of We Are Redruth was not the portraits, podcasts or parade.
It was the conversation.
The project revealed both the pride people feel in Redruth and the questions they hold about its future. It showed that belonging is complex, emotional and sometimes contested. It demonstrated that heritage is not only about the past, but also about the people creating the town's story right now.
Redruth's identity is still being written.
Every neighbour who helps a friend. Every volunteer who gives their time. Every newcomer who chooses to make a life here. Every resident who cares about the town contributes to that story.
We Are Redruth was an invitation to recognise those contributions and to imagine a more inclusive understanding of what it means to belong.
Because Redruth is not only shaped by its history.
It is shaped every day by the people who call it home.
