CHIPPENHAM schoolchildren have highlighted the town's diverse population in a new photographic exhibition in the Yelde Hall.

Four hundred nine to 11-year-olds worked on a photo-journalism assignment that aims to highlight, through images and personal stories, the many people of different nationalities making up modern day Chippenham.

It forms part of the Hidden Presence exhibition, which opened on Friday (MAR 6) and will run for another five weeks.

Ghanaian Imelda Barnes is among 40 people from abroad who have made Chippenham their home.

Mrs Barnes, 48, moved to Chippenham over 20 years ago with husband Andrew, with whom she lives in Kent Close. Mrs Barnes said: “I was honoured to be thought of. I didn’t know it was going to be as big as this.

“I’m used to being the only black face around. I’ve noticed a few more in the last couple of years though, so that’s nice.”

Mr Barnes, originally from Buckinghamshire, said: "You might have seen some mixed race children around before. Now there are some black couples moving here you see black children as well."

Molly Griffin, 10, a pupil at Ivy Lane School, said: “I know Imelda from Sheldon Road church. I really enjoyed getting to find out new things about her, it was fun.”

Her mum Sarah, of Greenway Avenue, said: “I’m quite amazed at all the people who have come to settle in Chippenham. I’m really surprised how many countries there are, it’s not all Eastern Europe or any certain part of the world.

“It was a very interesting project, a good English exercise and a wonderful way to find out about and celebrate the diversity in our own community.”

The origins discovered by the children span the globe and include Albania, Israel, Austria, Jamaica, Russia, India and South Africa.

Clyde Pangilinan, a pupil at St Mary’s Primary, interviewed Melvin Ramos, 43, who grew up in the Philippines and now works as a senior support worker.

The project was initiated by Chippenham Museum and Heritage Centre, the Pound Arts Centre in Corsham and artist Penney Ellis of Photo-Sensitive, currently artist-in-residence at the Pound.

It was inspired by the true story of Leonora Casey-Carr, daughter of a slave mother and plantation owner father sent to Wiltshire from Antigua as a child at the start of the 19th century.

Her gravestone was discovered in the Moravian burial ground in East Tytherton in 2010, and is believed to be the only one to commemorate the life of a slave in Wiltshire.

Hidden Presence was jointly funded by Chippenham Borough Lands Charity and the Pound Arts Creative Futures fund, which is supported by the Arts Council England, and will move to the Pound for the summer.

The Yelde Hall exhibition is open Monday to Saturday until April 18, 10am to 4pm. Admission is free.