Chester’s Brook Street is alive to the sights, sounds and smells of cuisine from around the world, traditional pubs, second-hand shops and even a massage therapy centre.

Now stories from what is the city’s most culturally diverse – and surely one its more interesting streets – will be the focus of a new project.

The rich heritage of this multi-cultural quarter will be told with the help of Year 5 pupils from Oldfield Primary School in Vicars Cross, Hoole CE Primary School and Chester Bluecoat CE Primary School.

‘The World in Our Street’ aims to offer a fascinating insight into the background of its diverse community. Interestingly, one recent visitor to the street was UKIP leader Nigel Farage who enjoyed a curry in the Chester Tandoori.

Schoolchildren will work alongside Boughton-based CDEC Developing Global Learning to film interviews for a website containing articles and images reflecting the street’s mix of cultures. African-Caribbean, Turkish, Eastern European, Thai, Bangladeshi and Chinese are just some of the cultures represented by traders who have agreed to reveal their ancestry.

The origins of residents, including people living at the Bowling Green Court retirement apartments, will also be researched.

A £7,000 grant from Cheshire Community Foundation (CCF), which includes a £4,000 donation from Cheshire Freemasons, will cover most of the costs for the project which starts in February.

The Spice Balti, one of several Indian eateries on Brook Street

Heather Swainston, director of CDEC (Cheshire Development Education Centre) said: “Research shows there are more nationalities in Brook Street than anywhere else in Chester, possibly even Cheshire, and the schools are excited about the challenge of tracing people’s roots.

“In some ways the whole world is in that street and this will bring a real-life context to its social history. Hopefully, it’ll also raise awareness of diversity and change a few stereotypes that exist about the wider world.

“More than 20 different languages are spoken in the three schools taking part and it’s probably not known that more than 115 languages are spoken across Cheshire.”

Cheshire Freemasons have donated £30,000 to CCF over the last three years for community projects.

Project of 'great value' to community

Right worshipful brother Stephen Martin Blank, provincial grand master for the Masonic Province of Cheshire, said: “It’s our duty as Freemasons to support our local communities. We have a motto which says it all: ‘Freemasonry Cares’. We’re delighted to support the Brook Street project and believe it’ll be of great value to the schools and community at large.”

Cheshire Community Foundation has supported more than 560 projects since it was set up four years ago, awarding a total of £1.9m to not-for-profit organisations such as charities, community groups and social enterprises.

The Foundation inspires local philanthropy and invests money in grass roots organisations. Grants are awarded quarterly with applications up to £1,000 assessed monthly.

To find out more, call Cheshire Community Foundation on 01606 330607 or email: grants@cheshirecommunityfoundation.org.uk.