We’re delighted to share that we have been awarded a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund for our pilot project which will deliver a variety of activities combining local history research with the built environment and natural heritage, leading to the co-creation of two nature-based heritage installations to address climate change in the Poets Streets area.
Starting with walks around the area, residents will decide on the ‘grotspot’ sites for the project.
Visiting Liverpool Archives participants will explore the history of the Poets Streets’ neighbourhood and discover the story behind the street names and/or how the war changed the landscape. Their findings will form a starting point in the cultural heritage workshops.
Building confidence through creativity, Collective Encounters (Theatre for Social Change) will use a variety of fun, creative approaches to translate archive findings into simple drama, collaborative poetry or short stories to connect the past with the present.
Everyone will get involved in co-designing the nature-based installations to transform the two ‘grotspots’ by building and installing green features and gaining an understanding of urban biodiversity, sustainable planting and future community use as part of their learning.
Pollinator-friendly signs will be added to highlight the importance of nature’s recovery and the role that urban greening plays in climate action, and might also include a verse from the relevant poet (eg Shelley, Gray) alongside a poem/story created by residents and local heritage.
With expert advice from the University of Liverpool Groundswell project, our evaluation will assess the impact of improving urban green spaces and further our understanding of what works and what doesn’t work so well, to refine our approach.
Working with the Poets’ Streets partnership we want to engage a wide range of people in heritage and reconnect people to landscapes and nature, leaving a legacy of two beautiful green spaces for the public to continue to enjoy and engage in natural heritage.
