Sounds like an interesting project…
Children shape the future of Liverpool’s new community woodland
Children from Liverpool’s West Derby area are working with an award winning community artist to create a range of sculptures for the new £600,000 Mab Lane Community Woodland.
School children from St Brigid’s, St Albert’s and Mab Lane Community Primary schools are getting crafty with artist John Merrill to design three masterpieces that will become the visual identity for the 25ha green space, close to Stockbridge village and Croxeth Country Park.
Taking the environment as the theme, John will be running a series of workshops with the children that will carve out the inspiration for the site’s landmark works of art, and gives schools the chance to continue to celebrate Liverpool’s Year of the Environment.
Mab Lane Community Woodland, the new multi-functional green space at the heart of the West Derby community is being created through a partnership of Liverpool and Northwest organisations. £440,000 of investment for the project has been provided by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) via the NWDA and Forestry Commission partnership programme, ‘Newlands’ which is rejuvenating 435 hectares of the Northwest’s most damaged land to encourage economic growth and social and environmental enhancements. Further funding for the project is being provided by Riverside via the Big Lottery Fund’s ‘Changing Spaces’ programme, the Forestry Commission through the English Woodland Grant Scheme, and Liverpool City Council.
Work is already underway on site to rectify water logging problems, with a series of drains installed to redirect excess water from the site. And a network of footpaths has began to be laid that will provide access to the woodlands’ natural and man-made attractions.
Due for completion in Summer 2010, West Derby’s freshest green offering will boast 20,000 new native UK trees, many of which will be planted by local school children and community groups. The site will also offer wildflower meadows and a community orchard as well as larger-than-life sculptures by John Merrill and local school children.
To ensure Mab Lane Community Woodland adheres to the ideas and aspirations of the local community and visitors to the site, Liverpool City Council and The Mersey Forest will continue to work with the people of West Derby to ensure the long-term vision for the area becomes a reality.