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Between March and June 2013 we worked for Yorkshire Peat Partnership to explore the issues around the possible creation of a strategic Peat Partnership covering the whole of the Pennine Chain from the Scottish borders to the Peak District. Valuable work is already going on to restore degraded upland peat bogs but could a strategic partnership tap into other funding, co-ordinate work and speak collectively to regional and national bodies? Our work to assess the appetite for the partnership involved 62 in depth interviews and three stakeholder workshops.
Back during the winter of 2009 – 2010 the Pathways team led on the consultation as part of the Lakes to Dales Landscape Designation Project on behalf of Natural England. The project looked at whether certain areas between the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks should be designated as National Park or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
We worked with Countryscape to lead the consultation, which involved setting up and delivering a number of drop-in events across the counties. The photos you see here are taken at some of those meetings that we held, all in spite of the heavy snow the fell during this winter.
Recently it has been announced that officials from Natural England have approved extensions. If confirmed by the Secretary of State, it will see the boundaries of the Yorkshire Dales National Park expand to encompass another 162 square miles.
This extension would see the inclusion of parts of the Orton Fells, the northern Howgill Fells, Wild Boar Fell and Mallerstang to the north, and to the west, Barbon, Middleton, Casterton and Leck Fells, the River Lune and part of Firbank Fell and other fells to the west of the river.
Kerry and Sophia from our team have been out interviewing at Dukes Drives, Salford’s newest country park. Recently we had a stall at the Escape to the City event, now we’re busy speaking to people about what they’d like to see in the area.
On Saturday three of the Pathways team – Becca, Kerry and Steve – spent the day in Salford at the ‘Escape from the City’ event with our
consultation stall for the work we are doing on Dukes Drive Country Park.
They had a fantastic spot amongst the trees with a great view of the stage and interviewed over 60 people throughout the day. The event organisers were so friendly and helpful, providing them with a table and chairs and even assisting them with their bunting arranging!
They brought along some colourful flyers about the plans to turn the greenspace into a great Country Park, and of course our scarecrow Sam and some chocolates to thank the people who stopped to chat to us.
The sun had his hat on all day and they had lots of fun listening to the music, munching on chocolate and talking to people about what they would like to see in the area. A great day had by all!
Over the next couple of weeks Steve and Kerry from our team will be out in Dunwood Park in Oldham helping the Friends of group to interview visitors. As a follow up to the user survey we completed last winter, we are completing additional days during the summer to see if different types of people use the park, or for different reasons.
We are also collecting spotting data to see who is coming into the park, what they are doing, and how many people we see. Steve, our Research Team Leader, is out with volunteers from the Friends of Dunwood Park to mentor and support them as they embark on the interviewing.
As part of this work we have created a questionnaire and a spotting data form, and designed an information leaflet to give out to anyone we speak to.
In the winter of 2010 Pathways undertook a User Survey of Dunwood Park in Oldham. It was lovely to discover recently that a copy of the User Survey we wrote is on the Oldham Council website for people to download.
Our team interviewed over 200 people in and around the park, finding out what they did and didn’t like about it, and how they currently they use it.
Dunwood Park has a small children’s play area, a bowling green and Pavilion, facilities for playing tennis, and some lovely woodland. Oldham Parks and Countryside Service along with the Friends of Dunwood Park were awarded £1.09 million from the Big Lottery and Heritage Lottery Fund for the renovation of the park.
The Pathways team carried out interviews in Dunwood Park, on the streets nearby, going door-to-door, and at a local church fete. We also ran a mini Spaceshaper event in the snow to gather more in-depth interviews.
Have a read of the Dunwood Park User Survey that was designed by our friends at Countryscape.
Two of our team – Steve and Becca – spent last Friday at Wicksteed Park, interviewing teachers who’d come with their students to celebrate Bastille Day. Here are a few photos from their day…
Steve and Becca were asking teachers about how often and why they their school comes to Wicksteed Park, and what activities they might like to do in the future. We were also keen to find out if there were any barriers to visiting.
This day was the final part of the consultation we’re doing at Wicksteed Park – back in June we went for a whole week, when we had a colourful stall.
We are currently in the process of typing up all the results from the questionnaires and analysing the data.
If you’d like to know more about the work we’re doing for Wicksteed Park on their HLF Activity Plan please don’t hesitate to get in contact with us.
Recently two of our team – Becca and Kerry – spent a day at Manchester Art Gallery with our consultation stall for the work we’re doing on the Irwell Sculpture Trail. They had a fantastic spot in the main atrium at the gallery and interviewed over 50 people throughout the day.
The staff at the Manchester Art Gallery were so lovely and helpful – they’d already set up a table and chairs for us, and let us in early to set up ready for the doors to open at 10am.
We brought along the giant map of the Irwell Sculpture Trail and stuck in images of some of the sculptures. And of course, a jar of chocolate eggs always helps and is a nice way to thank people who stop to talk to us.
Find out more about the work we’re doing on the Irwell Sculpture Trail.
We are still carrying out our consultation work for Fix the Fells and have received some more great photos from our team Kate and Ellie who have been climbing the peaks to interview hikers.
Last Friday 24th June they were up Stickle Tarn – that’s 1,500 feet up and pretty chilly! Lots of friendly and cheerful interviewees, which made for a successful day.
On Saturday they headed back up Catbells in drizzle and later drove to Seathwaite Farm in Borrowdale, where they’d been the week before.
And yesterday they went into Coniston and drove up the Old Man track and set up the stall at Miner’s Bridge, interviewing people as they passed. We hear the weather was much nicer than the rain from Saturday, and even the sun came out briefly.
For the last week our fab team – Kate and Ellie – have been up mountains in the Lake District interviewing people for our Fix the Fells work. They have also been in Keswick speaking to people in the town, and have been sending us updates and great photos of what they’ve been up to.
This is undoubtedly our highest consultation ever! And check out the beautiful banner Ellie made for the consultation…
We thought it would be nice to include a few of the reports from Kate and Ellie:
Thursday 16th June 2011
We were heading for the top of Helvellyn this morning but it was pouring with rain, so we headed to the Moot Hall in Keswick. We enjoyed a trickled of interviewees there, but as soon as it brightened up we headed back out up to Catbells where we had a steady flow of people who all thought it was a good idea us being up there. Let’s hope the weather is better than forecast tomorrow! Best wishes, Kate
Saturday 18th June 2011
The cloud was down and the rain light though persistent, but many a hardy walker passed our little base at the entrance to Seathwaite Farm. Nearly all we stopped were happy to chat, despite either being keen to get on with their five-hour hikes or absolutely exhausted after returning from such exertions!
Pathways 