Heritage Volunteers Launch Heritage theme memory challenge One theme every two months, 10 new responses on average 4 themes 16 responses 4 themes 16 responses During this quarter the ‘Your Exmoor’ section has displayed the themes of: Working Woodlands & Inspiring Woodlands At the end of each one we have held special celebration events to encourage people to share memories and experiences around each theme (see Your Exmoor Heritage Activity Day Workshops below) Delivery of heritage challenges with community youth groups 6 weekly sessions (1 day/ week) with 12 young people to explore the theme. Create a temporary exhibition documenting their activities and experiences 0.5 + 0.5 1 Young Champions from the Mosaic Youth Project have set themselves the challenge of photographing different aspects of Exmoor and to hold an exhibition of their best ones, within their predefined categories. To start them off they went on a photographic safari with local safari company Experience Exmoor. They also had a special photo workshop run by the University of Plymouth. Exmoor Young Farmers are still busy recording memories and hopes about Exmoor’s Hill Farming across the generations, culminating in an exhibition later in 2015. 2 more challenges, one for the region’s schools and one for the region’s colleges (“Exmoor Uncut” and “Exmoor Revealed”) are set for August 2015, each running for 3 or 4 days. Some places are already filled.
exhibitions and 2000 visits The WW1 community exhibition remained in St Mary’s Church, Lynton until end March The Hope Bourne Exhibition was shown in the Pavilion during January and February, by The Exmoor Society Devon Wildlife Trust exhibited about Exmoor’s shore as part of their Shoresearch Project during March An estimated 3800 people viewed these exhibitions. Testing of the mobile App 100 people to trial the app and provide feedback The App is available to download but is waiting for content to be uploaded – audio pieces have been commissioned (capturing both natural and cultural heritage). Your Exmoor heritage activity day workshops Target to deliver 14 workshops for year 2 themes; 14 new activities designed; 10 people per workshop average; 7 events 137 people attended 20 on average per event 29 events 471 people attended 16 on average per event There was 1 event this quarter: The Working Woodlands event attracted 12 people who brought in old photos and magazines to scan. ENPA Woodland Officer led the session and explained about how Exmoor’s Woodlands would have been vibrant places alive with people stripping oak bark for tanning, coppicing, pollarding, charcoal burning, tree-felling and working heavy horses to remove chopped timber. Families would have lived in the woods while undertaking this work, with children, dogs and fires. Participants also viewed original maps and documents relating to the proposed tree planting which led to Exmoor National Park’s designation, had opportunity to interrogate the Historic
1 Delivery of rolling programme of heritage workshops for West Exmoor Federation Fortnightly Exmoor heritage sessions Primary school children (approx 130) to attend at least one session over the year. Production of a young person’s woodlands guide, temporary exhibition and 1 Vikings Attack! evening 22 children attended with families and teachers 1 Viking/Anglo Saxon costume and battle day, attended by 53 children 1 amazing of Hubba the Dane attacking Countisbury Hill, fully costumed and scripted 74 children engaged in total since project start For delivery during the next quarter are various expert sessions to explore Exmoor’s trees. The end result will be ‘Top Trunks’ produced by the children. Planned so far are woodworking demonstrations within school, including working in green wood coppiced from a local valley (Combe Park), wood technology, a ranger-led woodland walk to learn about edible trees and biodiversity for each species, plus a trip to a charcoal production site. Added to that may well be an archaeological exploration of an old charcoal site. These will continue to be developed with the schools. Combe Martin Sea School are developing a shore guide by children for children, considering the different shore life along Exmoor’s coast (from Porlock in the East to Combe Martin in the West), for delivery during the next quarter.
We have commissioned a film to show ‘Old Lynmouth’ before the flood using old B&W images with special 3D software. North Devon Schools and College Challenge (landscape photography competition.) 250 entries ; a successful dynamic poster 2 competitions 257 entries 2 competitions 257 entries Production of the Exmoor bunting has proved to be a challenge but during this quarter we have found a local printer who can help. Once produced, the bunting will hopefully be sold to parents and families of the winning children. In partnership with PlantLife the Project helped to promote, secure judges and award prizes for the Wonderful Woodlands photographic competition. Deadline for entries was end of January 2015 and just 197 valid entries were received: 117 in the 18+ group, 67 in the 11-17 group and 13 in the under 11s, from all across the South West of England (Dartmoor and Exmoor National Parks and the Quantocks AONB). The award ceremony is set for 1st April 2015 and over 100 people have been invited from across the region. Ilfracombe Academy were keen to be involved in a landscape photography competition as well but in following this up they have requested to delay this until after the exam period, in July. Community events for Exmoor residents Aim for 3 events each year ; 20 people attending on average per event; inviting 2 events 87 people attended 6 events 217 people attended None delivered during this quarter as our Heritage Ambassador has been tied up delivering other local events. The newly formed Woodcombe Community Woodland are keen to hold a woodland BBQ or similar during the Summer and a site visit has taken place