'Big Dig' in Whitworth Park

HLF funded Whitworth Park Community Archaeology & History Project

The Whitworth Park and Whitworth Art Gallery were jointly endowed by Sir Joseph Whitworth. A major objective of the Gallery redevelopment is to re-connect the Gallery with the Park.
 
The Friends of the Whitworth Park have achieved much in turning around the appearance and maintenance regime of the Park and this year it will be submitted for a "Green Flag" award - the nationally accepted standard for open spaces. Building on this success, the Friends are seeking to foster a greater appreciation and sense of "ownership" by its users by introducing more people to the Park’s history and ecology. 
 
The HLF funded Whitworth Park Community Archaeology & History Project, the first phase of which was undertaken last September, is a two year project in which the Friends are working in partnership with the University Archaeology Department, the Museum, the Gallery and the Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Race Relations Resource Centre.
 
Last Thursday evening at the Gallery,Sian Jones, Melanie Giles and Hannah Cobb from the University's Archaeology Department gave the membership of the Friends of the Whitworth Park, 13 of whom had taken part, a presentationon the first season's dig. This was followed by an introduction by the Project Assistant, Ruth Colton, to the next phase of the project - the Archival Research which will be carried out by the Friends with her guidance. The talks were fantastic and I’m sure lots of Friends of the Whitworth would have found them really interesting. 
 
The next project, the Wildlife/Bio Blitz/ Bee Project, in which the Friends are collaborating with the Manchester Museum Youth Board, starts in March and has a joint Open Day in the Park with the Museum on April 14th. This project will then run on with the aim of gradually introducing flowering plants in areas all round the perimeter walks.
 
If you would like to get involved with the Friends of Whitworth Park to help with this and other work to make the Park an even better place in which to enjoy a great Gallery please contact Ken Shone at shones@altrincham.freeserve.co.uk

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