Mesnes Park Bridge Project
Listening to what residents like, are concerned about and what their dreams are for the future of their community started this project. Senior, trainee and voluntary community organisers have been door knocking in rain, snow and sun just to find out what the community really care about, this bridge was the most common project idea that came from listening to the people of Newton and Earlestown. Planning, funding bid writing, consultation, workshops, painting and organising followed.
Mesnes Park railway bridge in Newton Le Willows had, for a very long time, been a dark and often threatening place to use particularly at night. This project, arranged by the Community Organisers Ignite Northwest and local artist Jack Knowles, involved over 50 local children, and with the support of the fire service, cleaned off the existing graffitti and replaced it with historical and cultural images to brighten up an unsafe place and make it attractive again for community to use. I filmed the project and interviewed the children as the project developed over a number of days. I applied Augmented Reality software to the artwork which remains to this day.
Video Ignite C.I.C and app on the bridge.