Mersey Basin Campaign Blog

Image tour of the new Museum of Liverpool

I've been following the developments over at the new Museum of Liverpool with great interest over the past couple of years, and they're one of my favourite Twitter-friends too. Yesterday they were tweeting about a great new series of pictures showing the current state of the Museum from the inside - exciting indeed! The museum's going to be a fantastic new attraction on the watefront in Liverpool, especially with a whole gallery (Port City) dedicated to the River Mersey and the city's maritime heritage. Take a look at the tour and see what you think so far - I can't wait to be able to go and visit....

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE TOUR

And why not keep up to date with what's happening at the new museum by FOLLOWING THEM ON TWITTER?

Vote for Liverpool's International Slavery Museum

The pride of the Albert Dock, Liverpool's new International Slavery Museum has made it through to the finals of the National Lottery Awards. The museum, which opened in 2007, has been nominated in the Best Heritage Project category, where it's up against rival projects from Stourport and South London. The museum needs your help to win the award - please vote online or by phone on 0844 686 6957. Voting is open from 9am on Monday 3rd August until midday on Friday 14th August.

Griff Rhys Jones - Our man in the Mersey

 

Picture by BBC / Modern TV

WATCH RIVERS WITH GRIFF RHYS JONES (NORTH) ON BBC iPLAYER

Sunday night's not usually my favourite TV-viewing time slot. I'm not a huge fan of Songs of Praise and the Antiques Roadshow fills me with an urge to finish my non-existent homework, so I tend to reserve Sunday nights for such joyous tasks as ironing, making packed dinners, and finally getting round to reading the Saturday papers. Last night, though, it was a different matter. I was on the couch ahead of time, bag packed, shirts ironed, and today's butties sitting in the fridge waiting for me to forget them on Monday morning. And what prompted this uncharacteristic display of efficiency? A surprise screening of The Goonies? Repeats of the 2005 Ashes series? No, it was the Northern-based episode of Griff Rhys Jones's epic Rivers series, and for the Mersey Basin Campaign there was lots to get excited about...

Picture by Colin McPherson

Our friend Dave Sandman, United Utilities sewage treatment worker and cross-Mersey swimmer challenged Griff to a swim across the Mersey, which had to be abandoned halfway because of the level of shipping traffic on the river (can't complain at that - and is it just me, or did Griff look slightly relieved to be back in the warm?).

Griff takes the plunge - picture by Paul Cornwell

Dave is quite the media darling these days, but we like to think his big break came when he featured as one of our Mersey People back in 2007/8 - click here to visit the Mersey: the river that changed the world website, and listen to an interview with Dave, and his fellow Mersey People.

Talking of the Mersey People, Griff also helped a Mersey pilot, Geoff Rafferty, bring a huge ACL vessel into the Port of Liverpool. Two of Geoff's colleagues, John Curry and Tony Brand also took part in the Mersey People project -  you can listen to them discussing their work in this interview: Download Tony Brand and John Curry

At the other end of the Mersey, Griff also visited the Manchester Ship Canal, and went underground with Environment Agency staff at Moston Brook. It wasn't the Nine O'Clock News, but it was a great showcase for the Northwest's revitalised, thriving, and COLD rivers!

Doing a clean up? Watch out for daleks!

Spotted an interesting snippet in the Metro newspaper this morning - it seems a volunteer was taking part in a clean up at his local pond down in Hampshire, when he unearthed the head of a dalek from amongst the usual litter. According to the Metro, Marc Oakland saw something round and dark coming to the surface of the pond, which turned out to be the head of one of Doctor Who's archenemies, the daleks. It seems they'd filmed in the area, and this particular exterminator had been left behind. So next time you're out in your waders, just think, a piece of TV history could be just under the next shopping trolley.

The Mersey Basin Campaign offers lots of opportunities to get involved in clean-ups on the Northwest's waters. We can't promise space-rubbish, but if you'd like to take part, contact your nearest Action Partnership, or email our Community Support Coordinator, Bev Mitchell

CLICK HERE TO SEE A PIC OF MARC AND HIS DALEK

Mersey Basin Campaign on BBC Radio 4's You and Yours

Yesterday's edition of the BBC Radio 4 show 'You and Yours' featured a report on the Campaign and the 25-year clean up of the River Mersey. Taking part were our Chair, Peter Batey, Peter Jones of the EA, Lord Heseltine, and Tom Workman and Barney Easdown, who were both part of our Mersey People project last year.

CLICK HERE TO 'LISTEN AGAIN' TO THE FEATURE

CLICK HERE TO HEAR MORE FROM TOM, BARNEY AND LORD HESELTINE IN 'MERSEY PEOPLE'

Here's Barney in his element (photograph by Colin McPherson)

Bird's eye view of Liverpool's Tall Ships Race

This weekend sees over 70 tall ships arrive in Liverpool's Wellington and Albert Docks, and local radio station Radio City have capitalised on their position atop St John's Beacon to provide a bird's eye view of the action. They have placed a webcam on top of the tower so that you can log on over the weekend and see what's happening on the Mersey. You can also keep track of the shipping movements using this satellite view as well. Be careful, I've learned from bitter experience that it can be quite addictive......

You can also watch an alternative webcam view from the Tall Ships Race official site where you'll be able to view the Parade of Sail in all its glory on Monday.

BBC Merseyside have provided some useful travel information, so if you're planning on seeing the ships in real life, check it out.....

St Luke's lion and eagle

Unilever Dragonfly Award winners St Luke's Church, Crosby have sent us some pictures of the carved lion and eagle scupltures that have been created for their community garden.........they also tell us that they're holding a wildlife activity morning this Saturday (19th April) from 10am - 12:30pm at the church hall, Liverpool Road, Crosby. For more information call Steve or Jan on 0151 928 7025.