Mersey Basin Campaign Blog

Make it snappy at Martin Mere

 

Picture by P Gibbs, entry in last year's competition.

Time is running out to enter the WWT Nikon Photography Competition, and WWT Martin Mere in Burscough is the perfect location to take your best shot. Entries have to be taken at a WWT Wetland Centre, but they can show anything, the landscape, wildlife, or even the visitors themselves.

The competition is to be judged by Chris Packham, and there's lots of swanky camera equipment up for grabs for the winners.

There are three categories to enter: Photo of the Year, Junior Photo of the Year and Digiscoping Photo of the Year. Regional winners in each catgeory will receive a prize of binoculars, and be put forward to the national shortlist.

CLICK HERE for more info about the competition and HERE for infomation about WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre.

Rochdale Canal Festival Fun Day 2009 - Ealees, Littleborough

Rochdale Canal Festival Fun Day 2009 - Ealees, Littleborough
Originally uploaded by rochdale canal

Hey, the first photos of this year's Rochdale Canal Festival are now on the Rochdale Canal's Flickr page. Check out the horseboating goodness from Ealees, and the stickleback action from Failsworth......

VISIT THE ROCHDALE CANAL'S FLICKR STREAM

First Mersey Pirate Muster a swashbuckling success!

 

Ahoy there! It has come to the attention of our eagle-eyed bloggers that some frankly lawless behaviour and quite blatant swashbuckling took place at Liverpool's Albert Dock this weekend. Members of the public were seen sporting eyepatches and the skull and crossbones was flying proudly from a number of craft. 

And what's more, far from cowering in terror from the piratical invasion, staff at the Dock's shops, restaurants and museums seemed to be joining in, dressing up in full pirate regalia, and providing essential pirate supplies to the masses.

This reporter is appalled to note that the citizens of Liverpool looked on and cheered as dastardly pirates like Frenchy Hawkins, Greybeard and Calico Jack of the vessel 'Vilma' took on the sailors of the tallship Zebu in a fight to the death (well, almost).

It would seem that this, the first Mersey Pirate Muster was to celebrate Liverpool's pirate past, and it's waterfront present. Town dispatcher, the Liverpool Echo takes up the story........ 

RCF 09 - Free kayaking sessions on Hollingworth Lake

  

The Rochdale Canal Festival kicks off tomorrow, and there are FREE kayaking sessions on offer both this weekend and next at Hollingworth Lake, Rochdale. Anyone over the age of 7 can take part in the sessions, which are happening between 10am-12pm and 1-3pm this Saturday (11th July), and 3.30-5.30pm next Sunday (19th July). If you'd like to get on the water and have a go, just contact Lucy on 07795 838335 to book a place.

There's a whole raft (sorry) of other activities going on from tomorrow as part of the festival. Download Rochdale Canal Festival programme 2009

Have fun!

Save Calderdale from invasive species!

  

Calling all Calderdale-based environmental superheroes! Groundwork Leeds and Calder Future are hosting a volunteer event as part of the Rochdale Canal Festival at Luddenden Foot in Calderdale this Saturday, 11th July. The activities are taking place from 10:30am - 2.30pm, kicking off with a workshop on the impact of invasive species, then giving participants the chance to get their hands dirty and bash the balsam on the canalside.

You'll need to wear appropriate clothing and footwear (no capes, masks or tights, I'm afraid...).

To book a place at the event, please contact Emma on 0113 238 0601 or email [email protected]

Here's some background information on common invasive species HIMALYAN BALSAM and JAPANESE KNOTWEED

Busy week #2 Trade City at the Chips Building

 

Just braved the rain for a sneaky peak at the fantastic Trade City exhibition, staged by Contemporary Art Manchester at the Will Alsop-designed Chips building on the banks of the Ashton Canal.

The exhibition brings together thirteen visual arts organisations, representing 26 artists, and exploring notions of trade and exchange both between the artists, and in the city's industrial past.

Preparations are at fever pitch for the show, which launches this Sunday from 3-7pm at the Chips Building, Old Mill Street, New Islington, Manchester, M4 6BU.

Trade City will be open Wednesday - Sunday 6th-19th July, and you can reach it by strolling along the Rochdale or Ashton canals - which would be particularly fitting next week, when the Rochdale Canal Festival kicks off.

Whilst you're about it, why not stick one of the Hearmanchester.com audio portraits on your iPod and grab yourself even more of an insight into the city's cultural or industrial heritage?

Busy week #1 Mersey at Catalyst Science Discovery Centre

  

Whew, even in the heatwave (well, there was one until this morning....) we've been working our socks off on some exciting projects. For example, the Mersey: The river that changed the world exhibition was installed at the Catalyst Science Discovery Centre on Mersey Rd in Widnes this week. The exhibition looks great, featuring all of Colin McPherson's fantastic Mersey Road and Mersey People photography, as well as a special dedicated 'memory room' where you can leave us your most cherished Mersey memories, or tell us about your favourite spot along the river. If you're not in the Widnes area, but would like to contribute, feel free to email your memories of the river, or favourite locations to [email protected] .

The exhibition will be at the Catalyst until 20th September 2009, and the team have got some exciting themed events planned for later in the summer. If you visit, why not try taking your own photo of the river from the 4th floor observatory. Send us your pictures to the address above.

Thanks to ace exhibition designer Val Evans for all her hard work on this.....

Rochdale Canal Festival 2009 - full events listing

 

Yippee, full event listings are now available for the Rochdale Canal Festival, which gets underway two weeks on Saturday. You can download a copy of the flyer here....Download RCF09_Events flyer

Manchester Music Venues walk - RCF 09

Okay, so it might not quite be up there with THAT gig, but everyone who's anyone will surely be heading for the great Manchester Music Venues walk, taking place as part of the Rochdale Canal Festival 2009 on Tuesday 14th July.

The four-mile walk will take in the canal as it passes through Manchester city centre, and many legendary Manc music haunts, from the Bridgewater Hall to the Roadhouse.

The walk starts at 11am, meeting at the main entrance of Manchester Town Hall in Albert Square.

Why not prepare for the walk by listening to HEARMANCHESTER.COM / UNSUNG a unique audio portrait of the city's musical heritage, which finds music journalist and punk legend John Robb talking to some of Manchester's unsung musical heroes, from Tosh Ryan of Rabid Records (The Buzzcocks, Slaughter and The Dogs), and discovering the city's jazz and hip-hop scenes, as well as unearthing a few unexpected anecdotes about the father of the Halle Orchestra and his postman........

Hearmanchester.com at the Big Chip Awards

Check them out! http://www.hearmanchester.com, our audio portraits based along the Rochdale Canal in Manchester city centre was shortlisted in three categories at the Big Chip Awards last night, and the project was lucky enough to receive special commendations for both 'Best Public Sector Project' and 'Best Use of Visual Design'. The awards were presented at a glitzy ceremony at Manchester's Palace Hotel, and I think star-studded would be the appropriate term for an event which was hosted by Terry Christian AND featured a special performance from comedian Bill Bailey, fresh from the stage at the Palace Theatre, where he's been performing his stand-up show for the past few nights. We had fun with our friends from Stardotstar, who developed the project, as well as the photographer, Graeme Cooper, Andrew from 257 Design, who created our beautiful Hearmanchester bollards, and our project partners from Marketing Manchester, thanks everyone for a great night.....

Visit the Big Chip website for information about the other award winners, and no doubt a beautiful picture of us in our finery at some point....

And don't just take the judges' word for it, jump on Hearmanchester.com, and take a walk along the Rochdale Canal with punk legend John Robb.