C3: Do
Do (on all twelve commons) is the public-facing aspect of the project and includes a variety of activities some led by commoners and stakeholders, some led by volunteers with interests such as biodiversity and archaeology, and some led by staff from partner organisations. Highlights include:
The Great Gather (on two commons) where the public are invited to join commoners to help bring the sheep down from the hills ready for shearing. This engaging spectacle proved really popular when we trialled it during the development phase, with farmers stationed in key locations to explain to visitors what was happening, and to translate the whistled commands given to the sheepdogs!
Open Farm Days (on two commons) where farmers offer “open house” to visitors, so that they can see how a hill farm works, help feed lambs and other stock, and generally get a first-hand feel for a way of life that at one time most people would have had experience of, but which is now unusual and therefore interesting. Many of our farmers are very keen to do this.
Taking the Commons to Town (on all commons) will take farmers and their animals into a nearby town or city to show nearby urban residents what’s on their doorstep. Audience development showed that communities outside rural areas often don’t have the confidence to interact with the countryside or are constrained by economic circumstance to make the journey to these wonderful sites. Whilst people are on “town days” we will invite them to come to the Gathers, or to the Open Farm Days, including organising transport where necessary.
We will encourage people to come out onto commons after dark through our Dark Nights project (on six commons). As well as stargazing, we will undertake citizen science work looking at light pollution, bring in experts to teach night sky photography and run a series of wildlife at night sessions.
Hill Stories (on one common) will involve local 11-18 year olds working with digital media artists to create commons-based stories – stills, video and/or audio. These will be made available through the project’s digital diary and social media and will be brought together in an exhibition at the end of the project. The young people will be exploring their common and learning how it works for the first time.
Find out from the Farmer (on one common) will make 90 second film clips of commoners accessible to walkers through the use of QR codes on waymarking posts on the Coast to Coast long distance route. This will help long distance walkers understand more about the land under their feet.
Know your Common (on one common) is aimed at people who live nearby and who may not “see” the common due to its sheer familiarity. It includes guided walks, sphagnum plug planting and training to help local residents have the confidence to share their new knowledge with others through organising events of their own.
Participation by 480 people from deprived wards in the John Muir Award through day and residential visits to project commons (all twelve commons). Activities will link to all of the work described above enabling young people to explore, discover, conserve and share about commons.
Underpinning all of these activities will be training and mentoring in how to organise and run events; to ensure that small-scale projects can be continued after the life of the project, part of embedding legacy into delivery.
