Project

Pergola in Ruskin Park

This year project will increase awareness of the historic and natural heritage of Ruskin Park and the local area surrounding the park. Historic heritage research techniques will be taught in order to preserve the heritage of Ruskin Park for future generations. In the past 3 years, Embrace ran 2 very successful Heritage Lottery projects focusing on the natural heritage of the respective sites.

Differences from previous Embrace Cooperation Ltd Heritage Lottery projects:

With this new project, our main focus will be the historic heritage with a much lighter focus on natural heritage.

The project will concentrate on researching historical facts and designing educational outputs (booklet, film, podcast, time capsule & park sign) for future & present generations.

We will also offer new workshops based on poetry writing to connect past and present around the writings of John Ruskin.

Ruskin Park sign, Lambeth, London

We will be presenting the researched heritage information and other project outcomes in new exciting ways to help local communities engage with their local heritage.

Heritage skills training for project participants/volunteers: Archival research skills to research documents about the park’s history will be taught by Lambeth Archive staff.

Participants will also be sent on training to gain skills to conduct oral history interviews. Development of project book, podcast and film: The information and interviews collected through applying these heritage research and interviewing skills will be used to create a project booklet, podcast and documentary film. These will contain historic and natural heritage information about Ruskin Park and the surrounding area. The project booklet and film will also be put into a time capsule (provided by Lambeth Council) with other material collected from local community groups and placed in Ruskin Park for future generations to find. By doing these activities we are linking the past, present and future of Ruskin Park and our target beneficiaries (young people, BME, local communities) get to explore the history, making it relevant to the present using modern media.

Squirrel in Ruskin Park

Increasing awareness of heritage significance of John Ruskin: This will be done through researching facts and analysing his historical role with an emphasis on a “Message for the Now”. We also will develop an Information Sign about John Ruskin that will be placed in Ruskin Park.

Ruskin Park, Lambeth, London

Activities to increase local communities awareness of the heritage of the park:

Awareness of the historic and natural heritage of Ruskin Park will be increased in the local communities through free public guided walks, a time capsule, workshops and information stalls at local events. Awareness of how to protect the parks natural heritage will be increased through free public practical nature conservation workshops. We will also raise awareness of the park’s heritage through organizing tailor made events for local community groups and schools.

The project will include:

Tailor made events for community groups & schools

Poetry writing workshops

Guided historic heritage walks

History research at local Archives / Libraries

Visit to Tate Britain

Photography walks

Guided nature walks & surveys

Practical nature conservation events

Creation of project film & pod cast

Oral history interviews

Project booklet about Ruskin Park

Create of park information sign about John Ruskin

Creation of a time capsule

Final exhibition