Green UPLIFT's 2024 - A Picture Diary

 

As we come to the end of another year we reflect on the wonderful Green UPLIFT’s we’ve enjoyed. Here’s a picture diary of UPLIFT’s throughout the year that saw us getting wonderfully creative out in nature:

 

WALKING WITH THE ALPACAS

Back in July we had the pleasure of visiting Lower Coates Farm for an unforgettable afternoon walking with the alpacas. 

Whilst a group of UPLIFTER’s walked with these gorgeous creatures the rest of the group joined artist, Jane Lazenby and a herd of sheep in the field for a spot of sketching!

The sun shone and smiles were in abundance for this relaxing and uplifting afternoon.

 

GARDEN GATHERING 

In August we came together for our annual ‘Garden Gathering’ at the Carer’s Garden in Barnsley.

It always amazing to blend our amazing communities and the garden was beautiful in the sunshine. We created a ‘drumming circle’, led by Filomena who inspired us to express ourselves through rhythm and movement. 

It was an afternoon full of colour and connection, chilled and joyous as always!

 

LANGSETT

Next on the calendar was a trip to Langsett. We were joined by Queerecologist, Daniel Baker-Wells  and Park ranger, Rob for a walk around Langsett reservoir, looking at queerness in nature. Daniel and Rob shared their extensive knowledge about plants and birds, they helped UPLIFTER’s to identify different birdsong and Daniel who is an expert in mosses pointed out some fascinating facts about the moss in the parkland. UPLIFTERS engaged in lots of conversation about the habitat of the parkland and magic moments included sighting of birds of prey. There was sketching, photography and even time for a picnic. A real appreciation of nature came to the forefront of this lovely Green UPLIFT.

 

FORAGING AT WORSBROUGH MILL

As we headed into the Autumn it proved a great time to go foraging, with lots of berries and flora to be found. 

We joined artist, writer and professional forager, Hannah May Batley at Worsbrough Mill where we were grateful to also have use of the classroom. This allowed us the space to use the foraged items to create inks for mark making.

Hannah shared her extensive knowledge of all things flora, talking to us about the history, folklore, medicinal properties and pigments of the plants we encounted, as well as sharing recommendations for foraging safely. 

 Of the UPLIFT, lead artist, Helen Boutle says: "It was amazing to tap into just a little of the huge breadth of knowledge that Hannah holds and appreciate the rich properties and extensive uses of natures provisions. Truly inspiring!

 

REWILDING THE MIND AT VIEW CAFÉ

Starting with a hearty breakfast at the View Café in Mapplewell, this Green UPLIFT saw us in a green oasis on the outskirts of town, wandering around the local farmland and woodland on a ‘Rewilding the mind’ adventure with poet, Winston Plowes. 

Winston led the group in some poetry which thematically centred around people finding spiritual comfort through nature and nature being a religion for some people. An identifying feeling for many Green UPLIFTER’s. 

A great day was had by all!

STORYING BARNSLEY

Our final Green UPLIFT of 2024 featured a day of urban photography with 
multimedia artist, Sam Batley.  The workshop linked with Sam's recent Barnsley Museum's commission, 'The Town I Love So Well'. The project is described as a multi-generational project that aims to tell some of the stories that make up Barnsley, exploring the towns identity, landscape, culture and communities through film and photography.  

Starting at the Barnsley Civic, UPLIFTERS joined Sam for a walk around the Town Centre with the aim of taking pictures that told a story and lift the lid on what Barnsley is really like. For the commission Sam has compiled an inspiration booklet, a zine of his connections to Barnsley and photographs from the archives. This proved to be a great resource for the session as archive pictures were held up in situ to match the scene and show the now and then, past and present. 

During the walk UPLIFTER's took pictures of their favourite parts of town and it's architecture. As a group we then came back together to share the photographs and tell the stories behind them. They say a picture can capture a thousand words and this was certainly the case. Some ace pictures were taken which really captured the imagination of the stories behind them. 

Thanks to Sam for a great day, we look forward to seeing his work on this!

 

We’ve had a wonderful year of Green UPLIFT’s and would like to thank all our venues for hosting us, artists for sharing their creativity and expertise with us and our UPLIFTER’S for getting involved. 

We hope these outings have left you feeling uplifted and we look forward bringing you more in 2025. 

For now we will sign off until the new year and wish you all a very peaceful Christmas. 

May all your Christmas’s be white and your UPLIFTS green!

Music Meditation @ Wentworth Castle Gardens

 

Back in June we launched our 2024 Green UPLIFT programme and told you about our exciting plans for our involvement in the Union Jack community Garden project at Wentworth Castle Gardens. Fast forward to December and we're proud to share the fruits of our labour with you. 

The Union Jack Garden at the National Trust's Wentworth Castle Gardens is a restoration project which saw Creative Recovery being offered a small section of the geometric, Union Jack Garden that was first planted in 1713. Our vision for the garden was to create something that represents our community, to create a space to rest in nature and to inspire the garden’s visitors to look up to the sky. Our plans for this vision also included the creation of a nature meditation, a ‘sound piece to soothe the soul’.

Speaking about the inspiration for the garden, lead artist, Helen Boutle says:

‘‘Creative Recovery’s section is inspired by the wildness of nature and the freedom the mind can experience when ‘nature immersed’. Just to sit and leave your cares behind and watch nature doing it’s thing.’’

 Work on this began in August with UPLIFTER’s regularly attending the plot over the coming months to clear unwanted plants, and plant according to our scheme. With hard work comes progress, and thanks to everyone’s efforts we have managed to clear some of the mock orange which once grown back will be trained into an arch, pathways have also been put in and a stumpery is now in place. The garden is looking really beautiful, it will grow back with wildflowers and be more of a wilderness, which will attract little beasties in the Spring.  

Also complete is the soundscape for the garden. We were delighted to work with musician Nick Lewis who worked with a group of people over 6 weeks in a music meditation course funded by Barnsley Council public health. Together the group identified characteristics and features within the garden that they wanted to incorporate in the sound scape and workshopped ideas, words and music to design the piece. Sessions were also held at the plot to record sounds from the garden including the rustling of leaves, the footsteps of visitors, trees blowing in wind and the sound of birds. 

Nick has expertly edited these with music to create a very special sound journey to accompany your moment of calm in the garden, which is accessible for those visiting via a QR code on site.

You can also listen here: 'Nature- Nurture' Sound Journey. For Wentworth Castle Gardens.

On the 25^th November we proudly celebrated the launch of the garden and sound journey with a special 
group whose voices, music and words have come together to create something very beautiful and very special. We were blessed with blue skies and shared food and magical moments together in this wonderful space. Helen states:

“We have loved working with musician, Nick Lewis, who’s skill of weaving together so many ideas and talents, alongside the recordings, is actually incredible. 

It’s been a wonderful project, with so many of the people involved getting so much out of it.”