About the project:
Brimming with creativity, environmental improvements, heritage initiatives, and enhanced wayfinding.
Thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery players, Spalding Reconnected (2022-2025) project has proved the power of collaboration across arts, heritage, environmental and wayfinding initiatives in celebrating the historic market town of Spalding and its uniquely picturesque riverside. The project has been developed and delivered by South Holland District Council, Heritage Lincolnshire, Transported, East Mercia Rivers Trust and Landmark with expertise from Lincolnshire County Council.
The project team worked closely with local people at heritage workshops, free arts activities, and enriching volunteering opportunities, all of which helped inform the exciting outputs. These include a series of living willow artworks, an environmental education programme with local schools (the Eels in the Classroom initiative) ‘floating eco-systems,’ wildflower planting, enhanced way-markers and the Spalding Heritage Strategy - which envisions the future of heritage in the town over the next 10 years.
Take a look through the highlights of the project below...
Riverwalk Artworks
Images: Faye Parker
Led by arts organisation, Transported, artists, volunteers and the local community connected through sustainable collaboration to create beautiful willow sculptures, nature-inspired way markers, and a carefully crafted community banner – all in celebration of Spalding’s historic town and riverside heritage.
Willow Eel Trap Sculptures, created by Alison Walling and local people.
Etched Way Markers, created by Emily Cartwright and Jamie Hawker.
Community Banner, designed by Robbie King, and brought to life by A+E Collective and local people
Environmental Initiatives
As part of the national effort to save the European Eel (Anguilla Anguilla) for three weeks, Spalding school children from Ayscoughfee Hall School, St John the Baptist Church of England School and Tulip Academy partook in the ‘Eels in the Classroom’ programme led by East Mercia Rivers Trust (EMRT.) The schoolchildren carefully and considerately reared the Elvers – baby eels, before releasing them into the River Welland at Welland Yacht Club.
In collaboration with landowners, the Crown Estate, and working closely with Aqua Maintain, the riverscape has been planted with moisture-loving plants including Yellow Flag Iris and Purple Loosestrife, approximately 125 m of coir rolls and floating islands/ecosystems installed along the left riverbank by High Bridge in Spalding. EMRT also conducted wildflower replanting along the riverbank, with the help of 10 enthusiastic volunteers.
Spalding Heritage Strategy
Alongside project management of Spalding Reconnected, we took the lead on the heritage strand of the project, through the co-created Spalding Heritage Strategy.
Co-produced with members of Spalding’s community and heritage sector, the Spalding Heritage Strategy and accompanying action plan, outlines a distinctive and diverse long-term vision for the future of heritage in the historic market town over the next 10-15 years. The heritage strategy includes themes and priorities identified through an extensive consultation process.
Wayfinding
11 wayfinding points, including new route markers, fingerposts and interpretation have been installed at points of interest around the historic market town of Spalding, at the railway station, bus station and along the riverside by signage company, Landmark.
Using a combination of historic images, heritage information and contemporary designs and patterns, the signs are designed to reflect and amplify the sense of place of Spalding; the riverside, heritage, architecture and materials that make the town unique to visitors and everyone that live and work there.
