Come and get involved in Art Gene's Fort Walney Uncovered Programme!

An Aspire Trust Promotion:    Come and get     involved in Art Gene's Fort Walney Uncovered Programme!

Please join Art Gene’s team of artists and archaeologists and discover  the military heritage on the Northern end of Walney Island, Barrow-in- Furness, from Friday 19th – Tuesday 23rd September. Funded by Heritage Lottery Fund, Fort Walney Uncovered is a new   collaborative programme of art, app making and archaeology that will uncover  and tell the story of a First World War-era practice trench and a gun range  that was probably used in both wars, hidden among the dunes of the National  Nature Reserve on North Walney. There are many ways you can get involved - all free but you do need to book: Archaeological exploration with Dr. George Nash and Tom Wellicome,  resident archaeologists Friday 19th: 10am – 4pm Site excavation (diggers, shifters and shovelers  needed!) Saturday 20th: 10am - 4pm Come and find out what we're finding! 12noon and 3pm 1 hour Site Visits (come and hear how George and  Tom work) 11am and 2pm Arts Workshops with our Artist in Residence,  Jeni McConnell Sunday 21st September Seldom Seen Guided Walk, North Walney (Approximately four hours) Meet at: Earnse Bay Car Park, Walney Island, LA14 3XZ at 12noon Led by Art Gene artists Maddi Nicholson and Stuart Bastik, this walk  explores the social, natural and built environment of Fort Walney,  once a British Army training camp and now a National Nature Reserve  and site of special scientific interest. With our guest experts you will  learn about the bird sanctuary and sand dune habitat, co-existing with wildfowl hunting; seek out the gun range and aircraft dispersal pads;  see the habitats of the Natterjack toad and the rare Walney geranium,  and walk along the shore to look for a ship wreck, cockles and mussels  and the largest offshore windfarm group in the world. A highlight of the walk will be a visit to the archaeological dig at the First World  War practice trench site and a talk from the archaeologists. Finish back at the  car park with home cooked food and hot drinks. Featuring our guest experts: Bill Myers, historian and journalist, North West Evening Mail; Richard Sanderson, local historian and Chair of Leven Valley History Society; John Nixon, local historian & author: WW2 publications inc. ‘Wings over Sands’  & ‘Warbirds of Walney’; George Nash Archaeologist; Thomas Wellicome Archaeologist; Steve Benn, Ecologist, Natural England (This walk is part of Art Gene’s Seldom Seen series of walks and road   shows, helping us research a new series of maps for Morecambe Bay  and is presentedin partnership with Morecambe Bay Partnership). Monday 22nd: booking for schools only Schools visit to the archaeological dig Tuesday 23rd: 10am – 4pm Site reconstitution (diggers, shifters and shovelers needed!) For confirmation of times and for further details, please contact   Nick @ Art Gene or phone him on 077422 71570 All activities are free but booking is essential due to the special  nature of the site we will be working on. Please email Nick @ Art Gene to book your place or phone him on  077422 71570 For information about all Art Gene's work, please visit their website here. Art Gene is grateful to their funders and partners: Heritage Lottery  Fund, Cumbria County Council, Borough of Barrow in Furness, the  Hadfield Charitable Trust, the Skinners Company Lady Neville Charity  and Arts Council England. The Walney Walk is organised in partnership  with Morecambe Bay Partnership with funding from Coastal Communities  Fund. For information about all Art Gene's work, please visit their website here. Art Gene is grateful to their funders and partners: Heritage  Lottery Fund, Cumbria County Council, Borough of Barrow in Furness, the Hadfield Charitable Trust, the Skinners Company  Lady Neville Charity and Arts Council England.