A variety of community workshops were held over the summer, inspired and informed by Lancaster University’s Coastal Nature Lab an iPACT project lead by Dr Serena Pollastri and Dr Suzi Ilic. Take a look at what they achieved!

Rope Making and Willow Weaving Workshop

3rd August 2024, Slyne With Hest Memorial Hall

Caroline Dear and Martha Orbach are artists specialising in natural fibres and rope making. They showed us how rope is traditionally made using different plants, before we had a go ourselves. We used purple moor grass as well as straw and nettle, all of which can be found locally. We then moved onto using manila rope and learned different knotting techniques to make shapes and patterns inspired by nature. We’re hoping such shapes could help to slow seabed currents and allow saltmarsh plants to establish.

Willow Weaving Workshop

6th August 2024, St. Luke’s Parish Hall

Amy Gunawan, a local willow weaver from Lancaster, showed us how to weave willow and talked through soaking and different willow types. We used traditional basket making techniques to make ‘turtle’ structures, which will be pinned to the mudflat to help stabilise sediment. Importantly, the willow will biodegrade over time. They made 18 Turtles in total, a reflection of the hard work everyone put in!

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