Go digital with Dream and make your past part of the future
Memories of a former colliery steeped in the past are about to become a key part of the future for generations to come.
The former Sutton Manor Colliery in St.Helens, now the home of Dream and Bold Forest Park will be featured in a groundbreaking digital interpretation trail being launched in April. Part of it will be the creation of an oral history archive, which will preserve people’s memories of the colliery and Dream.
Local people could find themselves and their memories preserved for the digital age on iPhone and podcasts.
On Thursday 3rd March, Audio Guide Productions is inviting people to join them at Smithy Manor Pub on Jubits Lane, to talk about their experiences and memories of the area.
It will offer opportunities to contribute to the Dream digital interpretation project, and preserve their history of Sutton Manor Colliery and the community around it.
Julie Dean, of Audio Guide Productions says: “Being involved in this pioneering project connected to Dream is really exciting, and we hope that as many people as possible will get involved and share their memories and bring photos and memorabilia connected to the Sutton Manor Colliery.”
This digital visitor interpretation will include audio trails, podcasts, and a range of smartphone applications that will reveal the history of Sutton Manor using augmented reality – a cutting edge technology that will provide images of the former colliery on the landscape to handheld devices such as the iPhone.
Councillor Barrie Grunewald, Deputy Leader of the council and Cabinet Member for Culture, Communications and Town Centre says: “The introduction of smart, enjoyable high-tech applications to enhance visitors’ experiences at Dream will help to boost footfall at our landmark sculpture.
The applications and future developments at Bold Forest Park continue to reinforce Dream’s significance as a forward-looking symbol of the positive transformation of St.Helens and the wider region.”
In addition to the phone based applications there will be geocaching (a high-tech treasure hunting game), an image hunters trail for children and an education pack. More information and materials will be available to download in April 2011 from www.dreamsthelens.com.
Please come along and share your memories at the Dream Digital Interpretation Community Day – 3rd March 2011 1pm – 6pm, Smithy Manor Pub, Jubits Lane. You will also be able to talk to representatives from the Mersey Forest, the Forestry Commission and St.Helens Council to discuss future developments in Sutton Manor and the Bold Forest Park.
For more information, contact Julie Dean at [email protected]
This project is funded and supported by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).