UPDATE – Thank you to everyone who responded to this consultation. A REPORT ON THE FINDINGS IS HERE.

FURTHER UPDATE – The bench was launched on 21 July 2021, a copy of the STORY OF THE BENCH and the design is here.

The Friends of Springfield Park & Guiseley Wells have applied for and are fortunate to have been awarded one of a unique set of 15 community benches provided by the Leeds Civic Trust ‘Take A Seat’ Project. The benches will commemorate how the citizens of Leeds came together during the Covid 19 Pandemic of Spring 2020. A little like the Trust’s Blue Plaques scheme that celebrates notable historic events.  There is more information on the aims of the scheme from the Civic Trust here.

The bench will be sited in the ancient heart of our community, at Guiseley Wells, as part of an ongoing Wells Pocket Park project run by the Aireborough Neighbourhood Forum in consultation with the land owners and Leeds City Council. The project manager is Jennifer Kirkby. The site chosen is balanced between being in the sun, not being too close to the road, and with a view of the Wells – once the double yellow lines are in place. It will be painted with an individual design telling the ‘Guiseley Story’ of this time.   The local artist chosen by the Friends to do the design is Lucy Phillips of local arts company Codswallop CIC. The Friends are now asking residents to help flesh out that design by completing a survey.

GUISELEY LANDSCAPE PROVIDES THE DESIGN CONTEXT

During the pandemic, nature and the outdoors became a sanctuary for many local people. They took to their gardens, streets and the surrounding landscape to walk, run, grow produce and find solace.  Many reported that with ‘more time’ they noticed far more about the local and natural environment than they ever had done before.

The design of this historic bench will be based on those experiences.   Can you help inspire the artwork by telling ‘your story’;  what the outdoors and the natural environment meant to you in this period, and what you experienced about the community coming together?

COMPLETING THE DESIGN SURVEY

Tell us your story of Spring 2020 by responding to the several questions in the design survey and adding a photo. You can do this in a number of ways. The information is anonymous but you can add your name if you wish.

• You can get a downloadable paper copy (word document). You can write or draw your answers on this
• A downloadable pdf. You can write or draw your answers on this
• An online survey . With an email to send a photograph to Lucy
• A children’s worksheet for their ideas .

 The survey needs to be in by 5th March 2021.

You can follow progress on the Friends of Springfield Park & Guiseley Wells Facebook Page

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