Weir Pride is a small community group set up with the aim of looking after the village of Weir for the benefit of residents. They undertake projects to enhance the village and promote a sense of well-being and promote interaction of people of all ages from senior citizens to toddlers.
Woolly Weir Wildlife aimed to brighten up Weir Park by adding knitted animals and bunting. It took on a life of its own. The grant also funded four newsletters - one is still to be printed in December.
We want to achieve a goal primary school children requested - to brighten up their park.
They wanted to paint the play furniture in the park but this was not possible. As an organisation we wanted to fulfil the children's wishes so we have moulded their idea into WWW.
Woolly Weir Wildlife will see a yarnbombing of the park and neighbouring street furniture using brightly coloured knitted bunting complete with knitted insects, trees, leaves, flowers, birds in fact anything that can be seen in the beautiful village of Weir. We will run sessions at the local primary school to teach the traditional skill of knitting to the children and adults will be tasked to make some of the more complicated knitted insects.
Difference project made
The project was huge success. It attracted many more members to the Knit and Natter Group. Members also volunteered to run lunchtime sessions at Northern Primary School to teach children how to knit, how to do French knitting using a bobbin and help them to create pompoms for a giant rainbow which was the colourful centrepiece in the park.
WWW and the other imaginative planting projects in Weir really put the village on the map.
Not only did the residents young and old voice their approval, people passing through were stopping to photograph and video the installations to share on social media. It also provided material for a Bacup Camera Club shoot.
In the 20 years I have lived in Weir, and daily looked out on the park (I live opposite) I have never seen so many people in the playground. One parent said his child usually spent 10 minutes in the park and had been there for 2 hours.
We attracted people from Bacup to come to Weir just to visit the park.
Many grandparents were seen wandering round with young grandchildren seeking out where all the animals were hidden.
The sense of community, well being, love and respect for the village increased and the installation suffered very little damage or abuse.
