U-Turns and Solar Audio Bench – Acorn Bank

{

The U-Turns are really fun to use and the kids felt much more involved as we went around the trail. The National Trust have provided a first-class sensory experience for the whole family. The installation was inspirational: the voices portrayed such varied perspectives and deep connections with the river, with so much information about the importance of river environments.

An Oral History project at Acorn Bank (National Trust ‘Riverlands’) was established to capture and collate generational memories, connections and feelings about Crowdundle Beck and the surrounding area. This collection was then used to create a sensory trail – which due to its outdoor nature with little access to power required robust self-powered devices. The U-Turn Round was perfect for the task.

U-Turn installed along trail at Acorn Bank

Each U-Turn has a particular theme – ‘Aquatic Life’, ‘Storms and Floods’, ‘The Weir’, ‘A Magical Place’, ‘Older Memories’, ‘The Watermill’, ‘Wildlife’, and ‘The Riverbank’. Through the audio visitors are encouraged to reflect on their own connections with water, and hopefully inspire further engagement with river conservation projects.

This project was funded by the Government’s Species Survival Fund. The fund was developed by Defra and its Arm’s-Length Bodies. It is being delivered by The National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with Natural England and the Environment Agency.

‘The U-Turns have been really popular with visitors, particularly families who enjoy the interactive element’ says Julia Kiggell, Senior Volunteering and Community Officer for National Trust who designed and curated the Oral History project at Acorn Bank. ‘We worked closely with individuals and community groups, exploring how they feel connected to their local river and changes they have noticed in species abundance over time. The accounts are truly remarkable, and the U-turns have enabled many people to access these voices’

In addition to the U-Turns, Julia also installed a solar powered ‘audio bench’ where visitors can relax and listen to audio clips whilst taking in the beautiful view across the fields and woodland at Acorn Bank.

You can learn more about this project and even hear some of the audio tracks here.