Crowds gathering at the Party Without Pollution
Artist Charlie Bosanquet (left) gives a tour of the school allotment project
Visitors to the Party Without Pollution try out artist Beth Hamer's pedal powered photocopier
Workshops in energy saving were among dozens of activities held in the PowerStation
The project had specific aims to engage young people in workshops and at the family friendly party
Food grown on the school allotment was cooked by the children and served to the partygoers
The huge PowerStation structure as it was being installed in Kirkup Gardens
Rappers and Samba players jamming amongst the crowd
Wythenshawe Forever!
Wythenshawe Forever! is a community powered, artist-led environmental project begun in 2006/7 on a marginalised and deprived Manchester housing estate.
Funded by DEFRA and in collaboration with community radio station (Wythenshawe FM) and the environmental centre (MERCI), it is unique in seeking to change attitudes toward climate change through creative community agency.
A series of artist-led projects, stretching over months, built up to the 'Party Without Pollution' in July of 2007. This unique community festival was powered by the energy saved and generated throughout the project, making Wythenshawe the UK's first town to have its own totally pollution free festival.
Another big part of the project is the 'PowerStation', a thirty foot high tower housing workshops throughout the project and providing the back drop to the Party.
Normally, public events in Wythenshawe are heavily sponsored by the Manchester Airports Group (the international airport that adjoins the estate) and large supermarkets like ASDA. Wythenshawe Forever! was sponsorship free and proved that local people could power and create their own sustainable events.
More than 800 visitors came to the free event, which featured amongst other things the world's only bike powered photocopier, a solar powered cinema, a chip fat fuelled sound system and a free organic restaurant, stocked by W4E!'s own allotment, and cared for by children from St. Paul's High School.
UHC continues to work with St. Paul's on their pupils' allotment.
W4E! Partners have produced a Good Practice Guide that documents the process of the project and it's outcomes. It can be downloaded below.