The Avenue Carbonisation and Chemical Plant was an integrated smokeless fuel and chemical works, which opened in 1956 and employed hundreds of people from the local area until its closure in 1992. Since then, it has been the role of the East Midlands Development Agency (emda), to co-ordinate a huge remediation project and to transform the site into a clean, safe and accessible environment for both people and wildlife alike.

Like Echoes of Blackburn Meadows, our new project takes the form of a soundwalk.  We will be capturing first hand memories of life at The Avenue. Spoken memories will be combined with archival material and sounds of a working coking plant to build an audio trail across the site. The project celebrates The Avenue as a landmark, which has shaped the life and landscape in the region as we know it today.

If you have any memories of The Avenue Coking Works or have information you would like to share, then we would love to hear from you. Are you a former worker of The Avenue Carbonisation and Chemical Plant? Perhaps your friends, neighbours or family members were employed at The Avenue? Can you remember the landscapes at The Avenue and how they changed over time? To contribute your memories, please email info@sheffieldelectricity.com or telephone Project Co-Ordinator Jennifer Rich on 0114 258 5885/07841 869882. For more information on The Avenue site, click HERE

We huddled together as the results were announced but, alas, were pipped to the post by the extraordinary Pestival, which is an arts festival bringing to life the otherworldly kingdom of insects through art, film music and education workshops.

We received lots of advice and feedback on both Echoes of Blackburn Meadows and our second project at the former Avenue Coking Works in Derbyshire, which has helped to galvanise our ideas and objectives. Our thanks to the judging panel, especially to environment journalist Lucy Seigle, who conceived of the awards back in 2005. Thank you also to the event co-ordinators for an exotic array of cocktails, canapés and a veritable treasure trove of a goodie bag! Lastly, a huge congratulations to Sheffield’s homegrown Abundance project; the winner of the Grassroots Project category.

For more information on the awards and its inspiring winners, flick through the Observer Ethical Awards pages on the Observer website.

The judges, who include actor Colin Firth and environmental journalist Lucy Siegle, were looking for an innovative and passionate project, which makes ethical living both accessible and aspirational.

We’re faced with some tough competition with Blue Ventures and Pestival also competing for the £1000 project grant. We’ll be looking forward to meeting them at the award ceremony at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London on Thursday 10th June.

Over the past twelve weeks, thanks to environmental charity BTCV and a funding boost from SITA Trust’s GreenPrints scheme, a group of dedicated young volunteers have re-surfaced pathways; constructed steps and benches; built a wetland scrape; planted a species-rich hedgerow; and removed litter, bracken and buddleia to make the environment cleaner and safer for all visitors to the area.

On Friday 26th March we welcomed David Blunkett, MP to the site. Mr Blunkett met conservation volunteers, as well as former workers of the power station, whose spoken memories have been used as part of EBM.

We are now on the hunt for funding, which will allow us to build EBM’s remaining transmitters. Don’t forget that we’re still broadcasting a soundreel of EBM during daylight hours, via out prototype transmitter located HERE. Email info@sheffieldelectricity.com with your name and address if you wish to borrow an FM radio receiver (free of charge) to tune in.

We are proud to announce that David Blunkett, MP will be visiting on Friday 26th March at 2pm for the official opening the newly improved pathways at Blackburn Meadows.

Mr Blunkett will be joining volunteers for a short tour of the site, which will be followed by a picnic and some ale, courtesy of Thornbridge Brewery.   A temporary transmitter is to be hidden on site and will be broadcasting a short soundbite of Echoes of Blackburn Meadows, (FM radio receivers and headphones will be provided).

The celebrations are open to all and the team would be thrilled if you could to join them.  To attend, please be HERE at 2pm sharp and be sure to bring warm clothes and sturdy footwear. The site is accessible by tram or bus and parking is available at the nearby Meadowhall shopping centre.  All activities, inc. food and drink, are FREE.

For more information, contact Echoes Jen Rich on 07841 869882 or email jennifer@sheffieldelectricity.com

The team of volunteers will be responsible for carrying out vital conservation work on the public pathways in which EBM is to be installed.  If you are between 16 and 25 and would like to join us, we would be very pleased to hear from you.

The work, which begins at the end of this month will take place on the stretch of pathway running between the site of the former power station and the railway line.  The path is approximately two miles long and takes walkers under the M1 viaduct, along the perimeters of the Blackburn Meadows site and to the weir of the Tinsley Canal/ River Don.  Volunteers will be responsible for a wide range of tasks including resurfacing pathways, strengthening existing steps, constructing benches, planting wild flowers and building a small scrape, which is a shallow wetland designed to increase biodiversity.

If you are between 16 and 25 years old and would like to learn new skills in conservation; gain experience to assist future job applications; meet new friends; or simply get some fresh air and exercise, then please contact John Thompson from BTCV at j.thompson@btcv.org.uk or on 0114 290 1255.

No experience is necessary as BTCV supply all the tools, training,  equipment and guidance from trained leaders in order for you to take part.

To request an Evaluation Form simply email info@sheffieldelectricity.com and we will ping one over to you, or you can ring us on 07841 869882 and we will pop a one in the post.

Your feedback is essential to the next phase of EBM, which is to build around ten more transmitters broadcasting sounds and spoken memories of the former Blackburn Meadows power station.

Don’t forget we’re still transmitting at Blackburn Meadows during daylight hours.  Just pick up your participant toolkit from Sheffield Local Studies Library, hop on a tram to Tinsley and tune in to the sounds and spoken memories of this remarkable site.

Listen to Ted Gordon as he talks about the power station and Sheffield’s steel industry

Image courtesy of Sheffield Local Studies Library ]]> http://www.sheffieldelectricity.com/site/industrial-supply/industrial-supply.html/feed 0 http://www.sheffieldelectricity.com/news/reminiscence-session-saturday-10th-october-2009.html http://www.sheffieldelectricity.com/news/reminiscence-session-saturday-10th-october-2009.html#comments Fri, 09 Oct 2009 08:37:50 +0000 admin http://www.sheffieldelectricity.com/?p=131 Due to the success of our launch weekend, we’re re-opening the doors of the Sheffield Showcase exhibition space, 106 Pinstone Street this Saturday 10th October. Click HERE to view map.

This time we’re be inviting passers-by to come in and share their memories of the Golden Age of Electricity and, of course, of Blackburn Meadows power station itself. We’ll be providing FREE tea, coffee and homemade cake for anyone who wishes to contribute their memories to the next phase of Echoes of Blackburn Meadows.

Perhaps you remember your first hoover, fridge, toaster or cooker and can remember how these electrical appliances removed the drudgery of the housework. Did you, your friends or family work at the former Blackburn Meadows power station?

If you would like to talk about your memories with the team, then simply drop into the Sheffield Showcase exhibition space, 106 Pinstone Street in Sheffield city centre at any time between 10am and 5pm.

For more information go to www.sheffieldelectricity.com or telephone project co-ordinator Jennifer Rich on 0114 258 5885