Youngsters to create fun trail at Saltram

Young people of the Plymouth communities of Efford, Barne Barton and Stonehouse are to learn about about the heritage of Saltram House and help create a new adventure trail thanks to a partnership between Take A Part Community Interest Company, Plymouth City Council and the National Trust.

The partnership has been awarded over £21,000 by the Heritage Lottery Fund Young Roots programme, dedicated to giving young people the opportunity to learn about heritage as well as to learn new skills via the process.

Working with National Trust staff, local historians and artists, the young people aged 7-19 will interpret the history of the estate and it’s local context. Then they will commission three sculptural interpretation points along the trail, encouraging people to move through the grounds and explore the landscape.  The process will involve writing briefs for artists, selecting artists and working with woodworkers, willow artists and others.

‘We are thrilled to give young people the chance to learn about their heritage and share their skills with the wider city’, says Kim Wide, Director of Take A Part.  ‘When you involve local people in creativity and culture you get more support, interest and ownership.’

‘I have been to Saltram before but I don’t know a lot about the grounds,’ said Holly from Barne Barton. ‘This project sounds cool and working with an artist will be fun.’

‘We are really excited about the project,’ said Stephen Holley, Lead Ranger at Saltram.  ‘In the National Trust we really want to encourage people to get outdoors and enjoy the countryside and nature in a way that teaches and inspires, but is fun as well.  This project will achieve all of these things and provide some interesting links into the past history of this beautiful estate.’ 

The project comes at a time when the Plym Valley Cycle Trail is also seeing investment and improved links from Plymouth centre, through Saltram and on up the Plym Valley.   Part of a partnership project, this scheme will improve ‘green links’ around Plymouth and feeds nicely into the Young Roots project by encouraging access and outside enjoyment of Saltram and the countryside beyond. 

The project will be running until July 2016, when there will be a public launch.  The first community to engage in this work will be Efford.