Nature&ME

IntroNature and meWhat has nature got to do with me? What is nature and where do I find it? What difference does my life make to the natural world?Nature is all around us: chirping away in parks and gardens, lounging in our homes and rabbit hutches, lurking in our kitchen cupboards, informing us when to sleep or wake up, adorning the fabric that decorates our houses and woven into the clothes we wear. We connect with nature when we decide how we get to work, what we do with our free time and what we spend our money on.We know this because we’ve asked.

Intro What we didManchester Museum has worked with Manchester residents, Stockport College students and artists to find out how people connect with nature. Artists Naomi Kendrick and Kate Day devised a series of creative work-shops to get participants thinking about their lives and nature. Kate and Naomi introduced museum objects, their art work, everyday objects, block print nature portraits and secret question cranes to get everyone thinking and talking. Once the memories were flowing, the friendly folk at Stockport College turned thoughts and ideas into words and pictures through a series of short films.

We would like to share those films with you.This booklet gives you a taste of who’s been involved, what they did, and where you can find out more.

Bryan itch“For me objects have a unique ability - simply by our touching them - to connect us with events or activities in the past and give a deeper understanding of what was going on. Nowadays we tend to take it for granted that we can live in whatever environment we please and that we can change it to our liking but at times it was the cli-mate and the environment that dictated whether human beings could survive. That is humbling and a welcome reminder human beings don’t control everything. It’s a lesson to us not to be arrogant and to treat the world with more respect.”

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Bryan itch

Jaqueline“Since 2005 I’ve had an allotment at Cleveleys Avenue in Chorlton. It’s my

little piece of heaven and I always feel relaxed once I get through the gate. I really enjoy eating my own fruit and veg, especially my spuds. Everything tastes so good when its fresh, there are no pesticides and zero food miles. I get up close to a tremendous range of wildlife: birds, bees, insects, frogs and the occasional hedgehog and squirrel. I get regular exercise throughout the year, as even in the winter there’s lots to do” Jacqueline Wylie

Wylie

ontributorsFilmed Contributors Joanne Tippett Reinmar Hager

Warren MansellIan Munro

Qing-Jun Meng Dave Barlow

Fernando Lourenco Gareth Mitchell

Xiaobing Wang Susie Hughes

Steph Estall KnightBryan Sitch

Hannah Brookfield Tony Chorley

Anne Tucker Kaite Boltain

Eric FletcherKaren Lawson

David Birchall Stefan Skrimshire

Elisha Bradley Rowena Hamilton

Arthur Allan Andrew Brooks

Alan Hill Dave Bishop

John Peel Sandra Pound

Tim Mckenzie Lisa Beauchamp

Jacqueline Wylie Victoria Henshaw

Helen Manley Naomi Kendrick

Kate DayHiren Odedra Brenda Smith

Becky Burns Mary Ononokpono

Lucy MillardJim Medway

Al

Project contributors:Johan Oldekop (conservation and

social sustainability)Henry Mcghie

Dimitri LogunovAndrea Winn

Stephen WelshAilsa Strachan

ontributors Stockport College:Andrew PercivalBrianPaul ProctorLucy BrownRick ClaphamRobert Durn

Student Contributors:Daniel MurrayDalvatore Kay-SportelliHarry de CauxJasmine WilsonMiriam WoodMichelle RobinsonSam WainwrightGary BennettHannah LeydenJames HughesDaniel HusbandJanine CrawfordAdam RobinsonTennesh MassaquoiAlex KennyDidier DuboisAbigail McIntyreGeorgina HuttonGavin FallowsWilliam El-Ammar

Sean PetrouJames DuboisLuke de BotteJay McCorkleChris Griffiths