Get involved with a great project!
There are loads of ways to get involved and support our work in Marple and Mellor.
If you have time to spare, skills to share, or want to learn something new, then get in touch with us. We have some amazing opportunities!
Revealing Oldknow's Legacy Oral History Project
Oral histories are a brilliant way to learn about the history of recent times, from the people who were there. We are gathering stories and memories about our three sites - Mellor Mill, Marple Lime Kilns and Marple Aqueduct - and are looking for volunteers who would like to transcribe people's stories from our audio recordings. This would be a great opportunity for anyone who has a few hours a week spare and wants to contribute to a local history project. Transcription can be done at home at a time convenient to you. If you're interested, email Vicky Entwistle - [email protected]. Full advert for this opportunity can be found here.
Marple Aqueduct Conservation Volunteers
We are creating a volunteer group to look after the towpaths and verges at Marple Aqueduct - we'll be sowing wildflowers, clearing away weeds, carrying out nature surveys, and looking for ways that the environment at the Aqueduct can help local plant and animal species. The Aqueduct is bordered by two areas of ancient woodland, and the Peak Forest Canal carried by the Aqueduct is a Site of Special Biological Interest. It's a fascinating environment, with many interesting species living there. This opportunity is perfect if you love gardening, or if you are passionate about protecting your local environment. Full advert for this opportunity can be found here.
Social Media and Marketing Volunteers
Our social media feeds and website keep people informed about what the project is doing, and about upcoming events. Our Social Media and Marketing Volunteers help to spread the word about the project by keeping our social media feeds updated, blogging for us, attending events to live Tweet what's happening, and researching places to list our events and project work. This is a great opportunity for anyone interested in writing, or in digital media, and who has a few hours spare a week to contribute to a local community project. Full advert for this opportunity can be found here.
Do something amazing...
Volunteer with us and you'll be offered training, all the support you need, plus we will reimburse travel costs of up to £9 a day. Find out what volunteering with us is like by reading our volunteer blogs here and here.
For more information on any of our volunteering opportunities, email Vicky Entwistle ([email protected]) or call Vicky on 07876 477 977.
Project and People
What’s our project all about?
Mellor Archaeological Trust (www.mellorarchaeology.org.uk) and Canal & River Trust (www.canalrivertrust.org.uk) have joined forces to secure £2.3 million of investment, including a grant of £1.5m from the Heritage Lottery Fund (www.hlf.org.uk) to deliver Revealing Oldknow’s Legacy: Mellor Mill and the Peak Forest Canal at Marple.
Running until July 2017, the project will reveal, conserve and interpret Oldknow’s Legacy, putting Marple on the map as a visitor destination.
The project aims are embedded in the aspirations of the local community, and we see ourselves as a crucial part in the wider Vision for Marple:
(http://www.marplecivicsociety.org.uk/A-Vision-for-Marple.html)
Who is doing the work?
We are grateful to a team of volunteers who dig, research, photograph, promote and assist with many other jobs to help us achieve our aims. Without their contributions we would be unable to do it all. If you would like to find out about volunteering with us please email [email protected].
In addition to the work of employees and volunteers from both Charities, funding allows us to employ:
Project Officer: Fiona Turpin
Mellor Mill Site Director: Norman Smith
Learning & Interpretation Officer: Natasha Lolljee
Project partners
Stockport MBC (www.stockport.gov.uk)
Roman Lakes (www.romanlakes.co.uk)
Marple Civic Society (www.marplecivicsociety.org.uk)
Salford University (www.salford.ac.uk)
All Saints Primary School (www.marpleschool.org.uk/stockport/primary/allsaints-pri)
Marple Naturalists www.marple-uk.com/nature/
Marple Website http://www.marple-uk.com/
Arthur M Procter http://www.marplebusinessforum.co.uk/members-directory/printing-and-photography/a-m-photo-graphics.html
Project contractors
Community Digs and Archaeology Oversight - Salford Archaeology (www.salford.ac.uk/environment-life-sciences/research/applied-archaeology)
Website, Archive and Digital Interpretation - Stardotstar (www.stardotstar.com)
Film and CGIs - ay-pe (www.ay-pe.com)
Evaluation - Helen Corkery and Marge Ainsley
Research and Archive Lead - Michelle Lisa Gayle
Primary Education Consultant Chris Trevor (www.christrevor.co.uk)
