Fleetwood RNLI to help lighthouse arts project
When Fleetwood RNLI revived the famous ‘Wreck Trek’ walk to the Wyre Light, not only was the station staggered at the public response, but it has spiralled them into becoming involved in an Northwest arts project.
Natasha Emily Lynch, based in Manchester, contacted the volunteers at Fleetwood Lifeboat Station, for support with her ‘Great Beacons of Light’ project. She aims to promote the conservation, historical knowledge and learning of local lighthouses and wants community participation in the arts and culture of these prominent shipping guides.
With Fleetwood RNLI’s fundraising ‘Wreck Trek’ only a few weeks away, it was clear that Natasha needed to be involved, not only to raise the profile of her project, but to take the opportunity to meet people who may be interested in developing their creative influences.
Fleetwood’s Wyre Light will be the first lighthouse on Natasha’s year long project, mainly because of its frailty and current delapidated condition. She also intends highlighting lighthouses from Hodbarrow in the Lakes, to Hoylake on the Wirral peninsula.
Natasha said:
‘I intend inviting guest artists to each of the ten lighthouses. We will focus on poems, visual performance artists and actors. We hope to work with local people, schools and community centres, using the lighthouse as a guiding light to focus our creativity.
The intention is to stay in each location for two weeks, where workshops will be held and the cumulation of this is to create an exhibition, reflecting and sharing what we have learnt and developed.’
Natasha hopes that by raising the profile of the Wyre Light and its current desperate fight to stay intact, it will hopefully help draw attention to the plight of this historical landmark. She will work closely with Fleetwood Museum and the Association of Lighthouse Keepers, to lay the foundations of this poignant and vital project.
Fleetwood RNLI hope to host one of the exhibitions at their lifeboat station, which will be a unique venue for Natasha and her fellow artists to display their work.
Captain David Eccles, Lifeboat Operations Manager for Fleetwood RNLI said:
‘As a charity, it’s important to be involved and support the local community, reciprocating the support they give us and Natasha’s project gives us a great opportunity to do just that.’’
The 12 metre tall Wyre Light was the world’s first screwpile lighthouse to be built and the lantern was lit for the first time in June, 1840.
For further information about Natasha’s project, go to;
www.gofundme.com/f/great-beacons-of-light or contact her at [email protected]
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