The idea
We will draw on the rich cultural traditions and water rituals experienced by folk living in this port city, connecting local action with global consequences and documenting our stories and actions in a film. Our film will be shared through face to face screenings, via social media, with partners and networks at Liverpool City Region level.
The Water Stories project is open to people of all ages and identities, our garden is accessible, in Liverpool city centre on a cycle and bus route.
Water connects us! Humans are up to 60% water, without clean water all life will die, yet pollution of waterways, flooding, drought and climate related temperature changes are leading to biodiversity loss and heating. Sharing stories offers us an emotional connection to transform our own water use, creating urban water habitats for wildlife, flood risk prevention, urban cooling and a greater awareness of how our water ways can mitigate climate change and benefit the health of all.
What we'll deliver
- 12 Water Stories workshops
- 12 Water Action workshops
- Install a rainwater harvesting system in our community food growing garden
- Collate Water Stories & Actions shared and undertaken
- Utilise the stories and actions to create a Water Stories film
- 6 Film screenings and seek opportunities to share the film with others to multiply our reach
- A cultural heritage resource of Water Stories to share, including poems, drawings, photos, songs & recordings
Why it's a great idea
Water & Climate Change are inextricably linked! Climate change is exacerbating both water scarcity and water related hazards such as floods and droughts. For many of us, understanding and changing our behaviour to reduce the impacts of climate change requires an emotional connection which is often missing. Water stories; memories, photos, rituals, teachings, beliefs & much more, offer us an emotional connection with our environment, each other and to act.
Over the last 6 years we've facilitated a nature led community with local people in the Roots Garden in L1, a highly urbanised, neighbourhood with few community facilities in the city centre. People of all ages and identities welcome each other and report emotional, physical and social health benefits. Biodiversity is enhanced, soil enriched organically and veg grown & donated to the parish food bank. Water Stories reaches beyond the garden, to grow and welcome new stories and actions, transforming our relationships with water.
Steps to get it done
- Team review project plan and risk register, monitoring and evaluation procedures - September 2024
- Identify dates - meetings, workshops, film - screening schedule, etc - September 2024
- Contact & engage Water interest groups & organisations / sector - September - November 2024
- Create project comms plan, publicity materials / engage people- September - April 2024
- Develop workshop formats - September - October 2024
- Contact venues / partners for film screenings September - October 2024
- Deliver workshops October 2024 - February 2025
- Collate project stories and actions - October 2024 - March 2025
- Create film et al - October 2024 - February 2025
- Create digital resource of stories and actions - March 2025
- Film screenings - March 2025
- Share film & digital resource widely - March - April 2025
- Project monitoring & evaluation - September 2024 - April 2025
- Where next & thank you - September 2024 - April 2025
- End of project report - March - April 2025
The Water Stories project is deeply connected to social justice - those that have done the least to cause climate change are often those who experience the worst effects whether through poor home insulation or increased prices of fresh food. The project is anticipated to be a conduit to longer term engagement in nature, boosting interest, involvement and access to our weekly activity in the Roots Garden - grow well together group, drop in growers and our partnership with Myerscough College offering City & Guilds Horticulture qualifications in Horticulture Skills for adults.
References / related influences and inspirations for this project:
https://www.unwater.org/water-facts/water-and-climate-change
https://www.liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk/its-time-for-tidal
https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/distributed/W/bo20171547.html
https://www.liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk/pathway-to-net-zero
https://stateofnature.org.uk/
https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/130074/pdf/
