Children help to uncover the hidden heritage

Two Rochdale Schools are working with the Pennine Edge Forest (PEF) to help celebrate the 150th anniversary of Rochdale Borough.

Classes from Brimrod and Greenbank primary schools will create a local heritage trail in their neighbourhoods and work with PEF to produce a guided trail leaflet to promote it.

Children will take part in a lesson to discuss local heritage and will then go out into the community to record it by photographing places where they live, play, worship and the things which make their neighbourhoods different. They will then help to design leaflets specific to their own localities.

The project is being led by Murray Chalmers, Rochdale Council Natural Signposting Development Officer:  "While Rochdale's iconic buildings and spaces are well known, there are smaller, important everyday characteristics which make people feel at home. They are often overlooked - whether they are 'historic' doesn't really matter. We want children to recognise the importance of their local surroundings, to highlight what makes Rochdale theirs and to create ownership of their neighbourhoods."

The project is a part of PEF's Natural Signposting initiative which works with local communities to promote and help increase the use and enjoyment of the green spaces and environmental heritage on their doorstep.

Natural Signposting is a project of the Pennine Edge Forest and Rochdale Council and is funded through the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund. Other Natural Signposting projects are underway or being planned in the East Central Rochdale Housing Market Renewal Area, Kirkholt and Smallbridge, and there are plans to extend to Heywood and Middleton next year subject to available funding.

The children will be working outside with Brimrod Primary School on Wednesday 8 November from 1.00 pm and working outside with Greenbank Primary School on Friday 10 November from 1.00 pm.