Live music river walk to celebrate the end of £250k Spalding Reconnected project

A live music walk will mark the end of a £250,000 project to celebrate the town’s riverside.

Willow sculptures and ‘floating eco-systems’ have been added to the banks of the River Welland as part of the Spalding Reconnected project with the promise of new signs still to come.

Spalding Reconnected aims to celebrate the town’s history and heritage with arts and nature schemes after receiving just under £250,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund in 2022.

South Holland District Council, Heritage Lincolnshire, Transported, East Mercia Rivers Trust and Landmark have been working together on the project which will culminate in an event outside Ayscoughfee Hall School in London Road on Saturday.

Starting from 10am, the event will include talks and performances at the Willow Eel Trap, a musical walk, morris dancing and a performance by Spalding Community Choir before refreshments are served at Ayscoughfee Hall.

Katy-Jayne Lintott, Project Manager for Heritage Lincolnshire said: “It's been fantastic to support South Holland District Council in delivering this transformational project for Spalding - celebrating the town's unique history and heritage.

“The collaborative and creative approach taken by project partners and local people has been inspiring and is testament to what can be achieved when nature, arts and heritage initiatives come together. We encourage everyone to come along on February 8 to share in the successes of the project."

Floating eco-systems have been installed in the river around High Bridge in recent weeks.

The rivers trust, in collaboration with the Crown Estate, has planted moisture-loving plants including Yellow Flag Iris and Purple Loosestrife, coir rolls and floating islands which will provide food and refuge for wildlife.

Patricia Oliveira Antunes, Welland Project Manager at rivers trust, said this will increase biodiversity in the area and look very colourful in the spring and summer.

She said: “It's been fantastic to be a part of the Spalding Reconnected Project, celebrating the river Welland, an important natural and historical asset of the town. We worked with local school children to teach them about the European Eel a fascinating and critically endangered species which is closely intertwined with the heritage of the region.

“The river channel improvements will offer refuge and food resources for wildlife along an artificial part of the riverbank, greening the area. These features, along with wildflower patches planted by kind volunteers, are complemented nicely by the riverwalk artwork."

A banner, which features a map of the town along with wildlife, has also been created for the project by different groups in the town as a result of workshops held last year.

Artist Liz Kelleher said, "This was in response to the thoughtful and powerful design by local artist Robbie King. We also worked with our adult and youth cooking groups in Spalding and Holbeach to provide delicious cakes for the celebration event.

“Inviting local music groups to the celebration means that the whole event showcases the considerable talent and wonderful personalities of South Holland. This is something to be proud of and will set the course for more fun and creative engagement in the area."

Transported say that the banner will be used at its events but are also actively looking for spaces within Spalding for it to be displayed.

A Freedom of Information request submitted by this website has looked at the costings associated with this project which includes £66,625 for ‘wayfinding’ and interpretation, £59,855 for the arts and heritage trail, £22,450 for a heritage strategy and £26,525 for school and community activities.

The costings also include £6,800 on developing a full street map for Spalding.

The signs will be installed after the event.

South Holland District Council has previously defended this project by saying that it built a relationship with the Heritage Lottery Fund and it is ‘proactively working on the next stages of investment planning for the town.’

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