This project with London Wildlife Trust and Woodberry Down Community Primary School was supported by Hackney Council as part of their Woodberry Down Cultural Programme. I worked with pupils from Woodberry Down Community Primary School and staff from London Wildlife Trust to make a series of posters, billboard and a zine, printed on the risograph printer at TACO! Print Studio.
These posters were made by pupils from Woodberry Down Community Primary School at Woodberry Wetlands, a London Wildlife Trust nature reserve open to the public every day. We painted backgrounds, made rubbings and drew letters inspired by the colours, textures and lettering we found at Woodberry Wetlands.
Pupils learned about the history of the New River and Stoke Newington Reservoirs. This included the vital role of the Save the Reservoirs, New River and Filter Beds Campaign, started by local people in 1986 when the reservoirs were at risk of being filled in. The campaign lasted for many years and led to the reservoirs being preserved; one as a centre for water sports and the other as Woodberry Wetlands.
Pupils came up with their own slogans to express their thoughts on the environment and to encourage other people to start their own environmental campaigns. They made stamps, photographed their hands in “protest poses” and traced the shapes of buildings, plants and wildlife they found as they explored Woodberry Wetlands.
Once they had voted on their favourite slogans, the pupils worked in groups to bring together what they had made into a series of powerful posters. These posters were on display at The Coal House Café at Woodberry Wetlands and The Redmond Community Centre as well as Woodberry Down Community Primary School, where pupils distributed them to family and friends to display at home.
This billboard featured artwork by Woodberry Down Community Primary School pupils to thank the Save the Reservoirs, New River and Filter Beds Campaign for saving the Stoke Newington East Reservoir, which is now Woodberry Wetlands.
It featured archival material of the campaign that pupils collaged together alongside photographs they took of Woodberry Wetlands and drawings of their favourite wildlife. Thanks to Elaine Gosnell – Save the Reservoirs, New River and Filter Beds Campaign, Geoff Bell – Woodberry Down Community Organisation and Amir Dotan – Stoke Newington History.
This zine features nature-based word searches, jokes and poetry alongside creative activities created by the pupils for visitors to Woodberry Wetlands to complete.
The zine features interviews that the pupils conducted with Elaine Gosnell – Save the Reservoirs, New River and Filter Beds Campaign and with fellow pupils to express their thoughts on the environment.
Pupils designed and laid out all the pages, drew the speech bubbles, took the photographs, collaged the backgrounds, and wrote the introduction and safety notice.
Pupils held an assembly for the rest of Year 5 at school where they shared what they’d been doing on the project, signed the zine and gave out copies.
