The Morecambe Bay Podcast

Angela White, aka The Running Granny, started running when she was 53. Seven years later she set a new Guinness World Record as the Oldest female to run from John O’Groats to Land’s End. She was 60. We met at the Bay Health Festival and discussed her ambition to help more of us to stay in shape in later life. Going for Old is Angela's latest project and it's already prompting some of us to look again at our diets, activity and long term plans. 2 mins - Why 'the Running Granny.' 4 mins - The benefits of running 6 mins - Addicted to running? 11 mins - The record! 14 mins - How do you keep going for 18 days? 19 mins - The psychology of running 28 mins - Future aims and ambitions

Morecambe's Winter Gardens has just been listed in the top three of favourite seaside places and experiences as efforts continue to restore the theatre. It's painstaking work, mainly carried out by a team of volunteers who have helped breathe new life into the seafront landmark. Among them is one of the last apprentices taken on by Lancaster furniture manufacturers Waring and Gillows. His attention to detail and skills learned decades ago are still being shared and put to good use. And his love of his craft is infectious!

The latest phase of an arts project which has seen the creation of 120 silk pennants, each depicting a story for every mile of Morecambe Bay has concluded. The project which began this spring has seen over a hundred people get involved to record their stories as part of an epic artwork telling the story of the Bay through the people who live, work or visit the area. Over the Bank Holiday weekend thousands of people on Walney, Grange over Sands, Arnside and Morecambe saw the physical results of the project; the digital version - pictures, stories and poems - can be seen here.

120 pennants, each depicting a story for every mile of Morecambe Bay have been produced. The epic artwork has been seen by thousands of people on Walney, Grange over Sands, Arnside and Morecambe. In a trail for a new podcast about the project, artist Ali Pretty explains how the project called Bay Lines Beach of Dreams has made an impact on her:

120 miles and many, many stories have been brought together about Morecambe Bay in a brand new piece of work. From designs that depict special views in memory of loved ones to the area's world class wildlife, Bay Lines Beach of Dreams is now live and shows off the variety of life and the communities around the Bay as never before. Commissioned by the Morecambe Bay Partnership it's the idea of artist Ali Pretty and Kendal-based Rosa Productions. Today (Friday 25th August) the first installation of pennants was shared on Walney. Grange (Sat), Arnside (Sun) and Morecambe (Bank Holiday Monday) will each host the pennants created locally alongside another 500 which date from an earlier project in the south east. But wherever you are the images and stories which sparked the silk pennants can be read and enjoyed here: https://www.waysaroundthebay.org.uk/enjoy-your-visit/bay-lines-beach-of-dreams

It's well known that the area inspires artists and an exhibition which has seen two with very different skills collaborate is now open. Hidden Depths is the result of a three  year collaboration between Silverdale artist John Baldwin and Heysham poet and writer John Hindle now on at King Street Arts in Lancaster. The paintings are extraordinary: vivid, colourful and memorable and offer a whole new artistic dimension when viewed through 3-D glasses. John Baldwin's words compliment the displays and his inspiration ranges widely from nature and spirituality to people, death and even the Bay.

The sight of 620 silk pennants fluttering on beaches around the Bay promises to be spectacular! This week work to create the artwork that will form Bay Lines: Beach of Dreams moves forward apace as waxing and dyeing takes place at a pop up studio in Grange. As well as those taking part in the work, volunteers are also needed to help create the displays on Walney, Grange, Arnside and Morecambe over the August Bank Holiday weekend. Read more https://www.waysaroundthebay.org.uk/enjoy-your-visit/bay-lines-installation-events:

A new shop has opened in Morecambe aimed at offering help to anyone living on a budget. Based at Emmanuel Church the Living Hope community store sells deeply discounted food as well as donated food completely free of charge. With support from suppliers it's now open once a week but volunteers are aiming to expand opening hours if there's demand. The podcast went to the opening day. For more details search 'Living Hope Community Store' on Facebook.

Living in Fleetwood has presented the town's artist in residence with a wealth of inspiration. For 12 months, Tina Dempsey is based at The Mount and is looking forward to spreading the word about the town. After living here for 18 years she says the community is Fleetwood's strength and is determined to do her bit to publicise the area through her art. As well as the town's rich history, the outstanding beach, Site of Special Scientific Interest and geology of the area are aspects which aren't as well known. During a walk along the prom close to The Mount she told me more about why the area means so much to her.

120 miles and many, many conversations later, artist Ali Pretty has concluded her week-long walk around Morecambe Bay. From Fleetwood in the south to Walney in the north, she passed through Glasson Dock, Lancaster, Sunderland Point, Heysham, Morecambe, Silverdale, Arnside, Grange, Ulverston and Barrow. The purpose of the walk was to encourage people living around the Bay to adopt a mile and take part in Bay Lines, Beach of Dreams which will see 120 silk pennants created. These will be exhibited on the coast at Walney, Grange, Arnside and Morecambe over the August Bank Holiday weekend. The walk resulted in some surprise reunions for Ali with people who have played a part in her life; Morecambe-based musician Pete Moser and art innovator John Fox who established the Welfare State International and now lives on the coast near Ulverston. However it also resulted in people suggesting sometimes very personal reasons for wanting to take part and make their mark on the coast. Recorded as we walked along the final mile around north Walney, Ali told me about the week and her plans now for Bay Lines Beach of Dreams.

Morecambe Bay is home to a wide variety of communities and a new project could well uncover whole new stories and issues that are relevant around the Bay. That's one of the aims of Bay Lines, Beach of Dreams which begins a new phase this week. Artist Ali Pretty whose previous work includes flag making at the Morecambe WOMAD festivals is leading a series of walks around the Bay, all 120 miles. The aim is to create a series of pennants, one for each mile, which will represent that part of the Bay. The project has been commissioned by Morecambe Bay Partnership as part of the Ways Around The Bay programme. Flora growing around the area will be used to dye silk which will make the pennants. All 120 will go on show on seafront sites in Walney, Grange, Arnside and Walney over the Bank Holiday weekend. Speaking on the beach at Rossall Point Ali shared her vision at the start of the story gathering expedition.

A three year project to document the fishing industry around Morecambe Bay through pictures has gone on display in a setting just a stones throw from one of the area's best known but most remote locations. The Mission Heritage Centre at Sunderland Point is home to a stunning collection of images taken by photographer Tessa Bunney. Called Going to the Sand, it 's a record of an industry that's fast changing. The podcast was invited to a preview event attended by some of those pictured in the exhibition. Going to the Sand will be held during the summer but check the tide times before going !

The Seagull Cafe based at More Music, Devonshire Road in Morecambe has become a welcome addition to events aimed at the over 60's in the town. Originally set up under the Singing for Health project it's now appealing to a wider audience whose reasons for attending the weekly sessions vary widely. Each Tuesday musicians lead the singing and whether you can hold a note or - like me - can just about clap along, it's a guaranteed feel good vibe which leaves a lasting impression on all who attend.

Morecambe Bay is known for it's stunning birdlife including the regular return to the area by a pair of breeding ospreys. In winter they are in west Africa but each spring the pair independently fly thousands of miles to Foulshaw Moss Nature Reserve near Witherslack. Hopes are high that 2023 will be the tenth year the pair will have raised osprey chicks on the Bay and volunteers at the Cumbria Wildlife Trust reckon three eggs have been laid. The first chicks are expected by the end of May meaning all eyes will be on the live 'osprey cam' for the next few, tense weeks. But as Alasdair McKee, a Cumbria Wildlife Trust volunteer and the RSPB's local groups officer for the north of England, explains in this edition, there's much more to the raised bog at Foulshaw than the ospreys. As you'll hear, it's home to a wildlife soap opera!

They fly staggering distances and are responsible for helping boost the country's population; a pair of breeding ospreys are home on Foulshaw Moss Nature Reserve. With three eggs now monitored by volunteers from the Cumbria Wildlife Trust it's hoped 2023 will be the 10th year running that osprey chicks have successfully hatched at the wetland nature reserve near Witherslack. As you'll hear in the next edition of the podcast with Alasdair McKee, a Cumbria Wildlife Trust volunteer and RSPB northern local group officer, the birds are flourishing.

It's one of the region's most famous rivers; the Lune rises in Ravenstonedale and flows over 50 miles to enter the Bay at Sunderland Point. With much debate about the quality of our water the Lune Rivers Trust, an environmental charity,  works to conserve, protect, rehabilitate and improve the rivers, streams and watercourses of the catchments comprising the River Lune throughout its entire course and all its associated tributaries in Cumbria, Yorkshire and Lancashire. In this episode hear how Harry Potter is used to inspire the naturalists of the future.

The clocks may well go forward this weekend but one prominent Morecambe Bay timepiece is missing. Morecambe's Clock Tower is without its famous faces which are undergoing specialist repair work. They are being refurbished by the same company that has just carried out a major project on the nation's best known clock. So how does Morecambe's clock measure up by comparison? I've been behind the scenes at the Cumbria Clock Company.

One of the best views of the Bay can be had from Arnside Knott. The hill between Silverdale and Arnside is an amazing vantage point looking south and west across Morecambe Bay and north to the Lake District. But as well as a brilliant walk, it's environmentally important for increasingly rare species and needs careful management. Volunteers make up a big part of efforts to nurture nature. I joined a recent work party to meet those who make time to help and hear what difference their labours are making. If you'd like to volunteer, you'd be very welcome! If you’re interested in volunteering with the National Trust in Arnside and Silverdale, please email: MorecambeBayProperties@nationaltrust.org.uk

As one of the oldest literature festivals in the country, LitFest has attracted a variety of audiences since 1978. This year the theme of the event is 'exploring the past, creating the future with authors Cynthia Murphy and Frank Cottrell-Boyce among an impressive guest list. All events in Litfest 2023 are free, whether in-person or online. The Poetry Collaboration project this year is called “From Source to Sea” and celebrates the rivers of the region with the event led by Cumbrian author and poet Katie Hale. Hear from organiser Dr Natalie Sorrell Charlesworth and Katie Hale in this edition of the podcast. 

Fresh from conquering the small screen could Morecambe Bay be about to become a name on the big one? Plans for the area to host a film festival are being drawn up with organisers saying they've already received 300 short films from producers based in 43 countries for the inaugural Bay International Film Festival which will be held at the end of October. As well as helping film students from Lancaster University gain experience of curating the festival it's hoped the Bay-wide event will raise awareness of the area as a location for filmmakers with potentially exciting long term results. https://www.thebayfilmfestival.com/