Last Saturday, 4 October, nearly 200 people of all ages visited Stratford-Upon-Avon Library as part of the national Fun Palaces community programme.
In a creative collaboration between River Hope and Brook Arts Hub, visitors were facilitated to imagine and construct a riverscape with its web of life. Swathes of coloured textiles from around the world formed beaches, banks, islands and water current flows on the wooden floor between the book stacks. We made Lego bridges, boats, riverside towns and even a Lego swan! There were dragonflies, bullrushes, water lilies, birds, fish, snails, freshwater shrimp, a black eel and walnut coracle boats with “wish-for-water” sails, made using tissue paper, coloured cardboard, beads, pipe cleaners and willow. The riverscape was enhanced by five ‘River Rubbish to Ecological Art’ sculptures (little egret, three-spined stickleback, common darter, kingfisher, European eel), made by Lizzie Elliott, a Warwick University student, studying for her MSc in Food Security and inspired by her participation on the interdisciplinary module “Thinking Water”.
In the Listening Corner, under Lizzie’s white polystyrene little egret, we listened to stories, poems and sang songs. We enjoyed the Pooh Sticks game from “The House at Pooh Corner” by AA Milne, an excerpt from “The Wind in the Willows” by Kenneth Graham, a tale from Nepal by Eva Kipp “The Water Angel’s love” and the poem “Coracle on the River Teifi” by Samantha Wynne-Rhydderch.
Throughout the afternoon, a River Hope photo video installation played on loop on a large screen. Photos and drone footage by Martin Liddament, David Edwards and Stewart Austin capture the seasons, flow states and moods of the River Avon, along with its biodiversity and human interactions.
Feedback from visitors was overwhelmingly positive and that the event made them feel happier and more connected to their community. We hope it also helped them to love and value water, the river and its ecosystem and be inspired to be good stewards.
Thanks to Laura Benson, Sophie Dobedoe and the library team, and to all the volunteers and creatives involved – Frances Boyle, Sophie Clausen, Lizzie Elliott, David Jones, Martin Liddament, Mary Manandhar, Kath Orsman, Clare Shilvock and Rebecca Small.
All photos taken at Stratford-Upon-Avon Library © Warwickshire County Council 2025. All rights reserved