Wall Watchers Required

An exciting initiative which aims to engage more people and communities along the Hadrian’s Wall corridor with the special, unique and important asset  is now recruiting volunteers to ‘watch the wall’. The World Heritage Site (WHS) Community Champions Project is funded through the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and led by Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums. It offers interesting ways for people to learn more about the heritage on their doorstep whilst offering innovative and worthwhile opportunities to get more people engaged through a brand new WHS-focused volunteering programme. Part of the WHS Community Champions Project is WallWatch, a project that is looking to enthuse, engage and enable local communities along Hadrian’s Wall to help monitor the condition of the World Heritage Site. Iain Watson, Director of Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums said, “The WHS Community Champions Project is a brilliant initiative and we’re very much looking forward to seeing the project grow and communities and volunteers take an active role in preserving this important monument.” The project will encourage local communities to feel a stronger sense of ownership of Hadrian’s Wall through volunteering. The programme will see the protection and conservation of the Wall in the hands of trained local volunteers in the hope that they will see themselves as an essential contributor to their local heritage. The data collected by volunteers will allow experts to measure the condition and continuing threats to the archaeology of Hadrian’s Wall and effectively act as an early warning system for any arising problems. Kerry Shaw, WHS Community Champions Project Co-ordinator said, “WallWatch, is a really exciting new venture and one which will give local people a chance to play a key role in the management of the Wall; sustaining it for the future.” WallWatch needs volunteers now and are currently looking to recruit 30 participants to take part in a trial on the central section of the Wall, with a training day being held at Housesteads Roman Fort on Sunday 28 September. These volunteers will benefit from a range of fun, educational and entertaining events throughout the year. Further recruitment will take place in spring 2015 when the project spreads east to west across the whole of Hadrian’s Wall.