The Great Mighy Oak Project

the

Great Mighty Oak

project

A Bruce Castle Museum and Selby Trust environmental educational initiative Tottenham, London 2012

Bruce Castle Museum

Wood Works Wonders

Background

Heritage 16th century — Standing mightily in the centre of Bruce Castle park, this British hybrid oak (of Sessile Pedunculate origin) is over 400 years old.

Friends of Bruce Castle

Bruce Castle Wood Works Museum, the Wonders Friends of Bruce Bruce Castle and the Selby Castle Trust Selby Trust Museum are working together on an environmental educational project. Staff from Wood Works Wonders, a social enterprise project working under the auspices of the Selby Trust at Selby Centre, will design sculptures using recycled wood originally from “The Great Mighty Oak”.

The wood is from a large branch of the famous and only standing oak tree in Bruce Castle Park. The oak tree has great historical significance as it has been in existence for over 400 years. The main sculpture will look like the original tree, as it was many years ago.

This is a rare opportunity where history and environment can work together to bring environmental awareness of the importance of recycling wood.

Origin of the project Early 2012 — A main branch fell off the oak’s trunk. The branch had to be cut and the wound treated; the Great Mighty Oak survived.

Recycling the oak branch April 2012 — The oak branch is being used for several design projects, including the proposed sculptures, a table and benches (Bruce Castle Museum), lecterns (Broadwater Farm) and shingles (Meadow Orchard).

The sculptures Future — The main sculpture, commissionned by Bruce Castle Museum to Wood Works Wonders, will be housed in Bruce Castle Museum. Additional sculptures will be designed and produced by young people, exhibited at Bruce Castle Museum, then sold.

Objectives The Great Mighty Oak project will involve several selected schools, colleges or other educational providers. Each will engage a group of young people in the design and production of a sculpture made out of recycled wood sourced from the Great Oak in Bruce Castle park.

Once completed, the sculptures will be exhibited at Bruce Castle Museum. They will then be made available for purchase and the funds raised used to re-invest in community heritage and heritage learning projects. This will widen Tottenham’s educational opportunities to engage positively with heritage of the environment and make it a place of celebration.

The project also includes a first sculpture, made by staff and volunteers at Wood Works Wonders.

Its design replicates the original oak tree – with stained glass Heritage foliage to allow Environment the tree to be Recycling Education illuminated.

Design Bruce Castle

Art

Selby Centre

Recycling Raising awareness — An opportunity for children, teachers and local enterprises to work together. Wood has inherent qualities and offers endless possibilities for re-use and re-creation.

Developing skills real project opportunities — Schools can use the sculptures project as part of the Art & Design curriculum. After-school clubs can take up woodwork workshops based at the Selby Centre.

Inclusion: providing effective learning opportunities for all pupils. Teaching should ensure that investigating and making includes exploring and developing ideas and evaluating and developing work. Knowledge and understanding should inform this process.

Raising funds for environmental educational activities Sustainability — The project has a big reliance on goodwill. The ambition is to create wooden sculptures that can be made available for purchase to raise funds for reinvesting in future environmental education project.

Developing partnerships Diversity — It is envisaged that the project will be the start of something special; something that can bring people from all of Tottenham’s communities together to share in celebrating local heritage and the local environment.

How the Project will be run Schools and education providers are encouraged from the outset to define their level of involvement in this project, for example the number of young people and what age group(s) will take part.

Initial consultation EDUCATION PROVIDERS — The learning goals can focus on different aspects of the project and address various areas of the national curriculum, from creating an original design to hands-on techniques of production.

Making the sculpture Wood works wonders — Staff from Wood Works Wonders will provide sculpture making kits, advise teachers and supervise the preparation and making of sculptures in partnership with teachers / education advisors.

It is possible for groups to decide which of the steps involved in producing the sculptures they would like to be involved in: • development of artistic concept • design • sketching • 3D modelling • surveying • techniques, tools and materials • feasibility study • production planning and management

Exhibition Bruce castle museum — An exhibition will take place at Bruce Castle Museum where the sculptures and the process of making them will be on display. Special guests will be announced.

Recording the experience Sharing with the Community — The process will be documented in photographs and film by young people from Exposure Magazine (TBC).