Video of Laserscanning - George St Chapel, Oldham

In June I set up a recording programme for Age Concern Oldham. ACO are seeking to restore the former Independent Methodist Chapel at George Street, Oldham for repair and adaptation as a heritage centre and function / events space.
A measured set of drawings was required for use by the architects and as a historic record of the building. APR Services Ltd were commissioned to laser scan the chapel and produce cad drawings.
The process was recorded by video and is now posted on Youtube. The fly-around and fly-though section at the end was produced by APR Services Ltd.
ACO are submitting a bid at the end of August to the HLF for a restoration grant. For more information go to http://www.oldham-ageconcern.co.uk/

Video link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1gul-524gY

Scanner in position below the gallery at the back of the chapel.

Butterfly Garden at the Lion Salt Works

On Sunday 25 July Cheshire and Peak Butterfly hold an opening of their buddlia collection created at the Lion Salt Works, Marston, Northwich, Cheshire.

http://www.cheshire-butterflies.co.uk/
http://www.bigbutterflycount.org/

Pictures and more information after the event.

Salt Making at Reaseheath College

It was a pleasure to be able to demonstrate open pan, brine evaporation at Reaseheath College on the 14 July. The occasion was for the turf cutting to initiate a new Food Hall at the college by the Duke of Westminster. My demonstration was one of four products being promoted under the 'Made in Cheshire' brand co-ordinated by Jane Casson of which the Duke of Westminster is patron.


The Duke had not seen this type of salt making before.
Also present was Jimmy Doherty, from 'Jimmy's Farm'. Introductions and a description about the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead were described by the Principal of the College, Meredydd David OBE.

Andrew describing the process of evaporating brine to make salt crystals top the Duke of Westminster. (Photo curtesy of Reaseheath College)

ITV Countrywise

Suddenly out of nowhere a piece filmed at Lion Salt Works a couple of years ago was broadcast on ITV in a programme called Countrywise, on Monday 5th July. There is a link to the ITV iplayer where the programme will be viewable for a while.

http://www.itv.com/itvplayer/video/?Filter=155386


It shows Andrew making salt in a ceramic salt pan over a peat fire (also used by the BBC in an early BBC2 programme 'Coast') and two replica Roman salt pans over a wood fire.

Salt Making for BBC 1 - The One Show

Got a call last week to make some salt over a wood fire in a replica Roman lead salt pan for the BBC programme 'The One Show'. They were following up on the bad winter weather when all media focus was on rock salt supplies.

The producer was going to go down the Winsford Rock Salt Mine, run by The Salt Union - Compass and Minerals and wanted to talk about the origins of salt making in Cheshire - hence the Roman salt making piece.

The filming took place at the Lion Salt Works, where they also looked at the large Victorian salt pans awaiting restoration. sadly, as is the way with television they didn't have time to complete the story by visiting either of the vacuum salt works or the controlled brine fields where modern day brine is sourced.

The piece should be shown on 20th July 2010.

Andrew with presenter Angellica Bell.

Curved Group

Whilst I was monitoring the dismantling of Stove House 5 at the Lion Salt Works many timbers could not be retained for re-instatement when the stove house is rebuilt. One group of these timbers was the light weight cladding timber to the upper sections of the east and west gables.

I was able to offer some of these lengths of cladding to local artist Carolyn Shepherd, who had taken part in the 1st Salt Sunday celebrations with the Salt of the Earth network established by the Bishop of Birkenhead. She has used brine, salt and timber sourced from Lion Salt Works, Solvay and the rock salt mine operated by Salt Union-Compas and Minerals.

The work is to be displayed at the degree show to be held at the Williamson Gallery, Birkenhead - 12 June to ?  and her work was selected to feature in the "Best of the Degree Shows 2010" annual publication at this link http://www.a-n.co.uk/publications/document/627569

For Carolyn's web site go to
http://www.carolynshepherd.co.uk/Carolyn_Shepherd/5.html

Flickr Group for Salt of the Earth Network

I have established a Flickr Group for the Salt of the Earth Network and act as the site administrator.
The group will to encourage followers to post their photographs which show the salt and chemical industries.
The group is part of the Salt of the Earth Network, the inspiration of the Bishop of Birkenhead, Rev Keith Sinclair.
To join the site go to the site below.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/saltoftheearth/

The Salt of the Earth Network has a web site currently at http://www.saltoftheearth.btik.com/ but that will shortly change as BT change the free hosting arrangements for community groups.

The Network will have a stand at the Cheshire Show - 22-23 June, 2010 and I am helping to organise the 2nd Salt Sunday, which in 2010 is being held at British Salt, Middlewich on 10th October.