Wellies, Walks & Talks

Welcome to our series of winter walks, heritage talks and creative writing events, led by experts and enthusiasts, aimed at inquisitive adults.

Local history - Nature - Creative writing - Mindfulness

January - March 2024

History Walks

Thurs 15th Feb 1pm
Washpad Walk- a heritage walk with Julie McKiernan from Healthy Arts

Sat 17th Feb 2pm
Great Haigh Sough Walk- a heritage walk with Phil Livesey from FAWNS
£3 per person

Thurs 22nd Feb 10.30am
Boathouse Walk – a heritage walk with Haigh Woodland Park Volunteers

Mon 18th Mar 1pm
Hall Lane Walk- a heritage walk with Julie McKiernan from Healthy Arts

Sat 16th Mar 2pm
The Victorians at Haigh- a heritage walk with Julie McKiernan from Healthy Arts
£3 per person

History Talks

Sun 28th Jan 2pm- 3.30pm
The Price of Coal
with Ken Scally- folk singer and local historian SOLD OUT
A talk with livefolk music. Dedicated to the people of the Wigan area who worked in the mines.

Sun 25th Feb 2pm- 3.30pm
The Rise of Cotton
with Ken Scally- folk singer and local historian
A talk with live folk music. In this presentation we will explore how the canal system, quality engineering companies and a damp climate, would make Wigan the perfect base for a cotton industry that would thrive until the mid-20th century.

Sat 9th Mar 2pm-4pm
International Women’s Day
Series of short talks and performances about pit brow lasses, role of women in WW1 and more!

Nature Walks

Thurs 4th Jan 10.30am-12.30
Winter Tree Walk
Nature Walk with Dave from Discover The Wild

Thurs 1st Feb 10.30am-12.30
Start point- The Crown Carpark WN2 1DP
Crown Canal Walk
Nature Walk with Dave from Discover The Wild

Thurs 7th Mar 10.30am-12.30
Start point- Plantation Gates
Lower Plantations Walk
Nature Walk with Dave from Discover The Wild

Thurs 28th Mar 10.30am-12.30
Flora and Fauna for Beginners
Nature Walk with Dave from Discover The Wild

Mindful Walks

Thurs 11th Jan 10.30am
Mindful Photography Walk
with Charlotte from Mindful Events

Thurs 8th Feb 1pm
Start point- Tesco Express WN1 3UP
Whelley Loopline Wellbeing Walk
Mindful Walk with One Together

Mon 26th Feb 1pm
Start point- Plantation Gates
Mindful Monday
Mindful Walk with Cath from Healthy Arts

Thurs 14th Mar 1pm
Start point- Aspull Clinic WN2 1XH
Mowpin Mindful Walk
Mindful Walk with One Together

Wheeley Easy Walks and Wheels

Wheeley Easy Walks are short walks suitable for everyone in our community, including wheelchair users, mobility scooters, slow walkers and prams.

Thurs 25th Jan 10.30am
Mindful Walk and Wheel
with Imelda from Mindful By Nature

Thurs 29th Feb 1pm
Lily Pond Nature Walk and Wheel
with Dave from Discover The Wild

Thurs 21st Mar 1pm
Walled Gardens Heritage Walk and Wheel
with Julie from Healthy Arts

Creative Writing Workshops

Sun 11th Feb 1pm-2.30pm
Writing from love. As Valentine's Day approaches, why not come and cook up a recipe for love? This free creative writing workshop will inspire you to create words to share with friends, loved ones and the cheerful cynics in your life!

Sun 10th Mar 1pm-2.30pm
Writing from music. Think of a song or a piece of music that you can’t live without or perhaps something that reminds you of a certain time, place or moment. Let’s share it, talk about it and then write a poem or story inspired by it in this free creative writing workshop.

Suitable for complete beginners and more experienced writers.

Wellies and Words Open Mic

Wellies and Words is our regular poetry event featuring performances from published poets, from across the UK. The event includes a live literature open mic, held on the 2nd Sunday of every month. Everyone is welcome to come, listen and enjoy a glorious medley of stories and poems.

Sun 14th Jan 3pm-4.30pm
January’s guest poet is Jonathon Kinsmen. Jon is a slam winning poet. His beautiful debut collection ‘The Fireman’s Daughter’ is out now with Broken Sleep Books.

Sun 11th Feb 3pm- 4.30pm
February’s guest poet is Carla Mellor. Carla writes 'poetry for the people'; accessible, down to earth, and relatable poems for the everyday. She’ll be reading from her collection, ‘Scraps’ published by Wrecking Ball Press.

Sun 10th Mar 3pm-4.30pm
March’s guest poet is Ralph Dartford. Ralph is the poetry editor for ‘Northern Gravy.’ He’ll be reading from ‘House Music’- a poignant soundtrack to the winter and a call back 1980’s youth.

This project is delivered in partnership by Healthy Arts and Haigh Woodland Park.

With thanks to our funders; Heritage Lottery Fund, Sport England and supported by 10GM and GM Walking.

Further thanks to our community organisations and volunteers from Haigh Woodland Park, Discover the Wild, FAWNS, Mindful in Nature, Mindful Me and One Together CIC.