Head North is project linking North Liverpool’s neighborhoods through a online digital map displaying green walking routes that connect a variety of public places such as parks, green spaces, streets, community groups and organisations.

We’re about Walking, Noticing, Connecting, Discovering, Understanding, Loving our Land

How it all began…

The North Liverpool Creative Connections (NLCC) mission is to work collectively and collaboratively to connect, promote and grow North Liverpool’s rich cultural and green spaces . The aim is to network and better connect creative, social and environmental practitioners across North Liverpool. While improving the quality of life, green space and cultural provision for North Liverpool residents.

Volunteer community coordinator from Rotunda Community College and Homebaked, Bradley Barrett, who started the mapping project by hand drawing three walking routes through north Liverpool directly onto printed out Google maps of the local area. — Volunteer community coordinator from Rotunda Community College and Homebaked, **Bradley Barrett**, who started the mapping project by hand drawing three walking routes through north Liverpool directly onto printed out Google maps of the local area.

Everton-born artist, Jayne Lawless, Founder and Director of Dead Pigeon Gallery, drew this sketch map to help think about how the green spaces in the North End connect. We love Jayne’s visual sensibility and collective approach to art. This map has … — Everton-born artist, **Jayne Lawless**, Founder and Director of Dead Pigeon Gallery, drew this sketch map to help think about how the green spaces in the North End connect. We love Jayne’s visual sensibility and collective approach to art. This map has generated discussions in school workshops and assemblies locally..

Thanks to Valeria Rojas-Linares, who was a Master’s student at University of Liverpool, and who visited Everton Community Garden at a meeting with the Taking Roots project from Bootle and walked the 3 walks. She helped by tracking these maps, despit… — Thanks to **Valeria Rojas-Linares**, who was a Master’s student at University of Liverpool, and who visited Everton Community Garden at a meeting with the Taking Roots project from Bootle and walked the 3 walks. She helped by tracking these maps, despite her demanding coursework schedule and placement with Mersey Travel.

North Liverpool Creative Connections meeting at Dead Pigeon Gallery…

The workshop brought together some creative minds in The Old Griffin Antiques building which was a temporary home to Dead Pigeon Gallery.  The map on the wall is by Raising the Ralla CIC.  This workshop discussed street signs and green spa… — The workshop brought together some creative minds in The Old Griffin Antiques building which was a temporary home to Dead Pigeon Gallery. The map on the wall is by Raising the Ralla CIC. This workshop discussed street signs and green space signs, and resulted in the following sketch offered by artist, Mike Badger and some text by Becky Riley, One Cool Poet.

A sketch by Mike Badger based on ideas discussed about signposts in the NLCC meetings and DPG

Words by Andrea Ku from B4Biodiversity

I joined Polly and a few others from the local L4/5 community on a cold and bright December day.
We started our walk at the edge of Everton Park and headed to the Faith plot - now Everton Community Garden. Tony Broadhurst welcomed us. I hadn’t been in a while and was surprised at how green the plot was considering it was winter. What was also inspiring was the fact we were surrounded by huge chunks and blocks of concrete and metal.

We then took a walk to Everton Nature Garden where Chrisie from Walton Hall Park friends group gave us an insightful and inspiring talk. This Garden, probably a mere 1/2 an acre, is a wonderful little green oasis. It is only overlooked by a tower block which gives it a sense of real seclusion. The variety of plants, colours, textures and sounds in the garden make in an great little getaway from the usual urban senses.

We then walked through Everton Park to see the views towards the city, docks, the Wirral and land beyond to Wales. Being the high up in our city makes you feel like you’re a real part of the history and how parts of the city have grown after being knocked down and how the soft green trees and grass blow and sway in the wind ease the mind.

Lastly, we visited the WECC. We saw the Philharmonic coach outside the friary next door where international musicians were practising for upcoming Christmas events. Just this little side street that their coach could just about get through was another sign to say Liverpool still provides and offers not just the usual Beatles music but we can deliver extraordinary classical music where musicians practise down a back street in Everton!

While Ann Roach was telling us about the WECC, I could sense the love and passion she, and her colleagues have for the local people. It’s like she knew everyone and knew their pressures and she was able to help using the building as a resource and refuge.

We had a tour of the building which was incredible. It was a lot bigger than I imagined and so spacious. We were taken to the roof to see the views. I have been up there before but not on such a beautiful day. The views were great. You could see where the communities were, where the local shops were, where children play, where birds nest. There were also new buildings of Metal and concrete being thrown up in such close proximity to the WECC and each other. Bring this high it didn’t look so bad because the evergreen and deciduous trees gave space and definition of space. From street level, it became all quite dark and narrow. The new buildings towered the older ones and the trees sat Inbetween giving some respite from the dull arduous regeneration.

After speaking with Ann, she was keen to get Beehives on the roof of the WECC again. I said I would be more than happy to install a few hive up there and we agreed this would go ahead in spring. I added that I would be able to teach local people about beekeeping and where the bees would find their forage. This is my speciality - to work with people from a community as this to create honeybee forage maps. The is good forage only towards Everton Park, street trees and a select few gardens. As always, I have prepped up a forage map to see where the bees would collect their nectar and pollen from.

I thoroughly enjoyed my walk and meeting new friends and catching up with older friends. The walk gave me a new sense of my city and the people in the community who have become local heroes in the work they do.