New film unveils the secrets of Milton’s Hidden Seashore
Wednesday 14th June 2017
This Saturday sees a preview of a new short film, Life on the Water’s Edge, celebrating the heritage of Milton Locks
Life on the Water’s Edge is a short documentary commissioned by Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust gathering local people’s memories and archival film and photos of the area’s past, and celebrating the growing community exploring and celebrating Milton Locks nature reserve today.
Generations have enjoyed the tranquil beauty of this section of Portsmouth’s coastline - from the painter Edward King and the houseboats of the 1940s, to today’s photographers and wildlife enthusiasts.
Local people were encouraged to come forward with their memories of Milton Locks at an event at the Portsmouth Museum in April, and many of their stories, photos and experiences are now represented in this film.
The film will be screened for the first time at a special event at Portsmouth Museum this Saturday afternoon, as part of the Portsmouth Festivities programme:
Life on the Water’s Edge
Date: Saturday 17th June 2017
Time: 15:30-16:30
Location: Portsmouth Museum, Museum Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO1 2LJ
Local media company Strong Island produced the film on behalf of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, thanks to the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund. New material discovered through the research for the film is being added to Portsmouth’s local history archives. More memories will be added over the coming weeks, and a final version will be screened at a later date on the Big Screen Portsmouth, and made available to schools, community groups, and online for local people to enjoy.
Jess Parsons, Community Education Officer at Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, said: “‘I’m beyond excited to see our beautiful Milton Locks nature reserve captured on film. We have really enjoyed exploring the strong cultural identity of the area and the stories and experiences of the people who live there. I’m hoping that seeing the film will inspire people to visit the reserve and get involved with the Milton’s Hidden Seashore project.”
Tracy Teasdale, Learning Officer at Portsmouth Museum, said: “Portsmouth Museum is very pleased to support this project. The display of Edward King's paintings has been incredibly popular and the partnership with Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust has encouraged even more people to visit it, share their memories and make connections with their own lives in the city. We're looking forward to comparing Edward King's paintings of Milton Locks in the 1940s with Strong Island's film of the same area today."
More information
About Milton’s Hidden Seashore
Milton Locks is a small two acre coastal nature reserve, home to birds such as oystercatchers and curlews, to salt marsh plants, and reptiles such as common lizards. As well as its significance for wildlife, the site also has a rich heritage. It started life as part of the Portsmouth to Arundel canal which opened in 1823. With the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund, we've been working with the community to restore Milton Locks nature reserve and bring this special place back to the heart of the community. More information: www.hiwwt.org.uk/milton-locks
About the Heritage Lottery Fund
Thanks to National Lottery players, we invest money to help people across the UK explore, enjoy and protect the heritage they care about - from the archaeology under our feet to the historic parks and buildings we love, from precious memories and collections to rare wildlife.
www.hlf.org.uk @heritagelottery
Tagged with: Hampshire, People and Nature