New activities announced as part of £3m upgrade of Fleetwood's Mount

A new activity plan for families has been announced for Fleetwood's iconic Mount pavilion and gardens following completion of a huge £3 million restoration project.
The newly revamped Mount lodge and entrance to the gardens at FleetwoodThe newly revamped Mount lodge and entrance to the gardens at Fleetwood
The newly revamped Mount lodge and entrance to the gardens at Fleetwood

Following the start of the project in 2015 there has been a transformation of the pavilion, the lodge buildings and gardens as part of the ambitious scheme funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Fisherman's Friend boss Mrs Doreen Lofthouse

The pavilion is set to be brought back into regular use as an education centre, exhibition space, and a function room for public events, weddings and receptions.

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The lodge building and the upper floor will be opened as a tearoom and the lower floors, which will be used as a base for volunteers helping on the grounds as well as an artist and scientist who will run activities.

The newly restored Mount pavilion in FleetwoodThe newly restored Mount pavilion in Fleetwood
The newly restored Mount pavilion in Fleetwood

Now Wyre Council, which has overseen the project and succeeded in bids for funding, is launching a new activity plan for the Mount which forms part of the development plan for the venue.

There will be family 'Tale Trail' walks based around fun stories and a new Science and Discovery Club based at the pavilion.

Coun Simon Bridge, portfolio holder for street scene, parks and open spaces at Wyre Council said: “This beautiful heritage site on the coast is a huge asset to Wyre and with its newly restored pavilion, lodge building and gardens it’s great to see it ready to provide lots of opportunities for the local community.

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“I would like to remind everyone visiting the Mount this spring to be mindful of the current Covid-19 restrictions and to keep your distance from others at all times or avoid busy times where possible.”

Inside the newly restored Mount pavilionInside the newly restored Mount pavilion
Inside the newly restored Mount pavilion

The pavilion and the lodge building will be home to a range of events and activities for the community to get involved in, beginning with the new Tale Trail just in time for Easter.

Tale Trails are local one to two-hour family walks based around a fun story and a hand drawn map for kids.

The online map and trail detail a short history of the Mount and include an imaginative story of the Pavilion Keeper, Sir Peter Hesketh, Decimus Burton, Queen Victoria and the mischievous fairy tale Boggarts.

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The story has been written by author Anja Phoenix and illustrated by Clare Waring at Custard Graphic design.

Youngsters can follow their own colourful map and use the story to spot things and search for clues along the trail.

Alongside this there will be a Science and Discovery Club at the pavilion with a regular schedule of activities and events for families linked to the heritage of the Mount.

Families and children are invited to complete the Science and Discovery Award, completing six activities to gain their certificate gaining knowledge of navigational heritage, the science behind weather forecasting, gardening, horticulture, biodiversity, Forest School and Beach School.

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These will be online self-led activities due to the current pandemic but it is hoped to reopen as face to face workshops in the near future.

The worksheets can be downloaded by heading to www.wyre.gov.uk/mountactivityplan where certificates can also be printed from.

In the near future school children will also get the chance to take part in town planning workshops which will take place between April 2021 to March 2023.

These will be one day workshops introducing primary and secondary pupils to town planning and architecture principles and The Mount’s place in it.

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A website is being created with content for schools to download activities and resources to ensure delivery is possible during the pandemic.

For more information on activities and to view any updates go to www.wyre.gov.uk/mountactivityplan or contact the Development Officer, Kate Baird at [email protected]