Festival to launch Cornfield Project!

The official launch of the Cornfield Project will take place next month.

The launch will take place on Saturday, September 10 with a special woodland festival at Hartford Park in Ballysally.

Work has already started on the site, located between Coleraine estates, Ballysally and Millburn, and the hope is that the rejuvenated site can be used to bring the two communities together.

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This was a project that really struck a chord with local people and they voted in their hundreds.

Already some amazing work has been undertaken at the plot, which became Northern Ireland’s flagship site for the Grow Wild initiative, ‘bringing wildflowers’ to the community, when it won a public vote earlier this year.

Local children have already been sewing seeds for the wild flower meadow and local artist Harry McMahon has been busy creating inspirational wall art.

Award winning local sculptor Sara Cunningham Bell is also involved in the innovative project.

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She’s creating a new breed of insect, standing at three metres tall, and the creature is soon to arrive on site very soon.

The Cornfield site consists of 7.5 acres of community woodland which is being transformed into a beautiful area comprising of wildflowers, a sensory gardens, grow your own vegetables and outdoor classroom space.

Before work commenced on the site, it was an underused patch of land situated between the two Coleraine estates.

Apart from the environmental aims of the project, it is hoped that issues such as low employment and health may be addressed, as the activities planned will increase people’s confidence and enable them to develop news skills and friendships, which in turn will help provide a positive and fun sense of community.

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The launch night will give both communities the chance to find out more about the project.

Taking place between 5.30 and 9.30pm, events include Magician Rodd Hogg, a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, fancy dress, live music, a hog roast, magical glowing trees, art, theatre and storytelling. Woodland activities include a search for bats, birds and bugs.

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