Monthly podcasts launched!

Each month you can listen to the Heartlands team describe the developments from site and talk about how their role is contributing in to making 19 acres of derelict land in to a cultural landscape for the community.

Listen to the first of our podcasts, where you will hear Scott James, Heartlands Programme Director, describe exactly 'What is Heartlands?'

In the second of our podcasts newly appointed Chair of Heartlands Trustees Malcolm Moyle, describes the role of a Trustee and how you can get involved as a Friend.

Heartlands in the snow

Crushed Wall sample unveiled!

Artist Walter Jack is working on the art commission that will lead visitors in to Heartlands from Pool Village in to the main site.

The 24 metre long Crushed Wall will be 2.8 metres at its highest point and 1 metre at its lowest. Walter's Crushed Wall is inspired by Cornish geology, a sample can be seen in the above photograph. Local concrete works Ladds, are involved as the wall will be cast in concrete. A rubber mould will be used to cast the wall, which will create the crumples and wavy effect of the structure.

Developments from Site

Foundations for the Chy an Bobel (Community Building) have been completed.

The block work has started on the community building, the blocks, as seen in the above photo, will be secured on top of the foundations up to ground level ready for the structure of the building to be put in place.

Piling has finished on the artists terrace and crescent buildings and other work ongoing is the pointing to the historic buildings.

The road around the site is also making good progress ready for its completion next summer.

The Heartlands Totem Poles have got their very own blog!

The Plan an Gwarry totem poles, will form the circular boundary of the events space, which will have the capacity to hold 150 people to watch performances or use as an outdoor classroom.

Artist Nicky Neate worked with Pool Business and Enterprise College students on the totem project. Nicky documents the process of turning the salvaged timber in to works of art on her blog.

Opening Doors tell us about their visit to Heartlands

Today we had a different meeting. We went to the Heartlands Project in Pool to see what was happening there. We need a new place to meet so we are looking at all the different places we could use. We hope to use some rooms at the Heartlands Project.

The Heartlands project is all about using land that was not being used and changing it to land that can be enjoyed by lots of people. They will take some of the old buildings and make them better. They will build new buildings. It will look great when it is done.

They will have nice gardens for people to relax in. They will have a pond and water feature that people will enjoy. There will be a museum for people to learn about the history of all the work in the tin mining industry. There will be a theatre for performances. There will be artist's studios. There will be an open air theatre for music and performances.

Kirsty showed us on the model what it would look like.

This is some of the land that is not being used at the moment. It used to look a mess.

This will be the cafe. It needs lots of work doing to it.

This is the Robinson's Shaft where the museum will be.

This is where they will build the artists studios. It was flat and nothing there. It was hard to imagine what it would look like. They will have markets and a children's centre.

There is a web cam which will show how they are getting on. You can see it on the Internet at the Heartlands website. Have a look at http://www.heartlandscornwall.com/

Here they are building a new road so that you can get to Heartland easily. You can get a bus there. David knew lots about mining and all the big machines they were using. He told us what they were and what they did. David told us all about his family who worked at Falmouth Docks and the Holman works.

We finished off our tour by having our picture taken with Sarah, Kirsty and Claire. Gary and Judith looked cool in their sunglasses. It was a great day for a visit.

Sheila has done lots of art work which helped to the money for the Heartlands project. Gary said he was pleased he had found out more about the Heartlands project. Tina thanked everyone for the interesting visit. Persida said its going to be awesome when its finished. We were all excited about the project and what it would look like.

Kirsty and Sarah said they were happy that we had come to see the project. They said to keep in touch. They would like to do other things with us. Things like fireworks on bonfire night and Christmas. We then had lunch with Kirsty, Sarah and Claire.

Words and photos kindly created by Peter Keeves, Cornwall Partnership Trust.

Balloon winner announced!

The winner of the Heartlands Biodegradable Balloon Race has been announced! Local student Roxanne Penfold from Pool Business and Enterprise College, is now the proud owner of a new bike thanks to her balloon making the 712 mile trip to the small town of Modingen in Germany.

In total 33 balloons were reported found from Jersey, France and the winner in Germany.

The balloon release that took place on July 23rd was to mark the launch of construction on site and echoed the movement of Cornish people around the world in the 18th and 19th century.

Roxanne has been involved with Heartlands through the geography department. Roxanne and her year group have been researching the renewable energy sources that we will have on site to power Heartlands.

Roxanne is pictured above receiving her prize, along with friend Shauna, and Pool Business and Enterprise teachers Mrs Boase and Mr Brooks.