What? Working alongside the Friends of Park Wood and Parkwood Primary School we helped co-create a story trail map for families to explore and enjoy this beautiful, local green space.
The Secret Life of Park Wood grew from our Word on The Street programme which supports communities to develop their own cultural projects and tell their own stories in their own way.
When? Summer 2025
Where? Park Wood, Parkwood Primary School and the Parkwood and Long Lee areas of Keighley.
Partners: Friends of Park Wood, Parkwood Primary School, Bradford MDC Neighbourhoods Team, Bradford Arts Centre, Keighley Creative, Photo Hub CIC and illustrator Nicola Storr.
Our Aims
Following a successful heritage project collecting memories and stories connected to the woodland, the Friends of Park Wood wanted to find new ways to engage children and young families with this valued community space. We wanted to help local families discover the stories, history and hidden magic of Park Wood.
The Secret Life of Park Wood grew from hyperlocal work in the Parkwood area of Keighley as part of our Word On The Street programme.
What We Did
We worked with Friends of Park Wood members and Bradford Arts Centre’s Arts and Heritage Officer (based at Keighley Creative) to co-create a family-friendly woodland trail inspired by the idea that children can see the magic adults often miss – ‘the secret life’ of a space.
Artists Lisa Holmes from Photo Hub North CIC and illustrator Nicola Storr led creative workshops combining local history, storytelling, illustration and photography.
Year 3 pupils from Parkwood Primary School explored the woodland with local volunteer Jane Pinder from the Friends group, learning about the area’s history and wildlife while documenting their favourite places through photography.
Using the children’s ideas, the group created original stories imagining the hidden creatures and magical happenings that only young people can see — building a new collection of woodland folklore rooted in local imagination.
The children’s photographs, stories and illustrations were brought together into a beautifully illustrated trail map by Nicola Storr, giving families an exciting new way to explore Park Wood together.
The trail was launched through local community events across the summer, encouraging more families to connect with nature, discover local heritage and experience the woodland through creativity and play.
Impact and Feedback
All the project partners and participants thoroughly enjoyed the process of creating the map and it was well received by local families and residents, sparking their own imaginations and enabling them to see the space in a new light.
We met all our intended aims and more. Via the process we:
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- Supported children and families to engage with local heritage and green spaces
- Strengthened community connections through co-creation and storytelling
- Helped children develop creative skills in photography, illustration and writing
- Celebrated local voices and inter-generational knowledge-sharing
- Created a lasting community resource for local families
“We would like to say thank you for your involvement with the Parkwood School map. I think it is absolutely brilliant and I would like to use some of the place names officially! (If only I could see them being an adult!) – Chair of the Friends of Park Wood
“I just walk through and don’t really think about it but this is great. I can do stuff with the kids now and we can look at stuff properly and they’ll really like it.” – Parent at Long Lee Play Day event
“ I want to live in this wood forever!”- Yr 3 pupil and map creator, Parkwood Primary School.