Dalton’s Golden Thread

Danielle Chappell Aspinwall in action …

Daltons Golden Thread captured magical moments from the Heart of Furness, outside Dalton Castle (the Capital of Furness) on ‘Freedom Day’.

The Golden Thread project was imagined and brought into being by Danielle Chappell Aspinwall – and was all about community and participation. Danielle gave everyone all the information they needed to head off and navigate their own heart-shaped walk; and along the way, they were encouraged to think about what culture, connectivity and place meant to them. While exploring familiar places and discovering new territory around the townscape, their walking movements drew a virtual heart shape in an online tracking app. They were given a booklet to fill in, sharing their thoughts from the day.

On returning to Dalton Castle, the strong impact of welcomed connections grew – smiles, laughter, exchanges of telephone numbers, emails and social media links grew, the value of an artist within the community was felt and appreciated from grass root levels of volunteers and participants and from peer professional perspectives. It was a wonderful and powerful demonstration of the way that art, culture and heritage can stitch a community together through a ‘Golden Thread’. This analogy transferred into the physicality of an approach: a needle and golden thread was stitched through everyone’s valued responses, showing unity, and the value of voice for all. And to add to the celebration, Dalton’s Town Band began to play.

For the grande-finale of a human heart shape, within the Heart of Furness, Danielle orchestrated this concept, placing herself in the middle of the community heart, lifting the plaque inviting the audience to shout after three; “Daltons Golden Thread” and “Artful Ways Cumbria”, which was enjoyed by all and beautifully captured by Drone photographer Paul Leviston.

#ArtIsEssential

A huge thank you to the ‘Prefect’ of DACH steering group Chairman Ron Creer; featured holding the #DaltonsGoldenThread plaque with artist Danielle Chappell Aspinwall. Also huge round of applause for Mark Ronson and the Daltons Town Band for performing. Expressed gratitude to members of the community and supported the event; Andrew and Sue Deakin of Full of Noises, Dr David and Yvonne Haley, Colin Bentham and Iain Mcnicol from Furness Creatives, Rachel Capovila, Kerry Kosak, Mark Ronson, Helen Wall, St Marys Hospice staff Ben and Paul, Kate Stack, and members of Mind Connecting Mums; Jodie Irvine Hammond and Hayley Round. (CM; formerly funded by Ulverston Mind, a mental health peer support group through anxiety and post-natal depression)