Narrow Ribbons of Winding Water
By David Heke.

In the Spring of 2005 CultMark UK approached professional photographer David Heke to work with the partnership on a photographic exhibition exploring and promoting our local canal heritage. The brief was to look at the stretch of the Shropshire Union Canal between Chester and Ellesmere Port, paying particular attention to the natural and industrial heritage of the canal system in this area. David Heke commented that “Working over the summer months, I was struck by the sunlight on the landscape creating dense shadows and intense reflections. I was also fascinated by the blending of the canal’s industrial past and present.”

The exhibition, comprising 24 framed monochrome prints, went on display at Chester History & Heritage in September/October 2005 and will be toured around local venues, including the Boat Museum in Ellesmere Port throughout 2006.
To compliment the exhibition, CultMark UK Project Officer Alison Watson ran a photographic outreach project with young people from the YMCA Out of School Club in Ellesmere Port which aimed to encourage a new generation to discover the leisure opportunities afforded by our canals.