'Wall Watchers' needed to monitor Hadrian's Wall World Heritage Site in 2016

A project which engages local people in the vital work of conserving the Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site (WHS) has recently completed its first year and is now seeking new volunteers for 2016.

WallWatch trains volunteers to monitor the condition of the World Heritage Site and equips them with the skills necessary to undertake surveys of the Wall itself and other archaeological remains.

The results are already proving key to the future management of one of the world’s most popular and important archaeological landscapes.

WallWatch is co-ordinated and managed as part of the Hadrian’s Wall Community Champions project, based within Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums (TWAM). The project is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Kerry Shaw, Hadrian’s Wall Community Champions Project Co-ordinator, said:

“This is a fantastic opportunity for local people to play a key role in the management of the World Heritage Site.

“WallWatch volunteers get to know their sections and become champions for the Wall, as well as hopefully having lots of fun.

“Last year we managed to recruit over 60 volunteers to cover most of the Wall in the northeast, although there are still some gaps so we are very keen to hear from people right across the Wall corridor, but particularly from the west of the World Heritage Site.”

Paul Frodsham, Oracle Heritage Services (consultant archaeologist for WallWatch) said:

“The WallWatch volunteers play an absolutely key role in the management of Hadrian’s Wall. By raising awareness of potential problems, such as collapsing masonry or erosion of the ground surface, we are able to make informed decisions about where best to allocate scarce resource to ensure the best possible management of the World Heritage Site.

“By taking part in WallWatch you will be helping to ensure the conservation of Hadrian’s Wall for generations to come.”

The project provides sound data on which to measure the condition and continuing threats to the archaeology of the World Heritage Site, acting as an effective ‘early warning system.’ It enables particular problems to be highlighted and prioritised while also providing a benchmark for monitoring future change.

A recruitment workshop will be held on the afternoon of Sunday 10 April at Housesteads Roman Fort for potential new volunteers.

To register your interest in becoming a ‘WallWatcher’ please either email wallwatch@twmuseums.org.uk or call 0191 277 2335 / 0191 277 2245 by Monday 4 April 2016.