11th March 2021

 Digital Gatherings, Episode 1 - Pendle Radicals & Clog Dancing2020 was certainly not the year any of us had planned, but that goes without saying. So what happened to an organisation like the Pendle Hill Landscape Partnership when our diary full of pre planned events had to be cancelled for the year? Well…we simply looked at which events could be moved online, and did exactly that. Now, almost a year later, we look back at our online events and think about how successful they have been and how the pandemic made us challenge the way we have previously worked.

Over the past year, in conjunction with the Forest of Bowland AONB, we have held more than 20 online events, all via Zoom, which have enabled us to engage with a whole new audience, with people from as far as Scotland and Devon logging on to join us. All varying in content, our events included National Meadows Day, our ever popular Foodie Foray, Bowland's Bats: Sounds and Detectors, An Introduction to Rewilding & Futurescapes, and the John Muir Celebration Event - Exploring our local hidden natural heritage, to name just a few.

We would like to thank everybody who has been involved in organising our virtual events, and to all those who have attended them. To think we had just over 700 people attending in total, it really does add a new dimension to what we have previously been able to do. With this in mind, and looking ahead to the future, we have decided to continue offering some online events, alongside the "normal" events that we are looking forward to hosting again just as soon as we are able.

We already have some exciting monthly virtual events planned, and you are welcome to join us! Events include a chance to learn about some of the Pendle Hill people who changed the world with our In the Footsteps of Extraordinary People: Introducing the Radicals Trail, event being held on Tuesday 23rd March 6.30pm – 8pm. We also have a talk about Sawley Abbey: The Buildings And People Of A Medieval Monastery which is taking place on Wednesday 21st April 6.30pm – 8pm. Not forgetting Our Bumblebees For Beginners event on Thursday 6th May 12noon – 1pm. To get more information or to find out what other online events we have planned, click here