A core part of Sustainable PZ is helping us all make positive choices for the town’s future. For people, the planet, and the place in which we live. One way to do this is through how we decide to travel and leaving the car at home when we can.
That’s where PZ Greenways comes in. This project was launched a few months ago, and part of the aim is to encourage more of us to leave the car at home and take in more of Penzance’s green spaces and ancient footpaths on our daily journeys through town.
It’s about that connection to nature that can be lost when we get behind a wheel, as well as boosting our mental health and physical wellbeing through being outdoors, and reducing our impact on the environment. We don’t always realise the opportunities to connect with nature right in front of us, right on our doorstep, but we can change that.
To bring this idea to life, Harriet Harrow beautifully-illustrated the PZ Greenways map, linking up green spaces within the town and showing some of the green routes out of town. Whether you’re trying to get your daily steps up, or do something different on your commute to work, the first six walks are to help us get started.
You can now find printed versions of the maps all around town (we’ve listed them in our blog, here), and you can access it digitally on our PZ Greenways page.
But what happens next? We didn’t want to leave it at just our six routes, which is why we’re holding workshops so people can create their own personal maps. For their day to day or regular journeys that could start to incorporate more walking and all the benefits that brings.
What are the workshops?
Our map-making workshops are focused on helping you to create your own Greenways, for all those journeys you do on a regular basis.
Do you live at the top of town and normally drive to work in the centre? Or do you park in town to do your shopping, instead of leaving the car at home? There are multiple ways to make your journey less impactful on the environment, and one way is walking in and perhaps getting the bus – or a Beryl bike – with your shopping bags for the way back.
Mostly, however, it’s about opening our eyes to the possibilities of how we could move around town with less impact, and actively making a plan that works for you to be able to do it.
What do the workshops involve?
We start the sessions by looking at the Greenways map and understanding how the routes were put together. We’ll talk about the journeys you regularly make around town, and discuss whether there are possible ways to get to where you need to go without your car.
Then, we pull out our big OS map of Penzance and help you plot your own walking routes, making sure you take in green routes for those nature bursts and avoid busy roads at the same time. It’s still about being functional and getting from A to B, but with the added benefits of being outside and moving your body.
We then set you free to make a collage of your own map, with the help of our crafting tools. You don’t have to be an artist in any way, it’s simply about making it whatever you want it to be – for some, that’s a squiggly line with noted points of interest, or, for others, it’s about creating a beautiful map of a route you already take, or would like to take, by foot.
We’ve already seen beautiful maps with all sorts of different approaches, and it really is quite a mindful experience – where you can sit quietly and plan, or chat to others at the same time.
You don’t have to stop at one session, either! If you started a map in one workshop with us, you’re more than welcome to join us on the next one to finish it.
How can you get involved?
Our next map-making workshop will be held in February (check back here for exact dates). There are limited spaces, so book early to avoid disappointment. This means we can ensure everyone has enough space to create, without feeling on top of each other.
If you’re interested in making your own map, you can also come along to our next walk on 16th February. Keep your eyes peeled, and follow our social media accounts for more updates. You can find us on Facebook here, or Instagram here.
Thanks to the Active Travel Social Prescribing Fund for helping us kickstart this project.
