Volunteers at Rivington’s Pigeon Tower have spoken to The Bolton News about the fantastic restoration works which have seen the doors open on the historical building.

Vanessa Ashworth, volunteer and chair of the Friends of Rivington Terraced Gardens met up with video journalist, Heidi McGovern, to discuss the vital restoration works which have taken place in Rivington to bring the gardens and Pigeon Tower back to life.

Speaking about the works and the difference they have made, Vanessa said: “The gardens were getting into such a state of disrepair that United Utilities were worried that some of the structures were going to become unsafe, so it needed to be saved or their closed or their scrapped and there was a local group of people who obviously wanted to restore the gardens.

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“So a community forum got together with United Utilities, they created the Rivington Heritage Trust, a charity to oversee it, after trying to get grants unsuccessfully they worked with Groundwork, who are also a charity, but they are used to going for the bigger grants and they applied to the National Heritage Lottery Fund, they won that, we got £3.4m and that gave us the money then to start restoring the gardens and the Pigeon Tower.

“Since then, the first Saturday of every month volunteers come and get to work.

“We have got about 300 names on the list and over the year we probably get about 150 volunteers turning up.

“To coincide with the volunteer days the friends group open up the Pigeon Tower so people can come and get the chance to see it.”

 

Vanessa said the Pigeon Tower and gardens really bring joy to the lives of residents in Bolton who have always wanted to step inside growing up.

She said: “The look on people’s faces, its incredible, people say ‘oh I’ve been coming up here for 40 years and I’ve always wanted to see inside it’.

“We ask for a donation at the bottom and people will come and put a pound in, then they will go up and Mike or Dave will tell them all about the history and they will come down and ram £5 notes in just because they are so grateful.

“People absolutely love it.”

And although the Pigeon Tower is welcoming residents from across the borough and further, Vanessa is encouraging for people to become volunteers as it has changed her life.

The Bolton News:

Vanessa said: “If you have ever thought about volunteering or if you do get the chance on a Saturday and you are free, we would love more volunteers.

“Before Covid and the pandemic, on the first Saturday of every month we would get 50 to 70 volunteers turning up, now the numbers are right down, we probably get 30 to 40 but it’s a wonderful thing to do its fresh air, its fitness, its fun, its friendships.

“My life has changed since volunteering I’ve made so many friends.

“Fresh air, fitness and fun, come and join us.”