Wythenshawe youngsters who produced an art project are all smiles after receiving an award from Coronation Street’s Julie Hesmondhalgh in a ceremony  celebrating Manchester’s history.

Wythenshawe WOWZone were presented with a commended award from a long list of applicants in the Manchester Community Histories Award, for their project Wythenshawe, Manchester’s Garden City. 

Initially involving a project management team of 14 young people aged 16-18 learning how to research their local history and heritage,  they went on to engage a further 80 young people to explore, express and celebrate Wythenshawe.

They explored the story of the Tatton family and Wythenshawe Hall and the development of Wythenshawe as a Garden City from 1926.  The project involved the group producing a 70-foot mural which captured the story of Wythenshawe from Domesday up to present day, brought ‘alive’ using Augmented Reality technology in an app.

The award was presented by actor Julie Hesmondhalgh, who played Hayley Cropper in Coronation Street.

“We’ve been blown-away by the number and quality of entries this year and by the diversity of areas and subjects covered by the different projects” said Claire Turner, MH’s Chief Executive. “With such a high standard of entries it was a really difficult job for our Panel of judges to select the winners.  It demonstrates the passion that the people of Greater Manchester have for the histories that matter to them and we hope that the Awards help to raise the profile and importance of these stories.

“We’re also really grateful to the Awards partners and supporters, including Manchester City Council who allow us to host the Awards in the Town Hall, a building where so many histories have been, and continue to be made.”