The Burrs Country Park Listening Trail

The project was developed to support more people to access, enjoy and build confidence in walking and wheeling through Burrs Country Park.

Burrs is a well-known local green space with accessible routes, but for many people there are still barriers to taking part in outdoor activity. These barriers may include physical access needs, long-term health conditions, low confidence, sensory needs, social isolation, financial barriers or a feeling that outdoor spaces are not always designed with them in mind.

The Burrs Country Park Listening Trail combines guided walking and wheeling sessions with creative listening, field recording and sensory engagement. Participants are invited to explore the park slowly, notice the sounds and details around them, and contribute recordings that will become part of a permanent listening trail.

The project is not only about creating a trail.

It is about helping people build confidence, connection and a stronger relationship with a local place.

The project aims to:

• Support disabled people and people with access needs, older adults, families with children with additional needs, and people with long-term health conditions to access Burrs Country Park in a safe, supported and meaningful way.
• Encourage walking and wheeling by using accessible routes, guided sessions and creative activity to build confidence and familiarity.
• Reduce barriers to outdoor activity by creating sessions that are inclusive, sensory-led and adaptable to the needs of participants.
• Use field recording, listening and creative exploration to make walking and wheeling feel more engaging, relevant and enjoyable.
• Create a welcoming, community-led environment where participants can connect with others and feel a sense of ownership over the project.
• Develop a permanent listening trail that remains after the funded activity has ended, giving participants and the wider community a reason to return to Burrs.
• Support long-term behaviour change by helping people feel more confident using local outdoor spaces independently.

The project will be delivered through a series of six guided walking, wheeling and field recording sessions at Burrs Country Park.

Each session will be designed for a small group to ensure participants receive appropriate support and feel able to take part at their own pace.

Participants will explore carefully selected routes and listening points within the park. At each point, they will be invited to stop, listen, record and reflect on what they notice.

The sessions will use simple Listening Kits containing portable recorders and headphones. These kits allow participants to hear the park in a more focused way and capture their own response to the place.

The delivery process includes:

• Planning and checking accessible routes through Burrs Country Park.
• Preparing session resources, Listening Kits, consent forms and risk assessments.
• Working with local partners and community networks to reach participants who may face barriers to walking, wheeling or outdoor activity.
• Delivering six guided field recording sessions with participants.
• Gathering recordings, notes, reflections and feedback from each session.
• Editing and shaping the recordings into six public listening points.
• Installing or sharing the final trail with a free map and instructions so that participants and the wider community can return to the route independently.

The project will be delivered by Rob Dart in partnership with The Sunnywood Project, with support from participating schools, community groups and partner organisations.

Participant feedback will be gathered throughout the project.

Feedback will focus on whether the sessions helped participants to feel more confident, more connected to Burrs Country Park, and more likely to return to the park independently.

Participants may be invited to respond through short feedback questions, group discussion, creative reflection and informal conversation.

Feedback may explore:

• Whether participants enjoyed the session.
• Whether they noticed anything new.
• Whether they felt more confident walking or wheeling in Burrs Country Park.
• Whether the listening and recording activities helped them engage with the place differently.
• Whether they felt comfortable using the equipment.
• Whether they would like to return to the route again.
• Whether they felt that their contribution mattered.
• Partner organisations will also be invited to provide feedback on accessibility, participant engagement, delivery quality and the value of the project for their group.

Participant quotes and case studies may be shared publicly only where full permission and consent has been given.

The project will create a permanent Burrs Country Park Listening Trail.

This will include six listening points developed from recordings made during the guided sessions.

The final trail will allow visitors to experience Burrs through the ears of the people who took part in the project.

Expected project outputs include:

• Six guided walking, wheeling and field recording sessions.
• Approximately 60 direct participants across the first six months.
• Six listening points created from participant recordings.
• A permanent sensory listening trail at Burrs Country Park.
• A free downloadable trail map with instructions.
• Digital audio resources hosted online.
• Project photography, feedback and case studies where consent has been given.
• Reusable Listening Kits that can support future This Place Speaks projects.

The trail will remain available beyond the funded delivery period, creating a lasting resource for participants, local groups and the wider community.

The project will be monitored and evaluated in line with Transport for Greater Manchester’s grant requirements.

Monitoring will include:

• Number of sessions delivered.
• Number of participants attending.
• Number of groups involved.
• Number of recordings created.
• Number of listening points completed.
• Number of trail resources produced.
• Participant feedback.
• Partner feedback.
• Case studies, photographs, quotes or videos where consent has been given.
• Evidence of spending, including invoices and receipts.

The project will evaluate whether the activity helped participants to build confidence, engage with walking and wheeling, feel more connected to Burrs Country Park, and feel motivated to return to the route after the sessions have ended.

The evaluation will also reflect on what worked well, what barriers remained, and what could be improved in future Listening In projects.

A short final report will be produced for TfGM, including delivery evidence, participant feedback, project outcomes, financial records and reflections on the longer-term impact of the trail.