Does Bristol Love Tides?

Bristol has:

The highest tidal reach of any populated area in the world
Ingenious systems for managing the flow and flux of water in the city
A chequered history and wealth formed by the tides

Bristol Loves Tides is a programme for schools, families and communities that explores water flows, tides and systems; over, under and around Bristol. It aims for deeper awareness of the interconnectedness of ecology, biodiversity, energy, and the role of wilder green spaces in and around the city.

The target audience is 8 to 12 year-olds and their families, in school or at home where discussion, exploration, conjecture, questioning and play are encouraged.

'Bristol Loves Tides' explores these themes

Maritime history, cultural heritage and the future of Bristol's shipbuilding industry
Debates about the future of tidal landscapes
Tidal Energy
Biodiversity
The water cycle and our changing relationship with water
Hydro-poetics. Literature, painting, dance and sculpture related to water
Creative writing
Awareness and empathy with natural processes

Free Resources

Short Adventure movies - to spark discussion
Films by young reporters questioning various tidal themes
Teaching and learning activities covering the different themes

We are happy to advice teachers on the use of these resources.

Proxi and Peri

Two mythical characters, called 'Proxi and Peri Gean', the Gean Brothers, are the 'tides-made-flesh'. They appear in human form in the Severn Estuary at the height of the spring equinox. Proxi Gean and Peri Gean are in love with the moon. The moon has given them a job and is offering to reward them if the job is done well.

After watching film 1

Discuss myths and mythical characters.

Use a map to look at the River Severn and the River Avon.
How do tides work and what causes the proxigean and perigean tides?
Look up Sabrina the goddess of the Severn.
Why were the tides so revered in ancient times and why do we not worship the tides anymore?
What will Proxi and Peri find out on their quest?
In the past was Bristol run by the moon or the sun?
Catch a train to Severn Beach and read this poem

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Proxi and Peri 2

A documentary of a real event. The Bristol Mayor and a crowd of on-lookers welcome visitors during the Spring Equinox into Bristol's Floating Harbour

After watching film 2

Why do Proxi and Peri want to meet young people rather than the Lord Mayor?
What are the objects and the themes that Proxi and Peri gave to the young people?
What does everyone put on their hands?
What parts of the Bristol Loves Tides Oath can you remember?
Why do Proxi and Peri use song and humour?
Dip into Ralph Hoyte's poem about the floating harbour. Floating Harbour poem text .pdf

Proxi and Peri 3 Ebb of Life

A documentary of a real event at the Entrance Locks to Bristol during the Autumn Equinox

After watching film 3

What is the Equinox?
What is a syzrgy?
Did Proxi get a real kiss from the Moon?
Where will there boat take them if they sail out on a tide down the Avon?
Does the moon grant their request for an easier life?

Proxi and Peri 4 - No Rest for the Fluid

The final adventure for Proxi and Peri. They floated out of Bristol on the Autumn Equinox having been granted their reward by the moon. They find themselves washed up in a strange place with no rainfall and very small tides. Peri is angry at still being in human form but Proxi likes his new body and what humans can do.

After watching film 4

Why are the tides so small in the Mediterranean?
What percentage of our bodies are made of water?
Why do Proxi and Peri decide to return to Bristol?
Their suitcases are left floating in the water at the end of the film imagine finding these cases washed up on the banks of the Avon.
What will be in these suitcase and how might you use the contents to help others love the tides?
What would you do to help people protect and enjoy the natural phenomena related to the flow and flux of water through us and our city?
Have a look at the themes and the resources and pick something you want to explore or work on.

"I love this project because it understands that Science and Art have the same starting point or foundation which is observation. I believe that its imaginative connection to fundamental ecology through its celebration of the role water plays in the past, present and future of this great city will inspire all who take part to look at their world afresh and, once inspired launch us on a thousand journeys of our own fueled by the greatest gift of all curiosity"

Tim Smit, Founder and Chair of the Eden Project

How to use the Bristol Loves Tides resources?

Look at the film above in which Proxi and Peri ponder the themes they gave to the young people to research.
Pick one of the themes you like the sound of - The themes are - Heritage, Water, Biodiversity, Energy, Hydropoetics and Future. It may be there is a fit with school science, arts, literacy, or humanities curriculum or it may be you love the tides and want to find out more.

Look at the film above where Proxi and Peri score how well Bristol is doing for each theme
Activities, short films and learning resources about the various themes can be down-loaded below
Look at the films made by young people about each theme
Look at the pdf resources for that theme and discuss them with friends and family
Do whatever parts of the activities you like the look of
Repeat with another theme

Films are made by My Future My Choice in partnership with The Desperate Men Theatre Company; NOVA Arts Collective. Supported by Bristol Green Capital, Tidal Cultures and Water City Bristol as part of the UK wide AHRC research project - Towards Hydro-citizenship

“The Bristol Loves Tides Project has achieved a significant level of raised awareness of Bristol’s tidal cultures. In the creation of the resources a series of innovative well-attended events and workshops were held with creative and dramatic content, telling stories about tides as a process, Bristol’s tidal history, and asking key questions about the city’s tidal waterway futures. The workshops ‘harvested’ local stories and memories from citizens and visitors at a series of event and these are being collated into a ‘memory map’ of Bristol tidal culture which will be on-line in the future… Bristol Loves Tides has played a major part in the AHRC Hydrocitizenship Project Bristol Case Study and the legacy of it is being taken forward into the latter stages of this national project.”
Prof. Owain Jones- Principal Investigator, Towards Hydro-Citizenship, a national AHRC programme.

Young people are key influencers in achieving targets for biodiversity and CO2 emissions. Research shows that young people are concerned about their own future as well as the environment of their city and want to take meaningful action. Being aware of a region's heritage builds pride and cultural identity. Young people taking ownership of their city can help us all capitalise upon Bristol's astounding natural environment, people and cultural institutions.