A year-long celebration of the life of Cockermouth’s most celebrated figures – writer, poet and environmentalist Dorothy Wordsworth – will end next month.
The finale of the #IAmDorothy project will take place at the Kirkgate Centre during the Cockermouth Live! Festival on Sunday, July 3, from 2pm to 4pm.
The Kirkgate has been celebrating 250 years since Dorothy, sister of the former Poet Laureate William Wordsworth, was born in Cockermouth at what is now Wordsworth House, Main Street.
Kirkgate Centre general manager Emma Heys said: “We hope that as many people as possible will be able to join us at the Kirkgate for the Dorothy Wordsworth Celebratory Show, marking the end of this year-long project.”
Gloria Edwards, of Cockermouth Heritage Group, added: “The event gives us an opportunity to reflect on the life of a woman mostly recognised as sister to William. However, Dorothy was an accomplished writer in her own right, as her Journals show.
“She also produced her own unpublished poetry, and a travel account of a tour made of Scotland with William (not published until 1874). Who knows what else Dorothy might have been capable of in different circumstances?”
At the event, which will run from 2pm to 4pm, people can:
- Marvel at the Giant Dorothy Portrait – Kirkgate commissioned 120 children from Cockermouth’s Fairfield school, plus artists Artfly, to make images of Dorothy using 13,000 stickers.
- Be dazzled by the Sparkles of Light display capturing Kirkgate Youth Theatre’s Dorothy-inspired 2021 production with photography by Chris Lewis.
- Wonder at old Cockermouth in Dorothy’s time – an exhibition from Heritage Group volunteers.
- Be amazed by the Dorothy Light Sculpture – a portrait in light and words commissioned from Artfly, based in Ulverston, for Cockermouth’s 2021 Christmas lights
Also happening will be:
- Film: Make The Journey – commissioned from John Hamlett, of Kirkby Lonsdale, following Dorothy’s life journey from Cockermouth to Rydal
- Poetry from those who’ve made Dorothy’s journey from Main Street to Rydal
- Music from Seven Sisters inspired by Dorothy’s journals followed by Quickbeam performing a song specially created for the event.
- Special performance by locally-based professional actors Toby Gaffney and Emma Rydal, inspired by creative writing from the children of Lorton and All Saints primary schools.
The #IAmDorothy project has been supported by National Lottery players through The National Lottery Heritage Fund with additional funding from Cockermouth Town Council, Allerdale Borough Council, Ashley Family Foundation, Metalcraft, Slater Family Trust and Arts Council England.
