MixnMatch: the results!
Voting took place throughout July, both online and in-person at Staiths Space (Tyne Derwent Way at Dunston Staiths) and St Mary's Heritage Centre. We were thrilled by the response — 129 people voted — and we're delighted to announce our three winning projects that we'll be delivering between now and March 2026.
Nature: Greening the Gaps!
Along the River Tyne stretch of the Tyne Derwent Way, there are vacant flower beds and areas of 'grey', which can be 'greened'. These gaps offer an exciting opportunity to plant beautiful new wildflower habitats, which also provide extra 'stepping stones' to help pollinators and other wildlife to move through the city. This project would include opportunities for the local community to learn about nature-friendly gardening, how to plant and look after the habitats, and to find out more about local wildlife.
Culture: Do You Come Here Often?
Imagine an eye-catching pop-up booth with shelter and seating for two that magically appears at various locations along the Tyne Derwent Way! The booth would be a place for collecting stories, inviting passers-by to sit a while and tell us what is their favourite part of the Way and why. We'd capture these conversations on a map, in audio recordings and a visitors' book. These responses would be used to create a miniature museum, a pop-up archive of stories containing spoken word, images and written content to be experienced again along the Way.
Heritage: Bottles, Coal, Iron
Help us create a brand new (large-scale) board game that would document and celebrate the industrial heritage of the Tyne Derwent Way. The riverside might feel calm and quiet now, but this game would bring to life the noisy, bustling industrial hub that it once was. A playful and informative invitation for all ages to take a journey through time and history along the Way. First one to the finish wins!
Thank you for voting!
We know that all of the projects were exciting and got votes, so we'll keep them in our back pockets for the future. We're particularly thinking of Ancestors and Archives, which we'll be looking to trial in the New Year, with the potential of running it into the future.
A huge thank you to everyone who took part in MixnMatch — whether online, at Staiths Space, or at St Mary's. Thanks also to the TDW team who pulled all the ideas together! We can't wait to bring these projects alive alongside local communities.
Some activities will take place with specific groups, while others will be open to the general public. Keep an eye on our website and social media for updates, or sign up to our newsletter for monthly news.
Together, we're making the Tyne Derwent Way a place where nature, culture, and heritage flourish.
Share this page
