Celebrate the summer solstice by taking part in Memory Keepers, a one-of-a-kind creative event at RHS Garden Bridgewater, led by internationally acclaimed artist Yan Wang Preston.
Set beneath a 300-year-old sweet chestnut tree, this participatory event invites the public to explore themes of nature, time, and memory. As part of the OFFSHOOT project—a collaboration between the Royal Horticultural Society, University of Salford Art Collection and Open Eye Gallery—this is a chance to contribute to a new artwork ahead of its exhibition at Salford Museum and Art Gallery in 2026–27.
The event begins with a conversation between Yan Wang Preston and RHS arboriculture manager Josh Corbett. Participants will then join a creative activity: each person will be randomly assigned a year between 1720 and 2025 and invited to write a short story inspired by that moment in time. Stories can be real or imagined, personal or historical.
Everyone will receive a folder with a creative brief, images of the tree, and a return envelope for those who wish to submit their story. Contributions will help shape a collective artwork celebrating the life of this historic tree and the human stories connected to it.
No writing or artistic experience is needed. This free event is open to all, especially those interested in art, nature, storytelling or local history.
Be one of 300 Memory Keepers and help honour the story of a remarkable tree—and the communities growing around it.
