TEN THOUSAND DAFFODILS - a ceramic installation

Hello, I am Helen (you may know me already, but in case you don't, and my good friends have shared my post) - I am a potter based in the Lake District in the Ullswater Valley.

In discussions around Friends of the Ullswater Way, a local historical and literary interest group, potentially proposing 2023 a Year of Art in Ullswater, I immediately thought of daffodils. So, in a similar vein to the 2014 Tower of London poppies I will be making 10,000+ ceramic daffodils - per Wordsworth's famous poem. They will be 'planted' at the magnificent Lowther Castle, near Penrith and on the Ullswater Way route, for viewing from April - June next year.

If you would like to come and help make the daffodils please email info@tenthousand daffodils.org.

After the display ends at Lowther Castle & Gardens, the daffodils will be sold, and I aim to generate £300,000+ for six charities (more details below).

I am seeking a minimum of £5 per donation to support the production of the daffodils.

Your donation will cover the cost of materials and marketing of the project. The labour involved is all through volunteers. Any surplus materials and equipment after the production e.g. clay, glaze, slab roller, glaze mixer etc, approximately 50% of the cost of production will be donated to local schools and community groups. I am not being paid for this project.

My ceramic daffodils will be based on the Wordsworth species - the narcissus lobularis.

Wordsworth was inspired to write his famous poem ‘I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud’ during a walk at Glencoyne Park on the edge of Ullswater with his sister at the turn of the 19th century. In the poem, he talks of ‘Ten thousand saw I at a glance’. So my plan is to create 10,000 (I know!) daffodils.

Community engagement is a vital part of the project, so I will invite local residents, community groups, businesses and schools to help with production and planting.

Lowther Castle is an incredible partner for this project, providing a spectacular location and supporting me with a production site, marketing support and invaluable input from a team with extensive experience working on such installations. Lowther has many stories that marry it closely to my project, not least the 'Yellow Earl', and its world record of planting 106,526 real daffodils in 2012.

As mentioned earlier, the daffodils will ultimately be sold in support of six charities -

Another Way - education environment charity of which I am a trustee

Sunbeams - music therapy trust for children and adults with a wide range of disabilities and complex medical needs

New Horizon Youth Centre - a day centre for young homeless people - I was previously involved with NHYC

Friends of the Ullswater Way - highlights the history and traditions of the Ullswater valley

James' Place - James’ Place wants to make sure that help is available for every man facing a suicide

Ullswater Catchment Management CIC - improving flood resilience and restoring nature to complement sustainable farming in the Ullswater Valley

In addition to the 10,000 daffodils, I will be making ten giant daffodil heads and have begun inviting notable potters to glaze them. These large daffodil heads will be auctioned off to support a charity of the potters' choice. In the summer of 2023, we will hold a gala dinner with both a live and online auction.

Large daff prototype prior to firing

I have a brilliant team of friends from our valley helping me on this project, and we are starting to move forward on many parts of the project together. Hopefully, the cost of production target will come down as we negotiate with suppliers and we receive funding from other sources - grants, local business sponsorship etc. I have just been able to reduce it by £5,000 due to some supplier discounts achieved and business sponsorships. We are getting there!

I want to confirm that your donation goes towards the production of the daffodils; it doesn't buy you a daffodil. The plan is to include every donor's name on the TEN THOUSAND DAFFODILS website (to be built) by way of a thank you. However, in addition, I am thanking you now - this project supports a variety of very much needed charitable causes.

Financial management of the project will be completed by the education environment charity Another Way, of which I am a trustee. Your donation will show as Another Way and will only be used for this project. Any surplus production funds will be added to the contributions to the six charities.

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Thank you so much for your support, and come and see the daffs when they are installed!