Groups organising arts events often get in touch with Culture Swindon Head Helen Miah. Because even if she doesn't know the answer, she'll know someone who does. In fact Helen's quite often a "broker" between groups, artists, arts organisations, young people's groups and the like.

The Willow Lantern Pagent at the Cotswold Water Park in February 2010 was a perfect example of this brokerage at work. Responding to the Cotswold Water Park's call, she got them in touch with a youth service and various artists, and the results were astounding.

A dark night was brought to life by the warming glow of over 100 lanterns reflecting in a fishing lake near South Cerney – from a tiny dragon to a giant duck, lanterns of all shapes and sizes lit up the night.

The lanterns had been made by youth groups, community groups and local schools from all around the Cotswold Water Park, as a celebration of the wildlife of the area in this International Year of Biodiversity. The project, which was funded through Natural England through Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund, was managed by In our Element, the Arts development programme for the Cotswold Water Park Society.

Arts consultant Lesley Greene was delighted with the event, “It was wonderful to see artists and young people working together to observe and interpret the richness of the wildlife which is all around us here in this dynamic landscape. There were lanterns representing bats, birds, beavers, fish and insects. Even the past was brought to life with a giant plesiosaur held aloft by its creators and the procession was led by a 2m high woolly mammoth, two creatures whose fossil remains have been found around here during gravel extraction process."

Leader of Ashton Keynes Brownies, who all made wonderful pyramid lanterns, said, "This is such a lovely place and we are all so lucky - this creative event is a great way to help young people recognise and understand the landscape in which they live.”

Helen concluded, "This Lantern Pageant is an example of the work that our arts services team do, which often goes unnoticed. It's all part of our remit to make culture visible, valued, enjoyed and easily accessed by the people of Swindon and beyond."

See the project report here as a pdf.