EXPLORING MANCHESTER’S FIRST CITY CENTRE PARK IN 100 YEARS WITH JAMIE GREEN

Manchester’s first city centre park in over a century opened its gates today. Described as an urban escape, the 6.5-acre park that lies along the banks of River Medlock is now open to the public. 

In recognition of the ongoing launch of Mayfield, we teamed up with the National Lottery Heritage Fund to explore the past, present and future of the site. 

Produced by one of our very own, Jamie Green, the three-part series is now available to listen to on all streaming platforms. Get listening now and if you love it as much as we do, you can even leave a review or rating on Apple. 

We caught up with Jamie to find out more about the production process, the themes explored in each episode, as well as his journey with Reform and beyond.

Please could you introduce yourself and explain your current occupation. 

Hey, my name is Jamie Green and I am a freelance Audio Producer for Reform Radio. I work within Reform’s Podcasting team and assist with recording, editing, and producing podcasts and audio content. 

You joined Reform Radio in January 2022 as a Kickstart Studio & Podcasting Assistant. How did you hear about this opportunity and what made you decide to apply? 

I first saw the opportunity as a Studio & Podcasting Assistant posted on Reform’s Instagram page. I had decided over the coronavirus lockdown that I really wanted to pursue a career working with audio and so this role just seemed like the perfect opportunity. Having previously participated in some of Reform’s audio-based courses, I also knew what an incredible company they were and was keen to work in such a creative, inclusive environment. 

Please could you describe your responsibilities/projects that you worked on? 

I have worked on a fantastic variety of projects, from editing interviews for BBC 6 Music’s The People’s Party with Afrodeutsche to travelling around the UK recording a road trip style podcast about British vineyards. I have also led the production of our ‘Park Life’ podcast which has involved interviewing photographers, archaeologists and event organisers. My day-to-day responsibilities have included anything from recording autobiographical audiobooks for clients such as Liz Taylor to editing podcast series for ‘The Life & Death Podcast’ for Ashgate Hospice. 

After Kickstart, you continued working with Reform as a freelancer, how are you finding it now?

The transition to becoming a freelancer has been really exciting, I have loved working across numerous projects and utilising my audio skills in different ways to deliver exciting content such as the ‘Park Life’ podcast. 

Have you had any opportunities arise as a direct result of Reform? 

Definitely, I think one of the key opportunities that I have gained through my connections within Reform is being booked for regular DJ work which has really helped build my confidence as a DJ and also provided financial support. 

You have been working on the Mayfield project for some time. Please could you briefly describe what this project is and what your involvement has been? 

With Manchester building its first city centre park in over 100 years, we have produced a three-part podcast series that captures and explores the heritage of this area of Manchester known as Mayfield.

My role has been to lead the creation of this podcast, which has involved everything from interviewing archaeologists and photographers to sourcing archive recordings from the Manchester Central Library, designing soundscapes and capturing field recordings to accompany the podcast.

How has the experience been producing this podcast? Any highlights?

Producing the ‘Park Life’ podcast has been an incredible experience. I have loved discovering the forgotten stories of this unique area of Manchester through speaking with so many fascinating people. Their passion for the heritage of Mayfield has really rubbed off on me, and so I feel really fortunate to have been given the creative freedom to shape the format of this podcast and how we tell the story of this site. 

During the project, you touch on themes including The River, The Park and Culture. Can you talk a little bit about the creative process here?

The River

The first episode of the podcast is themed around The River Medlock. The episode tells the story of how the Medlock was transformed from a beautiful meandering river into an industrial sewer later covered over with concrete to make way for expanding industries. After being hidden for over 50 years the river Medlock in Mayfield has now been uncovered, so we really wanted to focus on how the river has intrinsically shaped the history of this area and reflect on the importance of protecting and valuing our waterways.

The Park

The theme of the second episode was inspired by Manchester opening its first city centre park in over 100 years this month! We wanted to learn about the site’s transformation from a derelict wasteland into a lush haven in the city centre, and also explore the importance of green spaces on our mental health and well-being. 

Culture 

The Mayfield district in Manchester is becoming a cultural hub in the city, with it being home to The Warehouse Project, Escape To Freight Island, and hosting events such MIF, Pride and numerous art exhibitions. So it only seemed natural to theme an episode around the culture surrounding the park today. However, we also wanted to dig a bit deeper and explore the unique cultural heritage of the site and investigate how this has also developed over time. 

If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be? 

Take the plunge and move up to Manchester, it will be worth it! 

What do you want for the future? 

Working on the ‘Park Life’ podcast has really reinforced my desire to continue working with audio and sourcing work that integrates my passion for sound design, recording audio and producing music. In the future, I would love to continue producing audio content across different formats and using my creativity to shape the listening experience. 

Do you have anything upcoming that you would like to shout about? 

I’m super excited to have my first track released over the coming months as part of a compilation album on Martyn’s record label, 3024. Keep an eye out for that!