Ralph

As part of the Byker Lives project alongside Northern Architecture, Roots and Wings were given a budget to explore the history of Byker through alternative mediums. We decided to use this money to write, illustrate and publish a children’s book, which would then be given away for free to families living in the area and sold across Newcastle. The story is a re-imagining of architect Ralph Erskine’s ambitious plan to build a sustainable and innovative social housing complex. To this day the Byker Wall remains a colourful but divisive stitch in Byker’s historical tapestry. With help from Igloo, we were able to publish Ralph and it is now available to purchase as a lovely high-quality high copy from Byker Community Centre, with all profits being reinvested into further community projects!