A NEW exhibition to mark 50 years since Warrington was officially designated as a new town will take place next year – and organisers want the help of residents to show the social history of the area.

Warrington was confirmed as a new town in 1968 with much of the building work taking place in Birchwood on the former ROF Risley site.

Now Su Fitzpatrick, a former Locking Stumps Primary and Birchwood High School pupil, is to hold an exhibition on the new town.

The 38-year-old now lives in Newcastle and works as a researcher in human geography at York St John University.

Inspired by her own life in Birchwood from 1980 until 1997, the exhibition will be made up largely of photographs at Warrington Museum between June and September next year.

She said: “I was one of the first generation to grow up there really.

“My mum was from Liverpool, which was typical, and my dad from Glasgow, which was less typical, and they still live in the house I grew up in.

“I think what is interesting is people moved to Warrington but had no social link or ties to the town.

“And I think that is the reason why I am doing this because I have got all these questions of my own growing up without those social ties to the town.”

The exhibition will feature photographs from the Warrington New Town Development Corporation Archive which is held at Chester Local Archive and some contemporary landscape photos by then photographer Nick Jackson.

But Su wants to add family and landscape pictures from residents in Warrington which mark the social history of the area.

A people’s archive day at Risley Moss Visitors Centre takes place on Wednesday between noon and 3pm.

The event is to encourage long term residents of Birchwood to participate in the exhibition by sharing their own photos of their life in the area.

Pictures brought in by residents will be scanned in on the day and returned.

  •  You can also share pictures and see more from the archive at facebook.com/daysofthenewtown.