Open Day and Olympic Torch

Jasmine gives an account of the big day on Tuesday:
Yesterday was a big day for everyone on the trench as it was finally time for the big open day. This also happened to fall on the day that the Olympic torch passed through Chester. The morning started with everyone on site planning some of the remaining features including the chapel/robber trench/ cellar (interpretation still changing) and although it was still sunny there was more of a lack of people in the park than normal recently.

It wasn't long before that changed. After morning break the people that had finished their planning went to gather tables and other equipment for the open day. Ollie's method of doing this was to carry two tables on his back. This worked pretty well until it came to helping to get them down, when he nearly took out three of us. We spent the rest of the morning setting up and opening up the fence around the trench to make the site look more inviting. We had an information point at the front of site that had leaflets and brochures on the amphitheatre. Inside of the site we had set up a table of finds including, that's right you guessed it, one of the bone dice! Jonathan was pleased.  There was also finds washing for the children and some very keen adults and we gave site tours throughout the afternoon.

At about half three everyone started to pile into the park ready for the torch, including the tv crew (I'm still waiting for my tv appearance) and the trench became the center of attention. The finds table was incredibly popular as everyone enjoyed being able to handle the artefacts, but a lot of people were interested in seeing the new finds that had just come out of the soil. At about half five the attention seemed to die down as everyone went to look for the torch, so we all sensibly decided this was a good time to get ice creams and climb to the top of the spoil heap to look for the torch. After one incredibly disappointing mock run through "was that the torch?" the real deal finally passed through the park and we all had a brilliant view.

All in all it was a brilliant day on site and I can't wait to get involved in it all again for the Roman Weekend (come down to the park this weekend!).

Final recording is underway!