City West trainees help restore Salford Totem Pole

TRAINEES from City West Housing Trust are assisting a Native American artist with the restoration of Salford totem pole.

Kevin Cranmer, from the Kwakwaka’wakw tribe in British Columbia, will begin the long-awaited restoration of the city’s totem pole this week. The four trainees from the Salford-based housing association will leave their day jobs behind and learn traditional crafts from Kevin.

They also helped to move the 30ft, two-and-a-half ton totem pole from storage to its resting place at The Lowry Outlet at Salford Quays, where the restoration work will take place in full view for shoppers to see. City West Housing Trust also organised for its specialist joinery sub-contractor Emanuel Whittaker to build a number of A-frames for the totem pole to sit on while work is underway.

The totem pole was original carved by Kevin’s uncle Doug Cranmer and donated to Saford shipping company OCCL by Robert Stoker, the chairman of Manchester Liners. The campaign to restore the totem pole has been led by Salford Councillor Steve Coen.

It is made out of Columbian pine and carved with animals and figures important to the Kwakwaka’wakw Indians.

Roy Sloane, City West Housing Trust’s Construction training assessor, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for a number of our trainees to play a role in an important part of Salford’s history.

“They’ll be able to put their new skills to the test and learn from a genuine craftsman. We’re delighted to be involved in this exciting project that will bring new lease of life to Salford Totem Pole for years to come.”