Principal Investigator: Dr Carenza Lewis, University of CambridgeCo-investigators: Dr Britt Baillie-Warren (Archaeology and Heritage, University of Cambridge); Dr Sarah Baylis (Art History and Oral History, University of Cambridge); Nicola Buckley (Public Engagement, University of Cambridge); Dr Mary Chester-Kadwell (Archaeology, University of Cambridge); Dr Nicholas James (Archaeology and Heritage Management, University of Cambridge); Dr Jonathan King (Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge), Dr Susan Oosthuizen (Madingley Institute for Continuing Education, University of Cambridge), Dr Alex Pryor (Archaeology, University of Cambridge), Dr Ken Sneath (Madingley Insititute for Continuing Education, University of Cambridge); Dr Sam Williams (History, University of Cambridge).Collaborators: Ashwell Museum; Cambridge Archaeological Field Group; Cambridge United Football Club; Ely Wildspace; FenArch; FenArch; Freudian Slips; Friends of Corhampton Church; Heritage Writtle; Hildersham Village History Recorders; Hoxne Heritage Group; Meadow Primary School, Balsham; Meldreth Local History Group; One Voice 4 Travellers; Pirton History Group; Rattlesden Local History Group; Royal Anglian Regiment Museum; Saffron Walden Museum; Sandringham Enterprise; Sharnbrook Local History Group; Shillington History Society; Shirley Primary School; Sturmer Local History Group; Suffolk Horse Society; Tilty Archaeology & Local History Grou; Toft Historical Society; West Norfolk & King's Lynn Archaeological Society; West Wickham District Local History Grou; Wormingford Community Education Centrep pDuration: From 2012 to 2013
In Cambridge Community Heritage (CCH) project (2012-13), ten University of Cambridge researchers in Archaeology, History, Heritage and Public Engagement collaborated in research with 37 community groups in eastern England.
In 2012 CCH helped 24 community groups develop their own ideas for research into their heritage into robust proposals that could be realistically submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund’s ‘All Our Stories’ fund. 92% of the CCH groups were successful (compared to 50% nationally), with each group receiving up to £10,000 from HLF.
Throughout 2013 CCH worked with 28 groups to deliver these projects, helping more than 5,400 members of communities of place, occupation, interest and identity including local historical societies, football clubs, church groups, traveller communities, schools, women’s groups and military regiments explore their heritage.
This wide range of projects delivered new perspectives on different heritages and a wealth of resources for future research, instilled new skills amongst participants and developed new networks for the future. 97% of respondents felt participation had increased knowledge of their heritage, and the average rating for the extent to which the projects had increased participants’ sense of connection with their heritage was 8.6/10. Attitudes to collaborating with universities in co-producing research averaged 9/10 (90%).
- archaeology | community | heritage | history | local history | oral history
