The UK Government announced the recipients of the final round of the Community Ownership Fund (COF) at the very end of 2024. Amongst the 85 sites and groups receiving £36 million in grants are several industrial heritage sites, including the East Lancashire Railway and the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway. More than £1m will go…
Author: mikenevell
I am the Industrial Heritage Support Officer for England, based at the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust.
Christmas 2024 & New Year 2025 Storms Higlight Vulnerability of Transport Industrial Heritage
The December 2024 storms, particularly Storm Darragh, and the New Year snow storms and flooding in England and Wales, once more highlights the vulnerability of Industrial Heritage sites to the increasing number of severe weather events brought about by Climate Change. Storm Darragh (7-8 December 2024) affected large areas of Britain and Ireland with high…
Choosing the Right Social Media Platform for Your Industrial Museum in 2025
Choosing the right social media platform or platforms for your industrial museum or site is a big step since it affects the visibility, engagement, and impact of your site. Most industrial sites have a presence on Facebook, but deciding to join, stay, or leave a platform requires careful consideration, since some platforms are a better…
Association for Industrial Archaeology Grants & Awards Deadlines in 2025
The deadlines for the 2025 Association for Industrial Archaeology grants and awards are fast approaching (31 January and 31 March 2025), but there is still time to consider applying for a restoration or research grant, or nominating a book or thesis for an award. Recent winners have included Wayne Cocroft and Paul Stamper for their book Legacies…
Northumberland County Council To Fund Repairs to Woodhorn Colliery Museum
Northumberland County Council have agreed to fund repairs to Woodhorn Museum’s heapsteads, which support the winding gear that raised and lowered cages down the mine shaft. These are in need of a full refurbishment with major corrosion identified, leading the Grade II* listed structure to be classed as “heritage at risk” by Historic England. £1.297 million…
Museum of Cannock Chase Under Threat from Closure in 2025
Cannock Chase Council is proposing the closure of the Museum of Cannock Chase by April 2025, as part of proposed budgets cuts for 2025/2026. The Museum of Cannock Chase first opened in 1989 on the site of the former Valley Pit, a training pit for young coal miners. It covers the history of the Cannock…
Historic England & English Heritage Update Their Climate Change Adaptation Report for 2024
Historic England and the English Heritage Trust have updated their ‘Climate Change Adaptation Report’, a document written in response to the Government’s Fourth Adaptation Reporting Power (ARP4) call under provisions in Part 4, Section 62 of the Climate Change Act 2008. This latest edition builds on the Third Adaptation Reporting Power (ARP3) report submitted jointly…
Historic England’s 2024 Heritage at Risk Register & Industrial Heritage Sites
Earlier in November Historic England published their 2024 Heritage at Risk Register, which lists all the Garde II*, Grade I and scheduled historic structures and places that it believes are in danger of being lost. The Register gives an annual snapshot of the health of England’s historic buildings and places. It helps to ensure they…
Conservation Matters in the North 24: Transferrable Skills in Conservation Conference
The Northwest Conservators Group are holding their annual conference in December on the theme of ‘Transferable Skills in Conservation’. The conference is open to all with an interest in conservation including curators, conservators, historians, students, volunteers, interns, and related disciplines such as those runnign industrial hertiage sites. A series of short talks will explore questions…
Guidance on Social Media Use for Charities
Charity Digital has updated their advice on how to use social media. Social media has become essential for charities, and industrial heritage sites are no exception, in helping reach wider audiences, raise awareness, and drive donations. But as the social media landscape constantly changes, staying effective requires regular evaluation. Social media is a powerful tool,…
Industrial Heritage Support 