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…

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,…

Online Appeal for Funding to Save Worsbrough Mill’s History and Heritage

Barnsley Museums and Heritage Trust, a fundraising charity which helps fund and promote Barnsley Museums’ five free heritage attractions, has launched a fundraising campaign to help securee the future of Wosbrough Mill. Funds are required for repairs and to future-proof the history and unique industrial heritage of the mill. This site is one of the…

Historic England Advice on Re-use of Mills Updated

Historic England has updated (September 2024) its guidance on the value of re-utilising historic mills, outlining their many potential new uses. These re-uses include houses, offices, shops, restaurants, art galleries and even an NHS outpatients’ department . The revised guidance notes that the vast majority of adults (89%) believe mills are an ‘important part of…

Carnforth Railway Heritage Centre Closes

The Carnforth Railway Heritage Centre is to close on 10th October 2024.It is best known for featuring in the 1945 movie ‘Brief Encounter’, directed by David Lean and starring Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard, which inspired the remobavtion fo thesae station buildings in the 1990s and early 2000s. The Centre became part of the working…

Save the Date for Railway 200 Says HRA

The Heritage Railway Association (HRA) is appealing to heritage railways, tramways, and museums up and down the UK to build the 200th anniversary of the Stockton and Darlington Railway into their plans. With exactly two years to go until the anniversary of the famous opening of the railway linking coal mines in the Shildon area with…