Welcome to the Wakefield District Heritage Network newsletter. This is a regular update on heritage news and events taking place across Wakefield district, including the Our Heritage Our Stories project. If you have news or events that you would like us to share in future newsletters please let us know at: heritage@wakefield.gov.ukIf you missed the previous newsletter, you can catch up on all the news here: Wakefield District Heritage Network - June Update
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Heritage Open Days Information Event – 29 July
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Heritage Open Days in Wakefield. Photo by David Lindsay
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Have you signed up for Heritage Open Days yet? To help new and existing event organisers, we are hosting a Heritage Open Days support event at the West Yorkshire History Centre in Wakefield on Tuesday 29 July from 6pm, with support from the Council’s Tourism team, Pontefract Civic Society and the West Yorkshire Archive Service. This event is aimed at groups who are interested in getting involved in Heritage Open Days and want advice on where to start, as well as existing event organisers who want more advice and support on how to promote and evaluate their Heritage Open Days events, to get the most out of this year's festival. There will also be chance for organisers to share what they are planning for the festival. The event is free, but places must be booked in advance. Heritage Open Days is England’s largest heritage festival and takes place from 12-21 September - The theme for this year’s festival is 'architecture'. From opening historic buildings to the public, hosting guided history walks, talks and exhibitions and more, our district always has a great showing for the festival, with over 2,000 volunteers taking part last year. We would love this year’s festival to be even bigger and better! To book your free place at the event, visit the TicketSource page.Register your event and find out more about the festival on the Heritage Open Days website: www.heritageopendays.org.uk |
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New survey shows public want local authorities to support local museums
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Wakefield Museum. Photo by Kyte Photography
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A new survey commissioned by Art Fund has found that 80% of UK adults want local authorities to support their local museums. The survey of 2,000 adults across the UK underlined that local museums are a strong source of regional pride, with three in five people across the UK saying museums make them feel proud of where they live. Three quarters of UK adults (73%) say that museums teach them something new when they visit. Interestingly, knowing how donation money is used is what would most encourage people to support their local museums. At the same time, a report by Leeds Museums has underlined the economic impact of local authority museums and galleries. The report demonstrated that council-run museums and galleries in Leeds generated over £41.7million for the local economy in 2024. The report shows that the museums and galleries generated £8 for every £1 spent in maintaining them, and cost every person in Leeds just £4.88 per year in taxes.
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Cynthia Kenny: A City Framed. New exhibition opens at Wakefield Museum
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© The Estate of Cynthia Kenny. Wakefield Council Permanent At Collection (The Hepworth Wakefield)
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Wakefield Museums & Castles presents a new exhibition celebrating the life and work of local artist Cynthia Kenny (1929–2021). Cynthia Kenny studied at Wakefield Art College and became a beloved figure in the local art community, Cynthia captured the city’s changing landscapes from the 1960s to 2000s through evocative paintings and drawings.
Explore Wakefield through Cynthia's eyes - rural scenes, city skylines, and hidden architectural heritage - all brought to life with brush and pen.
Join Wakefield Museums & Castles for a special opening event on Wednesday 30 August, 5–7pm, with curator-led spotlight tours from 5:30–6:30pm.
The exhibition is open Monday – Saturday at Wakefield Museum during museum opening times. FREE entry. For more information, please visit the event page: Cynthia Kenny: A City Framed | Experience Wakefield
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South Asian Heritage Month - 18 July - 17 August |
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South Asian Heritage Month logo
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18 July – 17 August is South Asian Heritage Month. This national festival celebrates South Asian culture, history, and communities. The 2025 theme is Roots and Routes, exploring shared cultural connections between South Asia and the UK.
For this year’s festival, the West Yorkshire Archive Service, in partnership with Wakefield Museums & Castles and Wakefield Libraries, is running a project to highlight South Asian stories in local collections. Family-friendly drop-in events at the West Yorkshire History Centre will feature documents, objects, crafts, and food activities. The project is funded by a project grant from The National Archives, with support from Our Heritage, Our Stories, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Other events during South Asian Heritage Month in Wakefield include the Wakefield Mela on Sunday 27 July, a community event celebrating South Asian culture with music, food and stalls. Further activities are planned by Wakefield Council. Please check the Council's social media channels for more information (@MyWakefield).
For more information about the South Asian Heritage Month Events at the West Yorkshire History Centre, visit their Events Guide.
To find out more about about South Asian Heritage Month, explore the website: www.southasianheritage.org.uk |
LGBTQ+ Social History of Wakefield |
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Wakefield Museums & Castles' Pride memorabilia in the collections
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Pride celebrates progress in LGBTQ+ rights while continuing the fight for equality and inclusion. Wakefield’s first Pride took place in August 2005, and Wakefield Museums & Castles has been preserving the local social history of LGBTQ+ communities in Wakefield through oral histories and developing their collections which include drag costumes, Pride posters, and memorabilia. You can explore a selection of the memorabilia on long term display in Wakefield Museum.
Discover the Museums & Castles Rainbow Trails oral history archive, including interviews with local drag legends and an organiser of Wakefield’s first Pride. The Museums & Castles team continues to collect stories and objects from the district’s LGBTQ+ heritage. Get in touch at museums@wakefield.gov.uk if you'd like to contribute.
While Wakefield Pride is postponed until 2026, LonGBoaT Wakefield CIO will host their first Wakefield Community Pride Fringe on Sunday 10 August. Visit their website for details. |
Culture Grants support new district heritage projects |
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Featherstone Rovers Foundation staff with heritage memorabilia from their 2023 showcase
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Wakefield Council Culture Grants have announced new creative arts and heritage projects supported in 2025.
Three projects are celebrating Wakefield district’s rich heritage and two particularly focusing on its sporting legacy: Wakefield Trinity Community Foundation’s ‘Exploring Trinity Heritage’ brings rugby league history to life through reminiscence sessions in care homes and creative family workshops; ‘Once Upon a Story-Trail’ by Story Trails invites residents to discover local heritage via seven community-developed walking trails during Heritage Open Days; and Featherstone Rovers Foundation’s ‘Rugby Boots and Mining Roots’ explores the deep connection between rugby league and mining in Featherstone through storytelling and creative engagement.
To find out more about the projects supported, visit: Local groups and creatives to receive Culture Grants - Wakefield Council
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Festival of Archaeology 2025 logo
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This year’s Festival of Archaeology, themed around archaeology and wellbeing, is underway. It launched on the 19 July and finishes on the 3 August. Find out more by visiting the festival website: Festival Council for British Archaeology.This year’s Day in Archaeology is the 31 July. The festival publishes blogs from archaeologists all over the UK to raise awareness of the huge variety of work that they do. If you are involved in archaeology in any capacity, please consider submitting a blog for the festival website. It can be submitted on the day, or in advance. Find out more about the Day in Archaeology: A Day in Archaeology Council for British Archaeology
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Heritage-inspired Yorkshire Day Weekend at the National Coal Mining Museum
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© National Coal Mining Museum for England
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The National Coal Mining Museum for England is hosting a grand gala and family fun extravaganza in t’ proper Yorkshire way, inspired by the vibrant Miners’ welfare galas of years past! Over three days - Friday 1 August to Sunday 3 August - immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, and experiences of real coalfield celebration. Enjoy brass bands, sports demos and Rugby skills training, and be amazed and entertained by Professor Jon’s Flea Circus (Friday) and Barnard and Jones’s variety spectacular (Saturday and Sunday) You can also meet Wakefield Trinity for skills training on the Friday. (£7.50 per car)To find out more about the events, visit: www.ncm.org.uk/whats-on/yorkshire-day
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Heritage Funding & Support |
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Wakefield Council Culture Grants
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Stanley Residents Group, Stanley Heritage Trail map. Photo by David Lindsay
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Wakefield Council Culture Grants Small provide support of up to £2,000 to constituted community groups, charities, CICs and other VCSEs based in Wakefield district.
The grants support groups to co-produce creative and heritage projects by Wakefield communities. Whether you want to create a new film inspired by local heritage, or improve health and wellbeing through creative writing or performance. Wakefield needs your ideas and passion to help make a lasting impact and inspire your community.
Remaining application deadlines for Culture Grants Small are Monday 15 September 2025 and Monday 17 November 2025
For more information on how to apply, and to find helpful guidance, visit: www.wakefield.gov.uk/CultureGrants. 
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Fundraising help for the Friends of Waterton’s Wall
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The Friends of Waterton’s Wall are raising funds to continue the great work that volunteers are doing on preserving Charles Waterton's Wall. This includes ongoing lime mortar repairs and regular volunteer working parties.
The group are now registered on Give As You Live, so you can help them whilst you shop online. If you shop at a range of online retailers (including Asda, Sainsbury’s and John Lewis) using the Give As You Live app, your chosen charity will receive a percentage of your spend, at no cost to you. Find out more at: Give as you Live Online
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Volunteers of Friends of Waterton's Wall
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New video guidance from The National Archives on grants and funding
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The National Archives logo
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The National Archives has produced two new video tutorials for anyone who would like assistance applying for their grants over the next two years, including what to consider before you start your application, preparing to apply, and completing your application. This is good advice for any heritage grant applications, not just applications to the National Archives. Visit the National Archives' Grants and Funding webpage to watch the new tutorials.
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Free Mentoring Support for Heritage Groups until September 2025
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The Heritage Toolbox is offering FREE 1-2-1 mentoring support for grassroots heritage groups in West Yorkshire until September 2025. If you're running a heritage project or working from a historic site, this is a chance to strengthen your organisation, develop skills, and get tailored advice from experts at Heritage Network and Locality.There are 20 spaces available for groups in Wakefield and West Yorkshire, for up to 3 hours of personalised support—from fundraising and governance to energy efficiency and bid writing.To register your interest, email charlotte@heritagenetwork.org.uk. Places are limited and will be allocated in July and August 2025.Part of the You Can Make It Here programme, funded by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
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We want to hear your heritage news!
Have you got some exciting heritage news you would like to share? If you have an article you would like us to consider for the next heritage e-news please send a short description (2 paragraphs maximum) and an image by Monday 18 August to heritage@wakefield.gov.uk |
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Using money raised by National Lottery players, The National Lottery Heritage Fund supports projects that connect people and communities with the UK’s heritage. The Wakefield District Heritage Network is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players.
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