Hebden Bridge’s Birchcliffe Centre secures over £200,000 investment

The project is a three-year collaboration between the University and Pennine Heritage, which is based at the iconic Birchcliffe Centre in Hebden Bridge and will enable their transition from a small scale, part-time and volunteer-led organisation to a professionally-led and fully staffed ‘Heritage Enterprise’.

The plan is for the Enterprise to become one that is financially robust, actively engaging with commercial, public sector and voluntary partners to promote, celebrate and record the heritage of the South Pennines.

Stephen Boyle, Pennine Heritage Trustee, said: “We hope that by embarking upon this KTP we will be able to establish a longer-term partnership with local and regional educational and cultural agencies to underpin our aims of recording, researching and ultimately celebrating the cultural and natural heritage of the South Pennines.”

The soon to be appointed KTP Associate will be required to establish the long-term partnership, between Pennine Heritage and the University, which will enable ongoing collaboration in public history, historic building conservation, business support, the performing arts, and other fields; thereby allowing them to reach new and more diverse audiences, nationally and internationally.

Dr Rob Ellis, from the University’s Department of History, English, Linguistics and Music will be the KTP’s Academic Lead and says the partnership isn’t just about enabling Pennine Heritage to access the University’s expertise, but that it also allows the University to have access to the wide array of knowledge Pennine Heritage possesses.

“This will very much be a symbiotic relationship and will provide a multitude of research and learning opportunities for University staff and students,” he said.