The EU Horizon2020 research and Innovation Programme has recently completed thir Social Innovation in Marginalised Rural Areas programme http://www.simra-h2020.eu/ It's a mine of robust research that backs up my own approach to supporting communities to be more resilient. Interestingly the programme is diseminating their findings and skills through a free MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) … Continue reading Social Innovation in Rural Areas
Quote today from a local land agent: "What I have been impressed by with this project is how the local community have taken full ownership of it and not relied upon outside consultants to produce the answers." ...that means I'm doing the project management right, yes? One of the volunteers seems to think so: You … Continue reading Not producing the answers
So, after getting a little exasperated with myself for failing to post here, I've lighted upon #Museum30. It is a bit like #Inktober where a word or phrase is given for each day of the month as inspiration. So I figured I'd probably be able to cover most of what I should have posted, and … Continue reading #Museum30 a whole month about museums
One of my first projects as a freelancer was to research the audiences and key themes for what was then the Nenthead Chapel Restoration Project. Today I met with Kim who has spent the last nine years working on the project, and after a damp dog walk up nearby Dowgang Hush, she showed off her … Continue reading Nenthead Chapel is go!
Epiacum and Blanchland both sit right on on the southern border of Northumberland, one with Cumbria and the other with County Durham. Both are multilayered scheduled monuments, with impressive remains still visible at the surface, intriguing their visitors.The ramparts of Epiacum Roman Fort still hold the footings of the military buildings, now over lain by … Continue reading A pair of palimpsests
I've been invited along by Curlew Class to the launch of their book this Friday. Last year I developed education resources for the North Pennines AONB Allen Valleys Landscape Partnership Scheme, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. But instead of spending my time creating something Curlew Class were already working on, I supported the … Continue reading Silver and Curlews from the Allen Dales
It's not often you get a nice surprise in the post, but today I did, with the end of project report for the Living Wild at Kielder wildlife project. It says "over 110,000 people have developed a greater awareness of Kielder's wildlife through digital and physical interpretation or face-to-face engagement" The last few years have … Continue reading Living Legacy of Wild at Kielder
Every now and then a project of mine makes an appearance in the Guardian newspaper's Country Diary. This is coincidence as their writer Susie White @CottageGardener lives just across the valley from me. However, it is great to see the heritage I work for through other people's eyes; the comments are always worth a scroll … Continue reading Trending in the Guardian
CPD is important for self employed folks - and we can be really creative about the opportunities we choose. I have just come back from an amazing prehistoric themed trip to Norfolk. First we had a real treat - a day in and above the neolithic flint mines at Grimes Graves with Will Lord who has … Continue reading Prehistoric CPD
A week in Cyprus with the hosts, students and tutors of three Grampus Heritage projects, was a heartening way to spend the second anniversary of the Brexit vote. Most of the students were British, and those few that weren't seemed to have studied at UK universities. The other tutors were Greek, Cypriot, Maltese, Polish, and … Continue reading Pan-European identity for the Union Jack?
