Newcastle Community Heritage Project

About Us

About Us

The Newcastle Community Heritage Project promoted and celebrated an oral history of the city, encouraged the documentation of history within living memory, and the active participation of Newcastle residents whose local knowledge and personal histories helped them to be experts in the interpretation and recording of their heritage.

This approach unearthed rare photographs and special memories that combined to create new historical records, publications, learning resources, exhibitions, guided walks and special events, that in turn encoraged more and more people to get involved.

We provided a programme of activities for schools, community groups and families, to encorage them to explore the Ouseburn Valley, Victoria Tunnel and Quayside areas, whilst working with residents and community groups in locations as diverse as Lemington, Westerhope, Benwell, Fenham, Gosforth, Cowgate and Shieldfield.

The Newcastle Community Heritage Project was a continuation of `Ouseburn Heritage', a community heritage project delivered as part of the regeneration of the Lower Ouseburn between 1997-2002.  From June 2005 the Project spread north and west, supporting regeneration initiatives in other parts of the city.

The Newcastle Community Heritage Project was a popular strand of Newcastle City Council's on-going programme of area based regeneration.  We encouraged and supported local residents to celebrate local distinctiveness, to support regeneration, and to take ownership of their local heritage and historic environment. 

Funding for the Project came largely from the Heritage Lottery Fund, whose support was fundamental to the success and longevity of the Project.  Other agencies such as Age Concern Newcastle and the Newcastle Elders Council were also valued partners, together with the sixty community groups who actively participated between 2005 and 2010.

The staff team who delivered the Newcastle Community Heritage Project were Mike Greatbatch, Alison Stancliffe, Hannah Stembridge, and Marian Jones.

Staff in these organisations may be able to help with enquries about the project's history and legacy.

 

 

Supported by The National Lottery and Newcastle City Council