At Triskele Heritage we are continually re-assessing adaptations to our work given the uncertain world of the covid-19 pandemic. There is clearly still a large sector of society who wish to engage with their heritage. We want to be able to help them to do this whilst taking into consideration the necessary restrictions on access and gatherings.
The value of heritage to well-being is long-established and we see an important part of our offer to society to be able to help support communities through such odd times.
Talks
As a matter of course we are now offering our extensive portfolio of lectures to groups via online platforms. Given that it is hard to foresee when gatherings will be safe for groups indoors, we feel that it is vital to try and maintain the social and educational aspects of heritage societies. The lynch-pin of groups is their programme of talks, which have always been an invaluable outreach for people who may be feeling isolated – even in ‘normal’ times. During these uncertain days, trying to find a way to maintain these events is essential.
We now offer the facility to handle all administration in setting up online events as part of the local history calendar. Groups are welcome to get in contact with a proposed subject, date and time and we will handle the detail. All that your members have to do is click a link, sit back and enjoy the presentation.
We have begun working with many new groups including The Folklore Podcast, Prospect and Westminster City Libraries as they explore new ways to interact with their audiences. Equally, our existing clients, such as the Richard III Society and Bromley House Library, have been able to maintain their programme and connect with members through the transfer of existing bookings to online platforms.
One major advantage of virtual talks is that we have been able to speak for organisations such as Leintwardine History Society. Tucked away deep in the Herefordshire countryside, we would previously have encountered many logistical barriers in booking a speaker from Nottingham. Using online resources solves those tricky travel and accommodation problems at the click of a mouse.
The feedback from attendees at such sessions has been generally (and embarrassingly) positive:
“Absolutely brilliant! Incredibly knowledgeable, fantastic presentation! More please!”
“It was fascinating, just phenomenal! I’ve been doing loads of courses/ webinars, but certainly this was the best!”
Videos
Not all of our clients favour a live presentation, so we have adapted to be able to provide recordings of our talks which can then be sent on as a link to society members to watch at their own leisure. Two of these have so far been uploaded to Youtube and are freely available for anyone to watch
- A commission from the Local History Cafe led to the upload of, what has always been, one of our most popular lectures on the subject of Historic Graffiti…
2. Our long-term collaborators Inspire asked for a contribution towards their online Heritage Open Days 2020 project. Normally this event would involve opening up historic buildings and spaces not normally accessible to the general public. This year we attempted to do that as a virtual tour of a lost mediaeval house in Kelham, Nottinghamshire…
Outreach Projects
Beginning in September 2020, Triskele Heritage are teaming up with Involve Heritage, British Archaeological Jobs & Resources and Collingham & District Local History Society as part of a Heritage Fund project entitled Heritage at Risk.
Our remit is to provide an assessment on how community heritage projects can be made sustainable into the uncertain future. By taking our previously successful input into the Kelham Revealed project as a control, we want to find out what does and (crucially) doesn’t work whilst trying a similar piece of work at Collingham during the restrictions of a global pandemic.
Working alongside the local volunteer group we will to try and better understand the extent, nature and phasing of the built environment in the village. New methods will be trialed including socially-distanced meetings, outdoor sessions, video training events and online Q & A among several other techniques.
The project reporting will be two-fold: a standard buildings archaeology document outlining the results and conclusions of the research and an assessment of how heritage outreach projects can be made sustainable for the future in these uncertain times.
If you wish to work with Triskele Heritage on an outreach project in the future then please do get in contact with us.
