February Round-Up: Partnerships, Reflection and Continued Growth
February has been a productive month for Local History Hub, with continued expansion, new partnerships taking shape, and valuable opportunities to reflect on how schools and heritage organisations can work together more effectively.
A New Local History Hub for Huddersfield
This month saw the launch of Local History Hub Huddersfield. The hub brings together schools, heritage organisations, and community partners to explore the town’s industrial and community heritage, supporting pupils to understand how the past continues to shape the place they live.
The hub is led by David Green, whose background in education and research in industrial and transport heritage brings both subject expertise and a strong commitment to community engagement. As the hub develops, the focus will be on building relationships, supporting teachers, and creating practical opportunities for place-based learning.
Exploring a Regional Partnership with Classics for All (North East)
We were also pleased to begin exploring a new regional partnership with Classics for All (North East). This work reflects a shared interest in strengthening humanities education by connecting local history with classical and ancient world studies.
Through our teacher-led hubs across the North East, there is clear potential to support schools in making meaningful links between local stories and wider historical contexts. This approach can help deepen pupils’ understanding while also strengthening their sense of place and belonging.
As discussions continue, we will be looking at practical ways this collaboration can support both teachers and heritage organisations.
Heritage Connects: Reflections from Heritage Day 2026
In February, Matthew Harper-Duffy, Founder of Local History Hub, spoke at Heritage Day 2026 in Westminster, hosted by The Heritage Alliance.
The theme of the event, Heritage Connects, prompted reflection on the relationship between schools and the heritage sector, particularly in supporting young people. A consistent theme throughout the discussions was the importance of belonging, especially for disadvantaged pupils. When children understand the stories of their local area, history becomes more immediate and meaningful.
The event also highlighted a familiar challenge. While there is strong enthusiasm within the heritage sector to work with schools, the practical realities of school life can make engagement difficult. Time, workload, and curriculum pressures all shape what is possible in classrooms.
Local History Hub’s work sits directly within this space. Through its pilot hubs, it continues to demonstrate how bringing teachers and heritage professionals together in a structured but manageable way can lead to practical outcomes. When both sides understand each other’s priorities, collaboration becomes more effective and more sustainable.
Looking Ahead
As we move towards Local History Day 2026 on Wednesday 22nd April, the focus across the network is increasingly on supporting schools to take part in ways that are manageable and meaningful. From simple classroom activities to whole-school celebrations, every contribution plays a role in raising the profile of local history.
Alongside this, work continues to support Hub Leads, strengthen partnerships, and ensure that each local network develops at a steady and sustainable pace.
Thank you to everyone contributing to this work across the country.
