June & July Round-Up: New Hubs and Investment in the Next Stage of Growth
June and July were an important period of growth for Local History Hub, with six new hubs launched across the network, alongside significant new funding to support the next stage of our development.
From Hampshire and Lincolnshire to Sheffield, Stroud, Hounslow and the Wirral, the expanding network brought more teachers, heritage organisations and communities together around a shared aim: making local history a meaningful part of the curriculum and helping children develop a stronger understanding of place, identity and belonging.
Six New Local History Hubs
Across June and July, we were pleased to announce six new areas joining the Local History Hub network from September.
Mid Hampshire will bring together schools, museums, heritage organisations and local communities to strengthen local history education across the area. The hub will support curriculum links and help pupils explore the histories of the places and communities around them.
Grantham & South West Lincolnshire will build on our growing presence across Lincolnshire, creating new connections between schools and heritage partners and supporting children to develop a deeper understanding of the area's local stories and landscapes.
Sheffield will join our growing network across Yorkshire. With its rich industrial, social and community history, the city offers enormous potential for schools to connect curriculum learning with the people, places and events that have shaped Sheffield.
Wirral will connect schools, heritage organisations and community partners across the peninsula, supporting place-based learning and helping children explore the distinctive histories of their local communities.
Stroud will extend the network into another part of the South West. The hub will support schools in exploring the people, places, landscapes and stories that have shaped Stroud and the surrounding district.
Finally, Hounslow will mark an important step in developing our presence in London. Bringing schools and heritage partners together across the borough, the hub will support local history education while helping pupils explore the diverse stories that have shaped their communities.
Each hub will begin developing its programme from September, bringing teachers and heritage professionals together to build relationships, share expertise and create practical curriculum opportunities rooted in the places where children live.
Let Teachers SHINE Funding for Local History Hub
One of the most significant developments of the summer was the news that Local History Hub founder Matthew Harper-Duffy had been awarded £25,000 of Let Teachers SHINE funding over two years.
The funding will provide important support for the next stage of Local History Hub's development, allowing the organisation to build on the teacher-led model established through its pilot programme and strengthen the infrastructure behind the growing network.
The award creates greater capacity to support Hub Leads, schools and heritage partners, while developing resources, partnerships and opportunities for teachers over the coming two years.
It was also an important recognition of an idea that has shaped Local History Hub from the beginning: teachers themselves can play a central role in building stronger connections between schools, heritage organisations and the communities they serve.
Building Towards September
The growth of the network during June and July has given us plenty to reflect on as we use the summer to prepare for the new academic year.
As the number of hubs grew, our focus increasingly shifted towards supporting the people and partnerships behind them. This summer, we are working with new Hub Leads, strengthening relationships with heritage partners, and preparing the next wave of hubs to begin their work from September.
Engagement has been particularly strong across the North of England, especially the North East, where schools and heritage organisations have responded enthusiastically to opportunities to collaborate. Building similar levels of engagement across the Midlands and South of England has taken longer and remains an important priority.
As we move through August, the emphasis is firmly on consolidation rather than growth for its own sake. With a new wave of hubs preparing to get underway from September, our priority is to give local partnerships the support, time and space they need to become established and turn new connections into meaningful opportunities for schools.
Thank you to all the teachers, Hub Leads, heritage professionals and community partners who contributed their time, ideas and enthusiasm throughout June and July. We are looking forward to seeing what the new academic year brings.
