A New Local History Hub for Durham
We’re delighted to announce the launch of a brand-new Local History Hub for Durham, marking another important step in the growth of our UK-wide network. Local History Hub is a teacher-led, grassroots movement that connects classrooms with the people, places, and histories that make local heritage meaningful. Each hub is built collaboratively by schools, heritage partners, and community organisations, with the shared aim of enriching the curriculum, strengthening community identity, and fostering a sense of place and belonging.
Exploring Durham’s Local and Global Heritage
The Durham Hub will bring together schools, museums, heritage sites, and community groups to explore the county’s rich and layered past. From local stories and landscapes to wider national and global connections, the hub will support children and young people to understand how history shapes the places they live today.
The hub is led by Jess de Beer, an emerging heritage professional with a strong focus on education, access, and partnership working. Jess holds a First-Class BA (Hons) in Media, Communication and Cultural Studies and an MA in Global Heritage Management from Newcastle University, where she specialised in the legal protection of Indigenous and intangible heritage.
Jess brings hands-on experience from volunteering across the heritage sector in education, visitor experience, and site-based roles. She is currently in her first year as an Education and Learning Officer at The Auckland Project, working closely with schools to deliver curriculum-linked sessions that use history, often local history, to enrich classroom learning.
Passionate about making heritage accessible, relevant, and meaningful for young people, Jess is particularly committed to building strong, reciprocal partnerships between schools and heritage organisations across County Durham.
Get Involved
We’re now inviting teachers, schools, heritage organisations, and community partners across Durham to get involved as the hub develops.
If you’d like to help shape the hub, contribute to future projects, or simply stay informed as plans progress, please complete our short Expression of Interest form.
Alternatively, you can contact us directly at enquiries@localhistoryhub.org.uk.
Together, we’re helping children and communities across Durham connect with the stories that shape where they live.
