A short message from founder Matthew Harper-Duffy, reflecting on Local History Day 2026 and thanking schools and partners for their participation across the UK.

Today, schools across the UK are marking Local History Day, exploring the people, places and stories that shape their local area. From classrooms to heritage sites, pupils are connecting learning to the communities around them.

March saw continued growth for Local History Hub, with new hubs launched in Doncaster and South Wiltshire and the appointment of Hannah Salisbury as Regional Heritage Advisor for the East of England. As the network expands, schools across the country are now preparing for Local History Day on 22ndApril.

Local History Hub has joined the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), connecting us to a national network of over 17,000 organisations and strengthening our work through trusted guidance and sector expertise.

Local History Hub South Wiltshire brings together schools, heritage organisations and community partners to explore and share the area’s rich past, supporting meaningful, place-based learning and a stronger sense of belonging.

Local History Hub Huddersfield is a teacher-led, grassroots hub connecting schools, heritage organisations, and community partners to explore the town’s rich industrial and community heritage. Led by David Green, the hub supports place-based learning, strengthens local identity, and helps children connect with the stories that shape where they live.

We are delighted to welcome Hannah Salisbury as Regional Heritage Advisor for the East of England. A freelance heritage consultant with a background in archives and community engagement, Hannah specialises in uncovering the stories of real people and places to make learning about the past meaningful and relatable.

February saw continued growth for Local History Hub, with the launch of a new hub in Huddersfield, the development of a regional partnership with Classics for All (North East), and reflections from Heritage Day 2026 on strengthening collaboration between schools and the heritage sector. As the network grows, attention is now turning towards Local History Day on 22nd April, with schools beginning to plan how they will take part.

Heritage connects people to place, but making that connection meaningful for young people depends on practical collaboration between schools and heritage organisations. A short reflection on Heritage Day and the growing opportunity to strengthen heritage education together.

Local History Hub is delighted to be exploring a new regional partnership with Classics for All (North East). Together, we share a commitment to strengthening humanities education by connecting local history with classics and ancient world studies. Through our teacher-led hubs across the North East, we aim to support schools and heritage organisations to build richer, place-based curriculum links that deepen understanding and strengthen pupils’ sense of belonging.

January marked a strong start to the year for Local History Hub, with several new hubs launched across England and the beginnings of a developing partnership with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. New hubs in Accrington & Hyndburn, Durham, Coventry, Huddersfield and York reflect our continued focus on teacher-led collaboration and meaningful, place-based history learning rooted in local communities.

Local History Hub Huddersfield is a teacher-led, grassroots hub connecting schools, heritage organisations, and community partners to explore the town’s rich industrial and community heritage. Led by David Green, the hub supports place-based learning, strengthens local identity, and helps children connect with the stories that shape where they live.

Local History Hub York is a teacher-led, grassroots hub bringing together schools, heritage organisations, and community partners to support high-quality, place-based history across the city. Led by Dr Ruth Mather, the hub helps children explore the people, places, and stories that have shaped York, strengthening local pride and a sense of place and belonging.

Local History Hub Coventry is a new, teacher-led hub connecting schools, heritage organisations, and community partners to explore the city’s rich and diverse past. Led by Learning and Participation Officer Helen Kerry, the hub supports curriculum learning, builds cultural capital, and helps children connect with the stories that shape where they live.

Local History Hub Durham is a new, teacher-led hub connecting schools, heritage organisations, and community partners to explore the county’s rich local and global heritage. Led by heritage educator Jess de Beer, the hub supports curriculum learning, strengthens partnerships, and helps young people connect with the stories that shape where they live.

Local History Hub Accrington & Hyndburn is a new, teacher-led hub connecting schools, heritage organisations, and community partners to explore the area’s rich industrial, civic, and community history. Led locally by heritage and education professionals, the hub strengthens curriculum learning and helps children and communities connect with the stories that shape where they live.

Local History Hub is exploring a developing partnership with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) to support schools in engaging with local history, remembrance and place. Together, we are looking at how teacher-led hubs and CWGC’s education resources can help schools use local sites and stories to deliver meaningful, curriculum-linked learning.

December was a quieter month for Local History Hub, offering time for reflection and consolidation after a busy autumn. We closed the year by launching two new Local History Hubs in Warrington and North Tyneside, each bringing together schools, heritage organisations, and community partners to support meaningful, place-based history learning rooted in local stories and curriculum needs.

November was a month of steady regional growth for Local History Hub, marked by the launch of new hubs across the Tees Valley and the appointment of three new advisors. Teachers and heritage partners in Darlington, Middlesbrough, Redcar, Hartlepool and Stockton began shaping five new hubs with support from Tees Valley Museums. We also welcomed Jenny Wilkie as Regional Heritage Advisor for the North East, Glenn Carter as National Education Advisor, and Alys Rouncefield and Anna Hartley as Regional Heritage Advisors for the North West and East Midlands. Together, these developments continue to strengthen our UK-wide network and support the growing movement for meaningful, place-based history in schools.

We’re thrilled to launch a new Local History Hub for North Tyneside, supported by North East Museums. Bringing together schools, heritage partners, and community organisations, the hub will help children connect with the coastal, industrial, and community stories that have shaped the borough. Led by experienced History Coordinator Lucy, this new hub strengthens our teacher-led, grassroots network across the UK.