I’d like to tell you about a project that I have really enjoyed working on over the last few years.

The Conservation in Action Van is a Luton van that is has been converted to a workshop on wheels. Dreamt up by English Heritage, it visits sites where significant conservation works are underway, The van has a wide range of activities on board to show visitors the variety of skills required to look after historic buildings. My favourite activity was the mini bricks to encourage visitors have a go at brick laying. We also had a collection of dead insect pests such as silverfish which I used as a prop to tell them about these pests eating the wallpaper in the hall. Visitors told me lots of tales about their own battles with carpet beetles and moths in return.

I had the pleasure of facilitating the van at Belsay while the Hall was re-roofed, the castle consolidated and a carriage house was converted in to a café. I first worked with the van in October 2021 and again in 2022. This spring was my last visit to Belsay with the van as the works are now completed. I can’t wait to visit with my family to see the Hall looking its best, to try out the new play park and to enjoy a cake in the café.

Last year I was very lucky to get a part-time job with North Pennines AONB on their Tees Swale: naturally connected program. In my role as Interpretation Officer and I have really enjoyed getting to know Teesdale and Swaledale better. I have been learning how farmers are working to improve the carbon storage on their land, improve water quality and enhance habitats for rare birds and wildflowers while tending their sheep and cattle. Over the next few years, it will be my job to tell the farmer’s stories to visitors and holidaymakers to the area.

I still have time to develop other projects. My new project is all about heritage, communication, and green materials and I hope to launch it in the next couple of weeks.

2020 what a year! Let’s hope that 2021 is a little bit easier. I have finished my Masters in Heritage Studies. It’s been quite a challenge and the coronavirus restrictions made it more difficult. On the brightside, I’ve met so many lovely people, university staff and fellow students. It has been a great experience. My dissertation ‘Doing heritage in Northumberland: the effect of long term relationships with heritage sites on wellbeing, identity and ontological security’ is about the benefits people gain from visiting a heritage site regularly over a period of years, how they enjoy taking their friends, imagine the lives of the people who lived at these sites long ago and how their visits have become ritualised, perhaps more like a pilgrimage than a day out. If you would like to know more about my research, please contact me I would be happy to discuss it. I will be giving a talk at the Heritage Experience Initiative Student Conference hosted by the University of Oslo on the 24 October. The Conference is a collaboration between the University of Oslo, the University of Gothenburg and Newcastle University.

Another year has flown by, it is hard to choose the best bits but here are a few. This year I took two workshops to the Abu Dhabi Science Festival. More than 3,000 children made cyanotypes in our workshop. It was great fun and once again we worked with so many great student volunteers. Closer to home, I was privileged to be asked to blow giant bubbles at the Transplant Games after-party. With help from athletes and their families from all over the world, we filled Times Square with bubbles. It is exciting to be part of such huge multinational events. On the other hand, small intimate events can be amazing too. I really enjoyed running an autism-friendly telescope making workshop at the Andrew Carnegie Birth Place Museum for half a dozen children and their families. I designed a working telescope using cardboard tubes and quality glass lenses to celebrate 50 years of the moon landing.

This year I have also listened to a lot of people telling me in a very informal way about their connection to a place. I’m now wondering how I can build on that to make it into a heritage project for 2020. I’m looking forward to the new year and wondering what adventures it will bring.

If you are looking for STEAM workshops or a way to bring your museum collection to life, send me a message via the contacts page.

Thank you to Kia Loff for the photo.