North West

Catalyst Science Discovery Centre and Museum

Catalyst’s team of dedicated volunteers have digitised a collection of over 80,000 records. Their work aimed to mark the upcoming centenary of Imperial Chemical Industry (ICI), the once great global giant of manufacturing and invention – some of the volunteers were ex ICI workers themselves.

A selection of objects on a terracotta colour table, including a small print that reads 'Widnes & Runcorn Transporter Bridge Souvenir of the Opening Ceremony, May 29th 1905', in a mix of red and black lettering. There is also a small china cup and saucer with an illustration of a bridge on it, two black and white photos of a bridge, and three small ticket stubs.

Image credit: Catalyst Science Discovery Centre and Museum

Chester Zoo

Founded in 1931, Chester Zoo has produced thousands of records over the past 93 years, none of which have previously been archived. Now, a specialised team, led by Chester Zoo’s Information Governance Manager and supported by seven volunteers contributing one day a week, is cataloguing the collection. The goal is to make these records publicly accessible by the Chester Zoo’s centenary celebrations in 2031, marking a significant archival effort.

Two people sitting at a table. They are both looking at a paper folder that the person on the left is holding, while the person on the right is holding a pencil in their right hand.

Image credit: Chester Zoo

Knowsley Archives Service at the Archive Resource for Knowsley (ARK)

Knowsley Archives Service helped community arts organisation Heart of Glass to produce Strong Women of Knowsley, a heritage project led by artist Carrie Reichardt and supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England. ARK provided digital images, documents, and research support for participants, leading to a public artwork celebrating local women, oral histories, and a display by children from St. Marie’s Catholic Primary School, Kirkby.

Mosaic mural on a white brick wall - 'Strong women' in pink letters with green detailing, and a flowing green and pink scroll below it that reads 'May we know them, may we raise them, may we be them'.

Image credit: Knowsley Archives Service at the Archive Resource for Knowsley

Lancashire Archives and Local History (LALH)

LALH worked with The National Football Museum to develop an exhibition and engagement project called Pride of Pitch. Chronicling Preston’s footballing icons from the ‘Invincibles’ team of the 1880s to the mid-twentieth century, the exhibition included collections and digital content capturing footballing pride in Preston. The project also engaged local communities through drop-in craft sessions for families and a community network where visitors could share their experiences of watching or playing football in Preston.

An elderly woman posing for a photo, wearing a retro black and white striped football shirt, with a vintage-style football under her right arm.

Image credit: Lancashire Archives and Local History

Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU)

MMU created a 12-hour karaoke event of Everything I Do by Bryan Adams and streamed it across MMU’s School of Digital Arts in Autumn 2024. This was based on newspapers, magazines, media footage and testimony from a specific period of 1991 when the hit song was No1 for a record 16 weeks. The accompanying exhibition featured films from NWFA and images from Bolton Archives. Artists were Maria Ruban and John Lloyd.

Four people stood in a studio environment, with strong pink lighting and green floor-to-ceiling curtains surrounding the space. Three have microphones and are singing along to words being projected onto a screen, while the other is dancing under a spotlight.

Image credit: MMU School of Digital Arts

Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM)

With support from National Lottery Heritage Fund, RNCM worked with various partners to digitise hundreds of student performance recordings. Previously held on magnetic tape, these performances had been difficult to access due to a lack of resources, time and equipment. By 2025, RNCM hope to digitise and share over 1000 hours of Manchester’s music-making from 1973 to the mid-1990s.

Black and white photo of a very large orchestra, in formal attire. A few audience members are in the foreground.

Image credit: Royal Northern College of Music, catalogue reference RNCM.P.10

The Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Education Trust (AIUET)

In March 2024, AIUET concluded its 6-year collecting project, Coming in from the Cold, which documented the histories of Global Majority communities in the North West of England. This led to the creation of new archive collections, increasing Global Majority representation in Greater Manchester archives. AIUET marked the conclusion with an event celebrating the heritage and collections of those involved.

Two ladies standing looking at a standing portrait banner, the title of which is 'Our Heritage'. There is a selection of images and text on the banner.

Image credit: Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Education Trust

The Sankey Photography Archive

In summer 2024, Signal Film and Media launched a series of workshops and masterclasses, in partnership with Barrow Archive Centre, designed to engage young people and people from marginalised communities. These sessions were inspired by the Sankey Photography Archive collection. They upskilled participants in areas like digital media, photography, capturing oral history through podcasting and heritage conservation.

Three people wearing high-vis jackets stood on a flat, wide beach. Two are stood together on the right, looking at the camera. Between them they are holding elements of audio recording equipment such as cables, headphones and a microphone.

Image credit: Signal Film and Media

University of Liverpool Libraries, Museums, Galleries

In 2024, University of Liverpool developed a Digital Heritage Lab to showcase its collections, many of which are now digitally accessible for the first time. The project was achieved in close collaboration with AM digital, the creators of the Quartex platform, marking a transformational digital shift for the university.

Birds-eye view of a person unfurling a plan drawing of a building, on a large black cloth. The person has brown hair, and is wearing a grey long-sleeve tee with an orange t-shirt over the top.

Image credit: University of Liverpool

Writing on the Wall

Writing on the Wall (WoW) have developed a Walking Tour Training Programme. Participants have been trained through practice tours, research and the shadowing of WoW staff. The existing WoW walking tours have been devised over the past ten years through WoW’s community archive projects. Participants will be upskilled as custodians of local hidden histories and given paid opportunities as walking tour guides.

A large red brick church, with a central spire rising from it. Twelve people are walking past on the pavement in the foreground, in a loose group.

Image credit: WoW and David Hynes