Community and outreach
The History Group at the University of Hertfordshire has a long record of collaborations with local communities and societies in the region.
Current events and projects
We offer a programme of interesting events, training in skills such as family and oral history, and opportunities to network and find out what history groups are doing around Hertfordshire.
Stevenage community history
We are building links with community groups and local history societies in Stevenage.
These activities are partly funded by the AHRC Connected Communities project, 'Partners in History: Collaborations in Regional Heritage'.
Recent events include:
- Stevenage heritage day at Stevenage museum – stalls, crafts, local history, and more.
- Stevenage Irish network oral history – providing oral history training workshops followed by 'memories days' throughout the summer. Are you Irish or of Irish descent and live in Stevenage? Email us to get involved.
- Stevenage Football Club instant oral histories – a 'parachute' team of staff and students dropped in to a Stevenage football game and recorded some instant oral histories.
We co-ordinate all these activities for a broader project about the history of Stevenage and 20th century new towns in the region.
Remembering the First World War
The Heritage Hub holds a series of events bringing together local historians, societies, museums and archives, and anyone interested in commemorating the First World War in Hertfordshire.
We offer you a programme of free workshops on a variety of topics including:
- approaches to fundraising.
- problem solving.
- taking your research findings into schools.
- publishing.
- exchanging ideas.
Our events have included representatives from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Imperial War Museum and other organisations that can offer some really useful and practical advice.
Find out more about Remembering the First World War.
Short Course: how to apply for Heritage Lottery Funding
Interested in applying to the Heritage Lottery Fund but not sure where to start?
Dr Christine Garwood has been involved in creating a workshop to help apply for funding titled 'Heritage Lottery Funding: A Beginner's Guide'.
The workshop will give an insight into HLF priorities and processes, including tips on how to develop fundable projects and complete a successful application form.
Find out more about upcoming History research courses.
Do you run a historic pub in Hertfordshire?
Why not hold a mock trial in your pub?
Numerous pubs still exist in the Hertfordshire region that were the venue for petty sessions and coroners’ inquests, and we want to recreate the trials in their historic setting using theatre in a fun, participatory and dynamic way.
The University of Hertfordshire, in partnership with the Twisted Events Presents production company, invites you to host the re-enactment of some of these trials.
Not only will Twisted Events Presents recreate some of the more infamous trials but they will also present modern day versions suggested by your pub’s customers – the ultimate in audience participation!
Find out more about how to get involved in the pub trials.
How can we help you?
We offer training and short courses in the following areas:
- Applying for heritage lottery funding
- Oral history - record your community’s history
- Local and regional history
- Family history and using the census
Do you need volunteers to help with your local history projects and events? We can provide staff and student volunteers and some paid services such as consultation.
How can you help us?
If you have any other areas in which you’d like training or a short course, we’d be happy to know.
Do you:
- run a local history society?
- run a local private archive?
- have archive material (letters, diaries, financial records, administrative records) relating to the history of Hertfordshire?
- have interesting stories about life in Hertfordshire and its history that you’d like to share with us?