Full Steam Ahead! January 2017 Newsletter

Happy New Year!

We are pleased to update you on the latest news in the Know Your Place project and how we’re going full steam ahead with our plans in the coming months.

 

Full Steam Ahead!

We are delighted to introduce you to our newest team member, Alice, who has joined us for the exciting final quarter of the project.

Alice will be involved in our efforts to promote Know Your Place to a variety of audiences, via learning resources for schools; a programme of public events; and support for local community projects.

This coincides with the final software development work by our partners in Bristol to expand Know Your Place to Somerset and North Somerset, and the final preparation of historic maps by our dedicated volunteers across the West, before these are added onto Know Your Place for all areas.

So as this record on Know Your Place illustrates, it is now “Full Steam Ahead” for our busy team!

We hope you enjoy watching developments over the coming few months.

 

New Year, New resolutions? Help Know Your Place Grow!

Have you thought about putting your heritage on the map? Adding records is easy and anyone can do it. We have written some useful information and links to help you get started.

From family history research to snaps of your local streets, we want to encourage interested individuals, groups and organisations to share your information onto Know Your Place and help it grow into a rich heritage resource for all.

So why not make adding to Know Your Place your New Year’s resolution?

We will be running free training workshops this Spring 2017 to encourage everyone to have a go, so watch this space for further information coming soon!

 

Exhibition Tour Continues

Our Exhibition has now arrived at our next wonderful venues in Bradley Stoke Library, Weston-Super-Mare Town Hall, The Museum in the Park in Stroud and at Dean Heritage Centre, Soudley. It will be on display there until late February, before moving to our third touring locations in Salisbury, Radstock, Wells and Chippenham for Easter.

 

Events in your area

We are planning a programme of public events across the West of England to be announced shortly. We’re pleased to tell you about the first of these here:

Help put Bradley Stoke on the Map!

Saturday 25^th February, 10:00am – 1:00pm, at Bradley Stoke Library. Free event.

Have you ever wondered what makes a place the way it is now? Or wished you could travel back in time and discover how your area has changed over the years?

Discover Know Your Place, the free online research tool that is putting South Gloucestershire on the map. Explore your neighbourhood’s heritage online through old maps, historic images and heritage data.

Bring your memories and photos of Bradley Stoke to share on Know Your Place.

Visit the KYPexplore exhibition and discover the history of the West of England places we live, work and visit every day.

Our friendly project team will be on hand to answer your questions, explore your area through time and, ultimately, aim to help you get to Know Your Place better…

 

Interested in maps? Become a Georeferencing Volunteer!

Would you like to help us prepare historic maps to go onto Know Your Place?

We are recruiting volunteers to learn georeferencing – the art of adding geographical co-ordinates to the map images. This role involves computer work from home using our special software. You can read a full role description here.

We are running two training workshops on:

Friday 3^rd February at the Somerset Heritage Centre in Taunton, Somerset; and

Monday 6^th February at South Gloucestershire Council offices in Yate, South Gloucestershire.

Training is open to all current and new volunteers and will last for approximately 3 hours. Spaces are limited, so to find out more and book your free place please contact kypwestofengland@southglos.gov.uk.