Local History Cafés are community based heritage and wellbeing get-togethers, aimed at tackling social isolation and loneliness through stimulating events, shared interests & stories.
We produce monthly newsletters. These can be viewed and downloaded here.
We meet monthly sometimes with a speaker, sometimes to pursue shared projects. Some members also volunteer with the Foundation, undertaking research, helping with collection management, supporting open days - as well as each other.
In April 2021 we received a Highly Commended award under the Volunteer Team of the Year category at the Leicestershire and Rutland Heritage Forum Awards ceremony.
Appleby Magna Heritage Walks Map In 2019 the group created a leaflet detailing an walk around Appleby Magna with a focus on social history.
The leaflet can be downloaded here. Printed copies are available, for a donation, from sally.lowe@sirjohnmoore.org.uk
Temporary Heritage Boards In 2020 we were unable to host our usual September Museum Open Days due to Covid-19 restrictions. Instead we participated in a NWLDC initiative and created heritage boards in 8 locations in Appleby to create outdoor heritage opportunities for those increasingly taking their exercise locally. In September 2021, when we did have a museum open day, we again put the boards up for a couple of weeks and added a guided walk. The boards can be downloaded here.
LHC Newsletters and Facebook Page One of the ways we developed for keeping touch, when lockdowns prevented us from meeting in person, was been via monthly newsletters. These have proved very popular and have continued, even though we are now meeting again. If you would like to be put on the mailing list for these newsletters, or you have a memory to share please contact SJMFHeritage@post.com or via
Evolving Education Project The group worked on a history of education project. Our building opened as a school in 1697, our museum represents schooling in 1891, and it now houses a primary school. So we looked at how features of education such as who went to school, what they were taught, as well as what they had for dinner, varied between these three periods. The LHC group worked on the two earlier periods and primary school children contributed to the current period. An initial set of display boards was shown at our 2021 Open Day.
Background to the LHC Activities
During 2018 and 2019, the Foundation ran a successful programme of Local History Cafés. LHCs were created by Crafting Relationships, and our café was supported by MDEM, Tesco Bags of Help and our team of volunteers.
Crafting Relationship and its network of Local History Cafés, including SJMF, receiving a Highly Commended Award for Partnership Working.
East Midlands Regional Heritage Awards 2019.
At the end of LHC funding SJMF created a Local History Café Extended group.
In its first year the group received an award from the Sandford Cascade Project for Informal Learning (SAIL).
** Covid-19 Update**
Local History Café Extended meetings were disrupted by Covid-19 restrictions and concerns. We are currently meeting in person but continue to monitor case numbers and to respond to members' concerns.
News Summary List
Thank you for voting for our project.
Tesco's funding in place now to support our Local History Café.
[More]We have been shortlisted for a public vote by Tesco's Bags of Help. Please vote during MArch and April to help us get the necessary funding to secure the Local History Cafe for our community.
[More]We are looking for two Volunteer Project Co-ordinators, starting in February 2018, to support Local History Cafes at Charnwood Museum in Loughborough and the Sir John Moore Foundation in Appleby Magna.
[More]