Historic England has announced funding for 30 new projects across the country to highlight the UK's working-class heritage. Through its Everyday Heritage grants programme, the organisation is funding 30 projects across the UK which will see stories of holidaymakers at Pontins Holiday Park in Norfolk and the history of a cherished community rural lido in Yorkshire come to life, among much else. Each project will explore untold stories and celebrate the people and places at the heart of the country's history, with a focus on rural and coastal communities. Since launching in 2022, the Everyday Heritage grants programme has supported over 100 projects and for 2025, almost £500,000 was awarded across the projects.
Gentle Waters, Amelia Hawk – Hemsley Open Air Swimming Pool, North Yorkshire. The Gentle Water project will delve into the working-class history of rural lidos, including how swimming has been an accessible working-class leisure and healing activity over the years. Artist Amelia Hawk will co-create a series of exploratory workshops with the local community, that will see free workshops hosted in and around the pool whilst capturing oral histories and historic photographs.
The resulting project will see a permanent artwork made for the pool, alongside contributions to local archives, and a final celebratory event, whilst opening up the pool for free creative swimming for wellbeing. Hexham: Prisons and People, Museums Northumberland – Hexham Old Gaol, Northumberland. The Hexham: Prisons and People project focuses on Hexham Old Gaol (England’s oldest prison), Moot Hall, and the House of Correction, which together form England’s oldest prison system.
Despite their historical significance, these buildings have often been overlooked but this project will aim to highlight their importance through storytelling, exploring themes of justice, heroism, human rights, nationhood, poverty, and disability in Hexham. The Atchin Tan Heritage Project, Pride of Romany – Nantwich, Cheshire. Led by Pride of Romany, the Atchin Tan Heritage Project will preserve and celebrate the rich cultural heritage and history of the British Romany community, who have lived in the area since the 16th century.
The stories shared throughout the project will be presented in an informative booklet, alongside the installation of a commemorative plaque and the creation of a documentary to celebrate the history and legacy of Romany culture. Under Our Umbrella, The Inclusion Network CIC – Liverpool, Merseyside. Under Our Umbrella will bring together children from two of Merseyside’s communities most in need of opportunities - Bootle and Litherland. Together, their shared coastal heritage will be presented through the historic Liverpool Overhead Railway.
Opened in 1893, the Liverpool Overhead Railway is known locally as the Dockers’ Umbrella for providing shelter to port workers during heavy rain. The project will transform the communities’ shared coastal heritage into a Virtual Reality train journey through the past, featuring the history of the railway and the communities it connected. Tower @ Twenty: The Ballad of Jaywick Sands, Essex County Council – Clacton-on-Sea, Essex.
Jaywick Martello Tower was built in 1809 to defend against Napoleonic invasion and for the past 20 years, it has been an important local arts and community centre at the heart of the Jaywick Sands community. The story of Jaywick Tower will be brought to life through intergenerational storytelling, art and spoken word workshops and performances, sharing stories of the past and capturing stories for the future.
The Holiday Makers, Soundyard CIC – Hemsby, Norfolk. In 1920, a nine acre holiday camp opened in the village of Hemsby in Norfolk. Purchased by the Pontins brand in 1971, at its peak the camp had 512 chalets, and could accommodate up to 2,440 guests over 22 acres. The Pontins Holiday Park continued to welcome holidaymakers every year until it’s closure in 2009. An audio documentary will be created entitled “The Holiday Makers” telling the stories of Hemsby’s employees and visitors over the decades. Interviews with past guests and workers will be combined with narration by current residents and local people.
Margate’s Deaf Voices, 104 Projects CIC – Margate, Kent. A group of Deaf people from Margate will explore the history of the Royal School for Deaf Children to produce oral histories and a documentary film with 104 Projects. The project team plan to premiere the film made at the Margate Film Festival in November and deposit the oral histories in Kent Archives. Shrovetide; Past, Present & Place, GRAIN projects – Atherstone, Warwickshire and Ashbourne, Derbyshire.
