Gosberton and District Local History Society call for help from a younger generation, after hosting a successful Heritage Day

Passionate society members are calling for help from the younger generation to keep the district’s history alive following a successful community event.

Gosberton and District Local History Society hosted a Heritage Day recently which attracted an array of visitors who were interested in learning more about the area.

The ‘pop up museum’ featured stalls, displays, a walking tour around the village, film show and old photos of Gosberton – and took members nine months to organise.

Stuart Henderson, who is the secretary of the society, said: “The event went very well and we received lots of positive feedback. It’s a good social event for the older generation as they will often meet up with people they might not have seen for a long time. It was nice to see a blend of new people and lifelong residents who were keen to see the village in times gone by.

“We had a selection of old photos on display, which were set against what the area looks like now and a table of memorabilia which was brought in by members of the society. We were also keen to get the younger generation interested, so Gosberton Clough School worked on a display board which brought together bits of history – they had put in a lot of effort and it was lovely to see they were involved with it.

“The event took us nine months to organise as there are different elements which require a longer time scale. It’s a lot of work but it’s all about keeping a community spirit in the village.”

The society is currently in the process of building an archive and feels dedicated towards preserving and sharing the history of people, places and events of Gosberton and the surrounding areas.

Stuart noticed the event attracted a slightly younger audience and hopes to see a continued support from various generations. He added: “There was a good proportion of younger people attending the event this year, with the walking tours being most popular.

“Going forward we are always looking for ways to appeal to a younger generation, to help keep the history in our district alive. We rely on the community to bring us photos and stories and we are conscious that a lot of people, particularly the older generation, will have these and unless we do something, they will be lost.

“Our mission is to encourage the community to provide us with photos and memorabilia to help us with these kinds of events. It’s very much about getting the community involved.”

If you are interested in joining the society or for more information, visit the Gosberton and District History Society website and Facebook page.