Month: July 2025

Celebrating the Launch of the North East Funerary Heritage Group

On Wednesday, 23 July 2025, the North East Funerary Heritage Group (NEFHG) held its inaugural launch event in the beautiful Nave of Newcastle Cathedral. With roughly 27 participants in attendance, the afternoon brought together researchers, heritage professionals, community group members, and volunteers from across the region to explore what funerary heritage means in the North East and how we can work together to support it.

The event opened with a welcome by Very Reverend Lee Batson, Dean of Newcastle, and an introduction by Dr Myra Giesen, Chair of the NEFHG Steering Committee. Myra offered a working definition of funerary heritage and introduced the group’s aims: to foster collaboration, raise awareness, and support the preservation and understanding of burial spaces and commemorative practices in the region.

A panel discussion followed, featuring contributions from:

  • Mark Manuel (Archaeology, Durham University)
  • Pete Bradshaw (Archives, County Durham Archives/The Story)
  • Gary Taylorson (Volunteer and Family Historian, Newcastle)
  • Don O’Meara (Heritage Oversight and Protection, Historic England)

Together, they reflected on sector-specific opportunities and challenges in funerary heritage, offering grounded insights from their respective areas of expertise.

Participants then rotated through three workshops:

Co-Creating NEFHG (led by Myra Giesen) – exploring what members want from the group and shaping its strategic direction.

Building a Common Language and Skills Base (led by Anna Walsh) – identifying shared terminology and skill needs.

Mapping NEFHG (led by Abby Hammond) – locating existing projects, burial spaces, and research activities in the region.

Tea, coffee, and conversation flowed during a networking break, before the group reconvened for a closing plenary. Facilitators shared highlights from the breakout sessions and outlined next steps.

    A number of exciting ideas emerged, including the creation of practical toolkits (e.g. on gravestone cleaning and family history research), a regional resource hub, and a regular programme of events to sustain engagement.

    This successful event was supported by the Ballast Hills Burial Ground project, which helped to sponsor and promote the launch as part of its wider commitment to inclusive heritage engagement.

    The NEFHG Steering Committee will now regroup to review the event outcomes and share suggested next steps with members in the coming weeks. Together, we can connect across disciplines, share skills and stories, and ensure the region’s funerary heritage continues to be recognised, researched, and respected.

    NEFHG Launch – Spotlight on Regional Funerary Heitage

    As we prepare for the formal launch of the North East Funerary Heritage Group (NEFHG) this Wednesday at Newcastle Cathedral, we’re thrilled to see growing interest in the initiative, highlighted in a recent piece by Cultured. North East: “Graveyard Preservation Network to Launch in Newcastle.” Read the article.

    The article captures the motivation behind NEFHG: to bring together a diverse network of individuals and organisations working to preserve, research, and engage with the region’s burial spaces and funerary heritage. Whether your interest is in social history, community archives, conservation, or contemporary engagement, NEFHG aims to support and connect your efforts.

    Our launch event on 23 July 2025 will introduce the group’s goals, share the draft governance and strategic framework, and open the floor to discussion about what our shared future could look like. Panel discussions and workshops will explore key opportunities and challenges, and there will be space for networking and collaboration.

    This is just the beginning. As the article notes, there’s a real appetite for coordination, practical support, and sharing of knowledge—from how to care for a gravestone to how to interpret burial landscapes. We hope NEFHG will become a hub for this kind of exchange.

    If you’re planning to attend the launch, we look forward to seeing you there. If you’re just learning about us now, please explore the website, become a member, and consider how you might like to be involved.

    Together, we can make funerary heritage more visible, valued, and better connected across the North East.

    NEFHG Launch Deadline Set for Friday, 18 July

    We’re excited to invite you to the official launch of the North East Funerary Heritage Group. The new regional initiative bringing together individuals and organisations interested in the past, present, and future of burial spaces and funerary heritage across the North East.

    This free event is open to researchers, heritage professionals, volunteers, and community members with an interest in anythin funerary heritage. The afternoon will include space for conversation, networking, and input into the group’s future direction, as well as a chance to explore shared concerns and emerging ideas.

    Whether you’re involved in research, community projects, conservation work, or simply passionate about funerary heritage, we’d love to see you there.

    Please register by 18 July to ensure your place and do share this invitation with others who might be interested.

    We look forward to seeing you at Newcastle Cathedral!