More visitors, greater engagement with schools and the preservation of hundreds more historic items are among the successes of the county’s archives service.
The Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Archives and Heritage Service is responsible for caring for archive and museum collections across the area. The service provides public access to collections, learning opportunities, exhibitions, conservation work and community engagement activities. It helps residents discover and connect with the area’s rich history.
Achievements highlighted in the latest annual report show a doubling of visits across the service in the last year, increasing to 16,594. The growth reflects continued interest in local history and heritage across the area.
The report also highlights significant progress in preserving the county’s heritage, receiving 109 new items during the year, including historic records, photographs and business archives, while the Museum Service accepted 23 new objects into its collections.
More than 1,200 museum objects were displayed across sites, including at the Staffordshire History Centre or on loan to other museums including the National Trust’s Shugborough Estate.
Hayley Coles, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Communities and Culture at Staffordshire County Council, said
"Our archives and heritage collections tell the story of our amazing county and the people who have shaped it.
“It’s fantastic to see more residents, schools and community groups exploring these resources and discovering local history for themselves.
“The continued growth in visitor numbers and learning opportunities, as well as adding even more records and items to our incredible collections is brilliant. This is testament to the hard work of staff and volunteers and shows how important the service is in protecting our heritage and inspiring future generations."
Schools and young people have also been engaging with the centres learning programme, with 19 school visits and more than 500 pupil contacts through on-site and outreach activities.
Digital access also continued to grow, with online engagement increasing by 107 per cent through improvements to websites, collection databases and online indexes. Meanwhile, volunteers contributed more than 7,000 hours supporting collections care, cataloguing, public access and events.
Other highlights from the year included the successful Staffordshire History Festival, Staffordshire History Day, family events, community displays and five Staffordshire History Network events involving 30 heritage organisations. The service also provided advice and support to museums, archives and community heritage groups across the county.
Further details can be found at Home - Staffordshire History
