A Round-up for 2025
It’s time for the Christmas round up of the year just gone, and the year to come.
In the past year we have continued with our quest to showcase our fabulous local history.
From a guided tour of one of our more intriguing local manor houses, through presentations to local groups about the influence Vikings and WW2 made, our free Aveland Odyssey festival in September, made possible with a grant from the Goverments Shared Prosperity Fund, attracted a truly international attendance as Folkingham turned back the clock 80 years for Folkingham Remembers Operation Market Garden, people have enjoyed getting hands on with our local history.
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The Aveland Archive goes from strength to strength. As well as many more items and posts, over 100 years of historic Land Tax Records are now available for most of our villages in a searchable database, and there is the start of a fascinating insight into the history of our village Vicars. Whilst the National Lottery Heritage Project, Bringing Architecture & Local History to Life which we were lucky to be a part of, completes at the end of the year, we already have a vast amount of information waiting to be uploaded with the promise of more to come. Work will not stop!
To complement the Aveland Archive https://www.avelandarchive.org.uk/ we have had a bespoke website designed and built for the Aveland History Group https://www.theavelandhistorygroup.com/ We are very proud of the results.
For 2025, there are already plans in place.
We are taking a step back from organising our own Aveland Odyssey festival, but are taking part, with many other groups in Bourne, putting on events for Worth 200, the Bicentenary Celebrations of the Birth of Charles Frederick Worth. As the father of Haute Couture, his impact on the fashion world of today cannot be underestimated. The final celebrations will take part over the weekend of 11th and 12th October 2025, but in the lead up we will be holding monthly fashion related events and workshops starting in February, Art inspired activities in schools, Drop-in sessions for parents and children in the school holidays all culminating in a Fashion Show over the Celebration Weekend. Look on the website or on Facebook as we publish more details in the New Year.
Continuing the work on the Aveland Archive, armed with some very fancy new scanning equipment, we are scheduling a monthly afternoon get together in St James Church Aslackby, where likeminded people will be able to come and share stories, bring items to be scanned, and get further insights into the Archive, or maybe to get advice on following up their particular branch of research. These afternoons will be free and available to anyone.
Over the past year the group has also been very fortunate to receive a couple of legacies from two local history groups. Witham on the Hill Historical Society and the Pickworth Local History Group have given us funds which will be put towards keeping our future events accessible and inclusive.
We have been lucky to attract some sterling helpers and organisers over the past year, helping both with the Archive input, back-room organisation and in person at our events. The villagers of Folkingham yet again participated in force. It cannot be understated how much we value your support and assistance. THANK YOU ALL.
So, 2025 promises to be yet another year of variety and fun. Bring it on!
We both of us wish you and your families all the best for 2025.