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Wirksworth Heritage Centre in Derbyshire has re-opened after receiving a donation from the Tarmac Landfill Communities Fund.
The vital contribution from Tarmac has enabled the Heritage Centre team to work with specialist contractors to reclad the exterior with authentic lime render. The work was completed during lockdown while public access to the centre was restricted.
The Chair of Trustees, Jacqueline Ferguson-Lee, said, “This work couldn’t have been done when we were open, and we’re extremely grateful for the grant aid support from the Tarmac Landfill Communities Fund. It concludes the redevelopment work on the centre that began four years ago and should see that part of the building in good shape for many years to come. With our safe procedures in place, we’re now keen to see visitors old and new back through our doors.
For many lovers of classic literature, opportunities to devour the works of undiscovered authors can be enough to make people’s eyes light up. For those who aren’t as keen on the genre, the appeal of these titles is a little less obvious. In fact, it’s one of the reasons museum professionals are running into issues when it comes to inspiring new generations to read such works.
Engaging young people is a challenge for museums and the traditional approaches that literary heritage museums take when dealing with classic authors is becoming a problem. This is because literary heritage museums usually focus on presenting the biographical story, personal effects or archival collection of an author. Relevant and interesting perhaps to those already familiar with an author’s works, but perhaps less successful at engaging would-be readers. The language of some of these authors can also be a barrier to new readers, as can the difficulty of reading “a classic” – which might be se