OUR PROJECT PARTNERS

About Lottery Heritage Fund

The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the largest funder for the UK's heritage. Using money raised by National Lottery players we support projects that connect people and communities to heritage.

Our vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future.

From historic buildings, our industrial legacy and the natural environment, to collections, traditions, stories and more.

Heritage can be anything from the past that people value and want to pass on to future generations.

We believe in the power of heritage to ignite the imagination, offer joy and inspiration, and to build pride in place and connection to the past.

ESSEX RECORD OFFICE

Why We Partner with Essex Record Office (ERO)

To us, the Essex Record Office is not just a building, it is a living archive that safeguards Essex’s past and supports diverse communities in documenting and sharing their heritage. It provides our project with

• A secure and professional repository to house the oral histories for future generations.
• Expert advice on ethical archiving, metadata tagging, and long-term accessibility.
• A prestigious institutional partnership that adds credibility and visibility to our project’s outcomes.
• Archiving services, expert guidance, and preservation standards.
• Cataloguing and indexing support, as well as templates for consent and metadata that ensure interviews are ethically and professionally handled.
• A trusted custodian of Essex's diverse cultural narrative. ERO has supported many community-led heritage projects across the county.

History of Essex Record Office

Essex Record Office (ERO) is one of the UK’s leading county archives, preserving the rich historical and cultural heritage of Essex. It serves as the official archive for the county and holds a vast and diverse collection of historical documents, sound recordings, photographs, and films that date back over 1,000 years.

• Founded in 1938, the Essex Record Office was one of the first county record offices to be established in England, reflecting a growing national movement to preserve local government and historical records.
• It was created in response to a 1930s directive from the County Councils Association to ensure public records were properly preserved and made accessible.
• The founding County Archivist, Dr. W.J. Hardy, set the tone for the ERO’s reputation for scholarly excellence and public service.
• In 2000, ERO moved to its current purpose-built facility in Wharf Road, Chelmsford, offering state-of-the-art storage and public access services.

Collections and Services

The Essex Record Office houses an incredible range of historical materials, including:

• Parish Records: Baptisms, marriages, and burials dating back to the 16th century.
• Local Government Archives: Documents from boroughs, parishes, and rural district councils.
• Court Records and Deeds: Legal records, wills, and land ownership documents.
• Family History Records: Used by genealogists to trace Essex roots.
• Maps and Plans: Historical maps of Essex dating from the medieval period.
• Photographs and Films: Social history materials and media collections.
• Essex Sound and Video Archive (ESVA): One of the UK's most important regional sound archives, preserving oral history interviews, music, and broadcasts relevant to Essex life.

CHELMSFORD LIBRARY

Why We Partner with Chelmsford Library 

Chelmsford Library is a cornerstone of local knowledge, community interaction, and cultural memory, making it an ideal partner or venue for heritage projects like Soro Soke. 

Projects like ours has historically found Chelmsford Library a supportive venue for community promotions, exhibitions, oral history showcases, or educational sessions.

Chelmsford Library frequently collaborates with:

History of Chelmsford Library

Chelmsford Library is one of the most prominent public libraries in Essex and serves as a key cultural and educational hub in the city of Chelmsford. It provides a wide range of services including book lending, digital access, community programming, and heritage engagement.

• Founded in 1906, Chelmsford Library began as part of the Carnegie library movement, funded in part by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, who helped establish hundreds of libraries across the UK in the early 20th century.
• Originally housed in a purpose-built facility on Market Road, the library has undergone multiple expansions and renovations to meet the growing needs of the community.
• Over the decades, it evolved from a traditional lending library into a modern, multifunctional public service hub.

Role in the Community

Chelmsford Library plays a vital civic and cultural role:

• It serves as an inclusive space for lifelong learning, accessible to all demographics including seniors, families, and new residents.
• The library is a safe community venue for public discussions, heritage events, and local exhibitions.
• It contributes to heritage preservation by hosting local history resources and sometimes collaborating with institutions like the Essex Record Office and Chelmsford Museum.