A very Happy New Year to you all from everybody here at the MHT.  If you were lucky enough to have one, we hope you had a nice holiday over Christmas and are now looking forward to all that 2023 has to offer.

We had a Trustee Meeting in mid-December and we’re already thinking about all that we can achieve over the next 12 months and beyond.  From a Collections point of view, the main priority remains a firm focus on the full Collections Audit which will be very time consuming but ultimately massively beneficial to our work going forwards.

Prior to the pandemic we had a small band of enthusiastic volunteers working in the office on a wide range of exciting collection related projects.  We are now in the early stages of encouraging volunteers to return.

We have a number of projects that might benefit hugely from some volunteer input.  Off the top of my head these might include, but not be limited to:

• Box listing and basic cataloguing of currently uncatalogued collections
• Repackaging and reordering slide and photographic collections
• Rationalisation and repackaging of the Climbing Guidebooks (and adding ‘Moss numbers’ to the catalogue)
• Repackaging artefacts
• Adding book stock to our library and creating a functional location list for this
• Getting duplicate/additional printed material ready for sale including listing and pricing them
• Identifying content for our social media feeds

The possibilities are almost endless.  In almost every corner of the MHT, in almost every aspect of our work, it could be possible for a volunteer to assist us in improving our catalogue and accessibility, and helping us bring currently often hidden parts of our archive to a wider public attention.

Do you think you might be able to help?  As we’re based at the Blencathra Field Studies Centre above Threlkeld (near Keswick in the Lake District), you’ll need to live nearby and have transport to get to us.  

Alternatively, you might be visiting the area and have a certain number of days or weeks available to offer us?  You might also be interested in a career in archives or other heritage related areas and need some experience prior to undertaking a course?

If any of this rings a bell we would very much like to hear from you.  At this very early juncture we’d simply like you to contact us directly highlighting your interest in our collections and what you might be able to offer us, both in terms of availability and in relation to your current skill set.  As well as identifying an appropriate project for you we will also do our best to develop and expand your skills in a friendly, supportive and encouraging environment.

If you are interested, in the first instance please drop me (David, Collections Manager) a line at collections@mountain-heritage.org telling us a little more about yourself, and what you can offer to the Mountain Heritage Trust.  We look forward to hearing from you.