More than 100 people descended on a very sunny Collegiate Campus to learn more about the site’s hidden history as part of this year’s Heritage Open Days, England’s largest grass roots heritage festival organised by English Heritage.
The exclusive tours, which were open to members of the public as well as staff and students, were led by Helen Shepherd, communications manager with the estates development and sustainability team. Each 45 minute walk led people on a whistle-stop journey of the last 200 years of activity on the site from exclusive boys’ school to modern University, from wartime hospital to a leading provider of nursing education.
Demand for the event on Thursday 8 September was huge with all tickets snapped up, including the additional tours which were added after the initial four tours were booked in record time Two exclusive staff tours were also held to give staff the opportunity to learn more about the campus where they work.
Feedback on the event has been fantastic. One attendee said, ‘Thanks for a fascinating and excellently delivered tour. It brought back many wonderful memories of my student days when I trained to be a teacher. Congratulations to you and the team for enriching so many people’s lives by bringing the past back to life!’
Another added, ‘Very well organised, enjoyable and informative. A beautiful campus’, while a University colleague said ‘The tour was great. I hope to share some of the info covered with first year students this year!’
For more information and for the latest Estates updates visit the Future Spaces blog.