A MAJOR new heritage project celebrating Mossley’s living traditions, memories and community life is set to get under way.
That’s after Mossley Civic Society was awarded a huge pot of cash for its new project.
The society has secured £38,100 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for the project called ‘Preserving Mossley’s Intangible Heritage’.
It will focus on protecting and sharing the town’s stories, customs and cultural traditions that have been passed down through generations.
Intangible heritage includes oral histories, local knowledge, social rituals, performing arts and long-standing events – the everyday experiences that shape a place but are often at risk of being lost. The new project aims to capture these while placing the community at its heart.
Key elements of the project include the creation of CHAM – a new digital Community Heritage Archive of Mossley, along with free community recording sessions where residents will be able to share and document their own stories and experiences of the town.
Visitors to the Mossley Heritage Centre will also be able to explore the town’s past through a new “Mossley Time Machine”, an interactive installation designed to bring local heritage to life in an engaging and accessible way.
The funding will also allow for the reprinting of a centenary edition of “The Story of Mossley”, originally written in 1926 by former Mossley head teacher Alfred Holt, as well as new activities to preserve and enhance the town’s Whit Friday celebrations and walks.
Creative specialist Dave Jones will lead the project on behalf of the Heritage Centre, working closely with digital designer Mark Webster, The Vale arts centre, and Mossley residents.
Mossley Civic Society is a volunteer-run organisation that has spent decades researching and celebrating the town’s heritage – work that is now gaining recognition well beyond Mossley itself.
Jonathan Reynolds MP, who represents Mossley in Parliament, welcomed the news.
He said: “Congratulations to Mossley Civic Society who have been awarded £38,100 by The National Lottery Heritage Fund for their project ‘Preserving Mossley’s Intangible Heritage.’
“The Civic Society is a small group of volunteers that run the Mossley Heritage Centre located next to Emmaus Mossley on Queen Street in Mossley – so why not call in and see the great work they are doing preserving the heritage of Mossley.”
A spokesperson for The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “We’re thrilled to support the project and help connect communities in Mossley with its intangible heritage.”
The society says community involvement will be central to the project, with further details to be announced soon.