‘The Gramophone Goes to War’, Old House Museum, Bakewell: (2014) The History Van worked with Duncan Miller of The Vulcan Cylinder Record Co. to devise and present an evening of audience involvement, recreating and recording the troops leaving for the First World War from Bakewell Station in1914. An interactive evening for local people and Museum volunteers.
‘Litton Village Great War Commemoration Day’: (2014) The History Van brought family activities and singing to the events organised to commemorate the Great War.
‘Bolsover Christmas Fair’: (2014) The History Van was engaged again at Bolsover to provide free activities for the public at their Christmas Fair and Lantern Parade, involving the public in preparing traditional Christmas decorations
‘The King Comes to Bolsover’: (2014) The History Van was employed to add a sense of Bolsover’s heritage and to engage the public in free activities as part of the first Bolsover Food Festival. We involved the public in 17th century food activities including milking ‘sheep’ and preparing butter for the ‘King’s table’ when he visited Bolsover Castle many years ago!
‘Medieval Market’: (2013) As part of Sheffield Cathedral’s Heritage Open Day, Jenny engaged the public in a market stall from the 1400s, with costume and activities that showed how wool was turned into soap, spun into cloth and made into the fashions of the period. With the pillory at hand to punish wayward bystanders!
‘Our Victorian School’: (2013) Celebrating 150 Years of Castleton C of E Primary School – Jenny took the staff and pupils back to the early years of the school based on the school’s log books, with slates and dip pens, drill and dunce’s hats plus the cane for the lazy, dirty or foolish.
‘Flowers in the Victorian Home’: (2013) Jenny joined Hope Primary School for their Flower Week, 2013, with an active day of medicine making and household chores using flowers and fruit for medicines and cleaning chemicals.
‘100 Years of Hope’: (2013) Jenny organised an Edwardian Day to celebrate Hope Primary School’s 100th birthday, involving the whole school in an Edwardian school day and a very active recreation of ‘Suffragettes at The Derby’.
The D’Hease Family Exhibition, France: (2013) Jenny edited and text enhanced the international publicity material for an exhibition of the D’Hease family of sculptors being held in the Sem-Art Gallery in Monaco, France from March 2013.
‘WWII Through Chesterfield’s Eyes’ – Learning Consultant to Chesterfield Museum and Art Gallery: (2013) Jenny created a series of exciting learning activities based on the museum’s collections, for use in the museum, focusing on Chesterfield during World War II.
Gallery Exhibition Consultant, Causeway Gallery, Derbyshire: (2013) Jenny is advising on the launch of a new gallery in Hope Valley, Derbyshire to support local contemporary artists.
‘The Family in British Art’ – Learning Consultant to Weston Park Museum, Museums Sheffield: (2012) Jenny trialled and evaluated the Museum’s latest Loan Resource Box, linked to their GBAD (Great British Art Debate) work, ‘The Family in British Art’, by delivering cross-curricular sessions in schools based on paintings from the Museum’s collection as stimuli for inventive and valuable cross curricular work.
‘The Lives of the Common People’ HLF Project – Hope and Castleton Medieval Lives: (2012) Jenny led the development of learning activities and resource materials for this project. It included sourcing replica work items and costume as well as involving primary and secondary schools and community groups in this one year Heritage Lottery Fund funded community project. Jenny produced a Resource Pack for the history department of Hope Valley Comprehensive School for use with Y7 students based on the local environment of their new secondary school.
Hawley Tool Collection Public Awareness, Sheffield Industrial Museums Trust: (2012) Jenny created very well-received loan boxes based on items in the Hawley Collection for use with nursing homes, day care centres for elderly and infirm people, community health groups and the Royal Society for the Blind, Sheffield. She also developed a number of new learning sessions for use in the museum with KS1, 2 and 3 pupils and developed a Community Involvement Exhibition with local communities in Sheffield.
Evaluation of the Hawley Tool Collection Project: (2012) This project was jointly evaluated by Jenny and DBA Consulting for the HLF and Kelham Island Museum.
Learning Consultant to Sheffield Industrial Museums Trust: Jenny has worked for Sheffield Industrial Museums Trust since 2000. During that time she has created and delivered a large variety of education sessions relating to the Trust’s collections and has organised the museum’s Science Week and Science Sunday events with student teachers from Sheffield Hallam University. She has also contributed to the development of the highly successful education service provision across the Trust’s three heritage sites.
Weetwood Gardens Community Project: (2010) Jenny co-organised a series of community and schools events to raise awareness of this public garden in Sheffield, including working with a local artist and musician to develop ideas for use by visiting children.
St James the Less Arts Centre, New Mills, HLF application: (2009) Jenny worked with DBA Consulting as their Education Adviser on this new HLF funded community arts centre near Stockport.
Renaissance Partnerships ‘The Changing Face of Work’ project, Kelham Island Museum: (2009) Jenny was the Learning Consultant for this successful bid document and co-organiser of the subsequent oral-history project, developing learning activities and materials, costume, events, museum displays and exhibitions for a new museum gallery based on changes in working life in the steel works over the past 150 years.
Sheffield Furnace Trail: (2009) Jenny co-organised and ran a series of public relations and education sessions in schools, community groups and museums to raise awareness of this new heritage trail.
Whirlow Hall Farm, Sheffield City Council: (2007) Jenny managed the creation of a Farm Living History Education Centre including creating and delivering history-related farm learning activities to visiting schools; researching the history of the heritage; recruiting, organising and training volunteers; sourcing and commissioning and purchasing costume, vintage and replica artefacts.
Museums Sheffield Art Works: (2006) Jenny wrote material to engage the public in ‘reading’ the paintings in the Museum’s collection of historic masterpieces of Old Sheffield, for permanent use in the newly opened social history gallery.
Upper Don Walk Trust: (2006) Jenny wrote a CD Rom/pdf of resource material about the history and environment of the River Don for use by schools and local residents.
The History Van 