Elizabeth Gaskell's House
Website: https://elizabethgaskellhouse.co.uk/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GaskellsHouse
Email: [email protected]
Where do they work?: Ardwick
Registered charity number: 1080606
Company number: 3578992
Description: Our vision is summed up by Elizabeth herself in the letter on the previous page: we want the House to bring as much pleasure to as wide an audience today as we can. Our aim is to develop, conserve and manage the House as a sustainable cultural centre in order to provide opportunities for people to learn about and participate in the heritage associated with this historic building and its links to Elizabeth Gaskell and her family. Our journey has taken us from the foundation of the Manchester Historic Buildings Trust and the beginnings of the capital restoration project in 2004, to today’s vibrant and dynamic cultural centre which champions, literature, heritage and the arts. In 2017 the house welcomed over 6,500 visitors from around the world, worked with four local schools and several universities. We have a volunteer base of around 40 people (aged 16-90) and offer work experience and internships on a regular basis. We believe engaging people of all ages and backgrounds in a love of stories inspires people to achieve their dreams and develops greater empathy within society. We are proud of our part in the city’s new designation of UNESCO City of Literature and we are ambitious to share the pleasures of the Gaskells’ home and the joy of reading, writing and creativity.
Services delivered: Through creative programming at Elizabeth’s Gaskell House, we already work with local schools and families to create a more inclusive community that has access to arts and cultures, and where young people have raised ambitions. To date, together with our in-house creative partner enJOY arts, we have worked with over 200 school children via our learning programme and many more via family activities and events that are held at the house during the school holidays. In 2018 we launched a Story and Play session aimed at under-fives, which is encouraging more families from the local area to visit. With further philanthropic support from those who share our vision, we could achieve much more.
Our team of volunteers are central to our work and draw on the local community and more widely, from ages between 16 and 90, offering opportunities for people of all ages to develop new skills and friendships. We are committed to creating a supportive and caring environment in which our volunteers can flourish both as individuals and in any professional skills they may wish to develop.
As an historic house, we aim to provide people from both the local community and Manchester with a place they can engage with history and culture.
Our team of volunteers are central to our work and draw on the local community and more widely, from ages between 16 and 90, offering opportunities for people of all ages to develop new skills and friendships. We are committed to creating a supportive and caring environment in which our volunteers can flourish both as individuals and in any professional skills they may wish to develop.
As an historic house, we aim to provide people from both the local community and Manchester with a place they can engage with history and culture.