Doncaster Gate Hospital Heritage Project

This project is centered on Doncaster Gate Hospital in Rotherham, shortly to be closed after over 100 years as one of South Yorkshire's principal hospitals. Volunteers from amongst Primary Care rust staff, community groups, history societies and local schools will undertake innovative activities to exlpore, record and share the heritage of the site. This project is crucial and timely. The Doncaster Gate Hospital has played a central role in the social history of Rotherham since the 1860's. Our project will enable local people to uncover and celebrate the fascinating heritage of the hospital. It will examine how the hospital's development has reflected the transformation of the town since the industrialisation and urbanisation of the nineteenth century. Through participating in this project, local people will be able to explore many aspects of their town's past, in a way designed to generate a great deal of social and cultural value. Creative heritage workshops will be organised and volunteers will be trained and supported in historical research, including oral history, digitisation and archival research. The heritage will be shared with local communities using an extensive website, public events, permanent displays and a piece of sculpture celebrating the heritage, designed during community workshops, will be situated at the centre of a new Primary Care Centre. We will contribute to project costs. HLF funding will employ a part-time Project Manager, purchase project equipment, pay for volunteer expenses, provide training for volunteers and community groups, facilitate heritage workshops, design a website and commission a community artist to produce a piece of heritage sculpture.