There are 2500 listed buildings in District of Wychavon, 80 of them are historic church buildings, many date from Norman times, they carry within their walls the story of their parishes for up to 1000 years!

The district of Wychavon in south east Worcestershire, with its long and vibrant history, where land ownership and patronage have contributed to the distinctiveness of its parishes, is an ideal focus for the development of the activities of the Heritage Knights. The new funding will enable Go West to develop online training materials which together with a series of workshops in Stoulton Church will assist communities in and around Pershore to uncover and share their stories in the stones. 

The Heritage Knights will work with communities to create parish history timelines, create wonder cards and set heritage quests for heritage detectives of all ages.  

1. Wychavon residents will benefit from a project that has already been piloted and is ready and flexible enough to be spread to schools and community groups in the diverse parishes of Wychavon. 

2. Its school children, students and others will benefit from a new and fun way of collecting and presenting local history information and exploring local heritage.  They will acquire transferable skills that will contribute to life-long learning about the heritage of the countryside and its buildings, particularly the churches. Three schools, Norton-juxta Kempsey First School, St Barnabas Middle School and Pershore High School have already indicated their interest in being involved in this project.

3.  Its families will have a new incentive to go out and about exploring the parishes and local countryside. In particular grandparents and grandchildren will have something new and inexpensive to do together in the school holidays.

4.  In a period of rapid change, where villages are growing and changing fast, few residents have connections with the land or the Church.  Wychavon needs the assurance that a new generation of residents will have some understanding of and wish to care for its heritage of 2500 listed buildings of which over 80 are historic church buildings.

5. Wychavon can be assured that the project will be managed by an experienced project director, Sandy Marchant (founder of  Go West) who with the help of her team of volunteer Heritage Knights  will care for and share the costumes and equipment purchased with the help of a Wychavon Community Grant .

Quest material will remain online for visitors to the area to enjoy.

Material accumulated during the project will be offered to schools and parishes on a CD. 

A generation of school children will acquire transferable skills that will contribute to lifelong learning about the countryside and its buildings, particularly its places of worship.

Families will have a new incentive to get out      and explore the countryside - grandparents and grandchildren will have something new and inexpensive to do together in the school holidays!

In a period of rapid change when villages are growing fast, this project will contribute to a greater awareness of the distinctiveness of the places where we live. This could aid future strategic planning and policy making.

Volunteers will have had a good and memorable time!  We look forward to welcoming you!