Grant applications are now invited by The Alan Petford Memorial Fund. This fund is administered by the South Pennine History Group. The members of this group are the Hebden Bridge Local History Society, the Marsden History Group, and the Saddleworth Historical Society. The Fund was started in memory of Alan Petford (1953-2015) whose work with local history societies in the South Pennines inspired them to carry out original research and to communicate local history to communities.
The Fund aims to provide financial assistance to clearly defined projects which fulfil two or more of the following criteria:
- Add to our knowledge of the local history of the South Pennines through≠original research
- Encourage more people to study and research South Pennine history
- Communicate and promote this history via publications and events
The group runs a popular programme of workshops and drop-in sessions at the Birchcliffe Centre
Upper Calderdale's suitability for the preservation of local cultural tradition is nowhere shown as strongly as in its wealth of folk tales about places, many of which are still being passed on by word of mouth.
For some years now a small group of friends has been exploring the evidence for prehistoric activity in the South Pennines.