It has been agreed that due to the continued uncertainty over the long-term display and storage of the LDHS Archives, that we will extend the membership of current members for another year. The membership form for the new year, which begins on 1 April, will be removed from the website with potential new members being asked to email us (or message via our Facebook page) for more details on how to join.
If current members pay their subscription by standing order, we ask that they cancel it prior to the 1 April if they wish to take up the offer of no fee for next year’s membership. Of course, if existing or new members wish to pay the usual fee of £10 for an individual or £15 for a family, we are happy to accept but will consider the payment as a donation to the Society.
Over the next year, we would like to work up plans to increase public access to the archives and digitise more of our physical collection. We will also try to secure a successful commitment for display and storage of the LDHS Archives, within the communities of Longstanton and/or Northstowe. If we continue to be unsuccessful in achieving this long-held object of the Society, we may have no choice but to find a safe and secure long-term home for the archives elsewhere. Whilst every effort will be made to ensure that the wishes of donors, members and supporters is met, the Heritage Society’s principle obligation now must be to safe-guard the material we have been given since our launch in May 2007. The decision’s the Heritage Society may have to make over the next year could have significant consequences for the archival collection. If the LDHS Archives cannot be displayed and stored within Longstanton or Northstowe there is no doubt the educational potential and heritage value of our collection and nearly 20 years of work will be diminished.
The Society cannot deliver display and storage for the archives within Longstanton or Northstowe – this can only be achieved by Homes England, the County Council and local Councillors making a firm legally binding commitment. Northstowe is due to have the Civic Hub and Library built within the next few years and Longstanton has a village charity which may be in the position to build a new Community building over the next few years too. One of these buildings needs to be designed to include display and storage of the LDHS Archives and a firm commitment made to deliver on this. If that commitment cannot be made by either community then the LDHS Archives will simply not have the opportunity to remain as a locally owned and controlled heritage asset. We sincerely hope that this is not the case and we look forward to working with both communities to avoid making a decision on the future which cannot be reversed.
This year will be critical for the future of LDHS and the archives and we welcome new members so that a wide range of ideas and opinions can be considered as part of the decision making process.
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