News

The Guildhall's Victorian Courtroom hosts free festive story-telling event.

Monday, 29th November 2010

 

The medieval Guildhall will host festive storytelling from the Yarnsmith of Norwich on Thursday, 9 December. Children around 6 – 12 years old and their families are invited to attend this free event in the beautiful surroundings of the Guildhall, next to Norwich Market.

The event marks the first occasion the Guildhall is hosting a family Christmas event, and it is taking place in the Victorian courtroom which is not normally open to the public, making this an unmissable opportunity to experience a fascinating part of Norwich’s rich heritage. It is organised by Norwich Heritage Economic and Regeneration Trust (HEART), whose offices are in the Guildhall and forms part of this year’s NORWICHRISTMAS series of events.

The Yarnsmith of Norwich is famous for enchanting children and adults the country over with his historical tales, and this exclusive afternoon sees the Yarnsmith telling Tales of Winter Magic, featuring living trees, naughty knights and long hidden treasure. Demand for the Yarnsmith is overwhelming, so booking is essential should you wish to experience this incredible event.

Michael Loveday, Chief Executive of Norwich HEART, said: “By having the Yarnsmith of Norwich deliver his fascinating festive stories in this wonderful setting makes this an event that no one should miss. Taking in the Guildhall’s Victorian Courtroom is an opportunity like no other and we are thrilled to be able to invite families here to celebrate the festive season.”

For more information, or to book your place on this event, call Norwich HEART on 01603 599577 or e-mail education@heritagecity.org. Booking is essential. Visit www.heritagecity.org for more information.

Norwich Heritage Economic and Regeneration Trust (HEART) is running the event as part of SHAPING 24 – a cultural tourism project that is raising the profile of heritage in Norwich and the Belgian city of Ghent. SHAPING 24 is being led by HEART with Ghent City Council as the partner organisation. The project is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund from the European Union’s INTERREG IVA 2 Mers Seas Zeeën Cross-border Cooperation Programme 2007-2013.

 

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Notes to editors

For more information please contact Christina Lister, Communications Manager at Norwich HEART on 01603 599570 or email christinalister@heritagecity.org or Sophie Harrison, Communications Officer at Norwich HEART on 01603 599578 or email sophieharrison@heritagecity.org.

 

About Norwich 12

Norwich 12 is the UK’s finest collection of individually outstanding heritage buildings spanning the Norman, Georgian, Victorian and modern eras, offering walks and tours; visitor attractions; exhibitions; music and performances; cafes and restaurants; and gift shops. It is a pioneering heritage concept that is developing 12 of the city’s iconic buildings into an integrated family of heritage attractions which will act as an internationally important showcase of English urban and cultural development over the last 1,000 years.

Norwich 12 comprises: Norwich Castle, Norwich Cathedral, The Great Hospital, The Halls – St Andrew’s and Blackfriars’, The Guildhall, Dragon Hall, The Assembly House, St James Mill, St John’s Roman Catholic Cathedral, Surrey House, City Hall and The Forum.

Norwich 12 is an initiative by Norwich HEART, which secured £1 million from the Treasury’s Invest to Save Budget for the project to initially run 2006-9. The ERDF funding allows this initiative to be developed until 2011.

www.norwich12.co.uk

 

About SHAPING 24

SHAPING 24 – Strategies for Heritage Access Pathways in Norwich and Ghent – is a new cultural tourism initiative that will link together the 12 heritage sites in Norwich that make up Norwich 12, with 12 heritage sites in Ghent. The project seeks to promote and support the 24 sites, raise the profile of Norwich and Ghent as significant cultural heritage cities and increase awareness of the longstanding historical links between this part of England and the Low Countries. By working together, the two cities will benefit from the experiences and professional expertise in both cities, and will be able to apply innovative approaches to the challenges facing historic cities.

SHAPING 24 is being led by HEART with Ghent City Council as the partner organisation. The project is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund from the European Union’s INTERREG IVA 2 Mers Seas Zeeën Cross-border Cooperation Programme 2007-2013. The total value of SHAPING 24 is €4.5m, of which Norwich’s share is €2.3m, which includes match funding from a variety of organisations. www.shaping24.eu.

 

About Norwich HEART

Norwich Heritage Economic and Regeneration Trust (HEART) is a private, charitable trust set up to act as an umbrella organisation for all of the heritage on offer in Norwich. We strategically plan, regenerate, manage and promote Norwich’s heritage and act as a best practice model internationally for developing heritage as a social and economic regeneration vehicle.

Norwich 12 and SHAPING 24 are initiatives by HEART.

www.heritagecity.org

 

Why Ghent?

This project arose out of a mutual desire to exploit the existing connections between the two cities – Norwich and Ghent have previously worked together on the Liveable City project which aimed to improve the public space in historic city centres.

Norwich also shares many important aspects of economic, social and cultural history with Ghent going back centuries – for example the lives of the burghers, merchants and guildsmen in the two regions in the middle ages; the development of the wool trade in the sixteenth century; the establishment of trade routes; religious connections; and the importance of migration for the two cities – especially the settlement of Flemish workers in Norwich in the 16th century.

Today these two cities share a sense of cultural development, developing and promoting the distinctiveness of their city’s heritage in a range of innovative ways.

 

About Ghent

Just as Norwich was England’s second city from the Middle Ages until the Industrial Revolution, Ghent was one of the most important cities in Europe from the year 1000 to around 1550, second only to Paris in size.

Today, it is the capital of the province of East Flanders with a population of 240,000.

As with Norwich, much of the city’s medieval architecture remains intact. The city boasts three beguinages and a belfry which are recognised by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites, one medieval castle, a cathedral, several museums and two important abbeys. For more information go to www.visitgent.be.

 

What is Interreg IVA 2 Seas Programme?

Interreg IVA 2 Seas Programme is an EU-funded programme which can part-finance joint co-operation projects between organisations in eligible areas in England and organisations in eligible areas in France, Belgium and/or the Netherlands under a variety of themes including Economic Development, Environment and Quality of Life.

The programme covers an area of cross-border cooperation located at the crossroads of the Channel and the North Sea and involves the coastal regions of four member states: France (Nord-Pas de Calais), England, Flanders and the Netherlands.

The overall aim of the INTERREG IVA Programme is to: ‘Support strategic cross-border co-operation for a more prosperous and sustainable region.’

For more information on the 2 Seas programme visit: http://www.interreg4a-2mers.eu/UK/pdf/InfosclesUK.pdf