Our Programmes
Welcome to our Community Programmes page, where we showcase the projects, events, and initiatives that bring archaeology and heritage to life. Here you can explore the ways we work with schools, volunteers, local groups, and communities to create engaging, hands-on experiences that connect people with the past.
Elder Archaeology, CIC is leading the Land of Lead and Silver project for the North Pennines National Landscape, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England. the project is focused on volunteer skills training and the exploration of Lead Mining sites in the North Pennines, many of which are at risk.
The Broadfield Park Slopes excavation, led by Elder Archaeology, CIC, built on Big Dig 2.0. The project combined excavation, community engagement, and education, with trainees and volunteers recording historic surfaces, pottery, and 19th-century mill foundations. Elder Archaeology led training, site interpretation, and apprentice mentorship.
This was a National Lottery Heritage Fund supported pilot with the John Rae Society, collecting oral histories across Orkney about the Hudson’s Bay Company fur trade. The project explored the journeys of Orcadian's over to Canada, their work, family lives, and cultural exchanges with Indigenous communities.
The Big Dig Rochdale 2.0 explored the rich history of Broadfield Slopes, combining professional archaeology with community engagement and involving nearly 1,000 participants, including over 150 schoolchildren. Colin Elder played a central role, leading the trainee programme, mentoring volunteers, and ensuring the dig was both professionally rigorous and fully inclusive.
