New history group will celebrate Doncaster women’s heritage and culture through a vibrant female led club

The HerStory group is a history group run in Denaby.

They are hunting for budding historians to dig deeper into the often overlooked history of women in the past.

Victoria Ryves, project manager for Heritage Doncaster’s ‘History, Health and Happiness’ programme, said: “The free to join club is ideal for anyone who self confidence could do with a boost.

“We want to encourage women to find their own voice by exploring the lives of other women who’ve made their mark on the past.

“It doesn’t matter if you didn’t like history at school - or even if you’ve never picked up a history book before.

“You just need to be inquisitive and ready for some fun because we aim to recreate and ‘touch’ the past, not just read about it.

“HerStory is about being inspired.

“Inspired by women who we may never have heard of before, whose stories can give us strength and confidence.

“We look into Celtic Queens and unsung heroines of the coalfields.

“The importance of having awesome female role models has long been recognised in areas such as sport or business, so it’s time that we did the same for heritage too.”

HerStory was launched in 2019 as a small social club for working aged women and had a profound impact on the club’s pioneers.

The women didn’t just learn about the past, their mental health and happiness was improved by getting involved, experiencing a substantial rise in confidence and a much greater sense of belonging and connectedness with other people.

During the pandemic the club was virtual - it became a lifeline for some of the women who faced bereavement and loneliness.

The group is now re-launching face to face meetings this autumn.

There will be historic based craft sessions, film screenings and day trips.

HerStory meets on a Tuesday morning at Tom Hill Youth Club in Denaby.

If anyone would like to join the group you can email [email protected] or call 01302 737229.

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