On January 8th, 2025 Sue Shaw, Chairman of the Archives Trust, presented an overview of the work of the Trust to Berwick Civic Society. Sue commented: ‘this was an excellent opportunity to promote the Trust’s mission to ‘enhance access to Northumberland’s rich archival resources for the benefit of people everywhere’.

Sue was joined by Linda Bankier, Berwick’s Archivist and together they spoke about examples of exciting projects in North Northumberland that have been supported and funded by grants awarded to the Trust, such as the Photocentre and photographic collections. This brought to life how archival collections are made relevant – telling us about the past, a comparison with the present and a resource for the future.

Sue highlighted how an increasingly digital world brings both challenges and new opportunities for managing archival records and for making them accessible. There is no doubt that the Trust will continue to play an important role to support new initiatives that address these challenges.

The Archives Trust is a charity: Sue explained that it relies on the generosity of its patrons and supporters to help it achieve its central objectives. She encouraged members of the Civic Society to learn more about the work of the Trust and consider how they may be able to support an organisation that has such significance to the preservation and promotion of Berwick’s rich history.