Ballast Hills Burial Ground - your chance to get involved

How to get involved

1. Heritage Open Days: Saturday, 19 September

Please join us for a full day of free activities at Ballast Hills Burial Ground and Brinkburn St Brewery.

• 10:30 to 14:00 | Everyday Histories at Ballast Hills: Archives, Activities and Ballast Hills Stories | Brinkburn St Brewery, NE6 1NW
  
  
• 11:00 to 11:45, 12:00 to 12:45, and 13:00 to 13:45 | Brinkburn Brewery Tours: Local Brewing History and Ballast Hills Stories | must book | Brinkburn St Brewery, NE6 1LL
  
  
• 14:30 to 16:00 | Explore Ballast Hills: Self-Guided Trail and Onsite Guides | Ballast Hills Burial Ground, NE6 1LL
  
  
• 16:00 to 17:00 | Beneath This Ground: Music and Poetry at Ballast Hills | Ballast Hills Burial Ground, NE6 1LL
  
  
• 18:30 to 19:30 | Twilight at Ballast Hills: Stories along the Gravestone Path | Ballast Hills Burial Ground, NE6 1LL

Download the flyer, which includes the full programme and visitor information. Please come along for part or all of the day to explore, discover, listen, and enjoy.

2. Take an Active Role in Heritage Open Days

We need a large team to help deliver the programme. Roles could include:

• helping with activities at Brinkburn St Brewery or the burial ground;
• welcoming visitors and acting as a site steward;
• helping visitors find activities and move safely around the site;
• talking with visitors about Ballast Hills;
• supporting the Explorer's Guide activity; or
• telling a researched story during the Twilight at Ballast Hills session.

We would also welcome help with preparations, including researching short biographies of people named in the surviving gravestone inscriptions.

Please contact Myra Giesen at myra.giesen@newcastle.ac.uk if you would like to help for part or all of the day, undertake research, tell a story, or support preparations.

3. Help Us Improve the Explorer's Guide

We are redeveloping the Ballast Hills Explorer's Guide and are looking for people to join a focus group. The discussion will consider what should remain, what needs to change, and what might be missing.

Feedback will help us improve the guide's activities, layout, clarity, accessibility, and suitability for different age groups.

Please contact Myra if you would like to take part.

4. Did You Miss Our Last Newsletter?

You can read the Spring Newsletter, along with earlier editions, on the BHBG newsletters page.

5. Join Our Next Green Day

Our next Green Day at Ballast Hills will take place on: Tuesday, 4 August from 18:30 to 20:00.

Please get in touch if you would like more information or plan to join us.

6. Keep Up with the Project

Please continue to visit the BHBG project blog for research updates, volunteering opportunities, and details of forthcoming activities. You can also follow the project on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn