Oral History Project Lead, Sharing Stories project

Trent Park House, in Enfield, is recognised by Historic England as being of significance on a par with Bletchley Park. One of London’s grandest houses, it was home to the ‘Secret Listeners’ during WW2- a story that has remained hidden in the house for over 70 years.

This project will recruit and train local Volunteer Historians, nurturing heritage skills and building a volunteer network for future activity; and create new digital content, increasing access to at-risk heritage and growing online audiences through increased social media activity. The project will also embed the Secret Listener story into Enfield primary schools aiming for it to be studied annually.

Through adopting a co-created approach to the collection of oral histories and other materials for the Sharing Stories project, the team will work closely with heritage partners and local communities, particularly those with migrant heritage, to build local relationships and exchange skills.

The project will widen audience reach and provide deeper insights and opportunities for learning about this largely hidden history. Crucially, through the collection of oral histories and other materials for inclusion online, the resource will form part of a new and important archive documenting the lives and work of these extraordinary men and women.

Working closely with the Volunteer Manager and other team members, you will play a crucial role in leading the oral history project, collecting oral histories, ideally both in audio and video format, from those with a personal connection to the history of Trent Park House as well as helping to forge new and sustained relationships with local communities through participation projects.

Time period: April 2026 to January/February 2027 (over c.10 months)

Budget: £14,000 (£350/day x 40 days) plus additional £1,400 to run the training sessions