The National Trust led Heritage Open Days is a national festival held each September to celebrate the heritage of culture throughout the country. This amazing festival has been running for 30 years and just gets bigger and bigger every year.
To celebrate the 30 years of the festival. Heritage Open Days decided to create an Anniversary Gallery showcasing a diverse range of the locations and events that make the festival such a rich cultural occasion. A number of locations were shortlisted for this gallery and the 30 places were allocated through a public vote across the country.
The Heritage Open Days Team held one of their Regional Workshops for those locations and events considering taking part in Heritage Open Day at Preston Masonic Hall. They were bowled over by the welcome they received. The hall even put out the Heritage Open Day bunting for the day. After the workshop, many attendees who were not Masons enjoyed a tour of the whole building. Sarah Holloway, the Heritage Open Days Programme Manager wanted Preston Masonic Hall to take part in the Anniversary Gallery selection project. Group vice chairman David Parker was invited down to London to an Anniversary Celebration event where this vote was launched.
Sarah was also delighted that Preston Masonic Hall plays an enthusiastic role in the festival and particularly likes the imagery used in the listing for Heritage Open Day events. Preston Masonic Hall and Preston Masonic Group are bursting with pride after first being nominated and then, following the public vote, to have been included in the Heritage Open Days Anniversary Gallery. The hall is the only venue in Preston to have been included, so the aim was to make Preston proud. It is also the only Masonic Hall in the country to feature.
The hall and the group had great support from the local community in garnering the votes needed. The Mayor of Preston personally endorsed the vote and cast the information as to how to vote ‘far and wide’. Support also came from the Harris Museum in Preston, an institution close to Masons hearts in Preston. The great relations that Masons have built with local media outlets also helped as they spread the word that the Hall wanted to ‘make Preston proud’.
The hall was originally selected because of its history and collection of unique artefacts. Preston Masonic Hall is celebrating 80 years on the Saul Street location this year. But the organisers of Heritage Open Days were also impressed by the way the hall connects with the local community. Sarah said: “Loving that you made it to the final gallery, could not be more delighted when I saw the results. So pleased for you and for us, I really wanted a Masonic hall in there, and after experiencing the welcome you provide for the community earlier this year at the workshop, I couldn’t have wished for a better representative.”
Preston Masonic Hall takes part in the Heritage Open Day Festival every year. As part of that event, the art décor ballroom is devoted to local artists and photographers to curate a free exhibition. At the same time, Masons give tours of all the Masonic rooms to the general public. This makes the whole day a community event. The hall will be taking part in Heritage Open Day this year on Saturday 7 September.
As a community asset, Preston Masonic Hall is available to the public for weddings, parties and other events. People enjoy the quirky and unique features of the building. In addition, the hall is used by a number of community and charitable groups.
Link to Heritage Open Day Anniversary Gallery Anniversary Gallery (heritageopendays.org.uk)
Link to Preston Masonic Hall HOD listing PRESTON MASONIC HALL – 80 YEARS ON SAUL STREET (heritageopendays.org.uk)