Kirklees Together

The Friends of Oakwell Hall & Country Park are celebrating their recent achievement of being named Group of the Year 2024 by the British Association of Friends of Museums (BAFM), which recognises and rewards the exceptional work of Friends Groups.

Eric Brown, the Vice Chairman of the Friends, accepted the award on behalf of the group during the BAFM annual conference held at the Wisbech and Fenland Museum in Cambridgeshire on October 5, 2024.

Established in 1988, the Friends of Oakwell Hall & Country Park play a vital role in supporting the management of the Grade I Listed 16th-century manor house and the surrounding 110 acres of country park. They have developed a strong collaborative working relationship with Kirklees Council, achieving significant milestones as partners.

The group has over 100 enthusiastic members who engage in various support activities, including maintaining the hall and gardens, raising funds, and assisting with site events. They also organise their own events, serving as stewards and selling refreshments. Their popular tea stall has become a regular attraction.

Some notable contributions from the Friends include raising funds to install a life-saving defibrillator, partially funding the restoration of the formal walled garden—which received royal recognition in 2005—and recently securing £1,500 in grant funding for a sensory garden at Oakwell.

The newly designed and funded ‘Moongate’ seating sculpture, created to recognise and celebrate the contributions of volunteers at Oakwell over the years, received commendation from the judges. They stated, “Your recent project to create a sculpture commemorating past members of the Friends Group is exceptional and has been acknowledged by the judging panel as outstanding.”

Roger Knights, chairman of the group and a founding member, expressed his delight about the award:

“This is fantastic news not only for the Friends but also for Oakwell Hall and Country Park. It acknowledges the strong working relationship we have developed with the site’s professional team, allowing us to achieve so much together over the years.”

Councillor Carole Pattison, Leader of Kirklees Council and Cabinet Member for Culture said:

“I am thrilled that the Friends Group has received this well-deserved award. They work tirelessly alongside our Oakwell Hall staff and volunteers to preserve the heritage, countryside, and community programmes at Oakwell. Their support is invaluable to our beloved museum and country park. I would like to thank and congratulate them on this recognition, which highlights their significant contributions.”

More information about the Friends of Oakwell Hall.

Find out more information about Oakwell Hall County Park.