Chol is thrilled to announce successful funding of £41,715 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, which supports a new, innovative new project, celebrating the extraordinary life of Ella Hudson-Gasking -…
Chol is thrilled to announce successful funding of £41,715 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, which supports a new, innovative new project, celebrating the extraordinary life of Ella Hudson-Gasking – Sheffield’s unsung industrial businesswoman who transformed food manufacturing in Britain. The year-long project is set to start in October 2024 and will spotlight the visionary director behind Batchelor’s pea-canning empire, whose legacy remains largely untold.
The National Lottery funded project will engage children, teachers and the wider public through a variety of activities that bring stories from the factory in Wadsley Bridge back to life, celebrating Ella’s legacy and demonstrating the critical role women played in shaping Sheffield’s industrial past. Chol will work with primary school children to explore Ella’s fascinating journey, exploring themes of food production, sustainability, and gender roles in industry, co-creating a Museums Playbox which will serve as a learning tool that transforms these historical narratives into a theatre performance. The project also offers a professional development programme for educators and features performances, workshops, and a mobile exhibition that will tour community spaces and showcase Ella’s groundbreaking work.
“We are honoured to have received this support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.” says Carly-Ann Clarke, Project Lead at Chol. “Ella’s Peas is not just about preserving the past but also about inspiring the future. Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players we can acknowledge Ella’s entrepreneurial spirit and social impact and ensure that these vital stories are celebrated for years to come, inspiring the next generation of change-makers.”
Helen Featherstone, Director, England, North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “We are delighted, that thanks to National Lottery players, we can celebrate the life and achievements of Ella Hudson-Gasking alongside untold stories of women workers at the Batchelors factory in Sheffield. Through engaging activities children and local communities will learn about Ella’s legacy, and important contribution to the UK’s food manufacturing, and the important role women played in shaping Sheffield’s industrial heritage.”
The project will support the regeneration of the Castlegate area, where Batchelors began canning peas, ensuring that women’s contributions are not lost as the city evolves. We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Heritage Fund for their invaluable support. By using money raised by National Lottery players, they enable projects that connect people and communities to heritage. Their vision of valuing, caring for, and sustaining heritage for everyone chimes deeply with our mission at Chol.
For more information about the project or to get involved, please contact carly@wearechol.co.uk.
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