NSHN welcomes new Heritage Researchers

Last week NHSN was proud to welcome our new Heritage Researchers, Rachel Anderson and Mel Tuckett. Rachel and Mel will be working with the NHSN’s archives, members and out in the community, developing the North East Nature Archive and helping develop our ‘Nature’s Cure’ project. Generously funded by NHSN members and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Nature’s Cure builds on our archives’ rich historical record of how people have encountered, experienced, and drawn comfort from nature, and adds new voices to it: ordinary people reflecting on how nature has changed them, from their back gardens and local parks to the wild landscapes of the Pennines and the North East coast.

Mel Tuckett (L), and Rachel Anderson (R)

Mel is familiar face to many at NHSN as a longstanding volunteer, both in the North East Nature Archive and as a Volunteer Ranger at Gosforth Nature Reserve. She has a background in social work and housing, particularly working with those with mental health needs and learning difficulties. She has recently completed a Master’s degree in English Literature at Newcastle University, where she won a bursary to work in their Special Collections and Archives.

Rachel Anderson is currently in the final stages of writing up her PhD in History at Durham University: her speciality is investigating how women and marginalised people experience the Plague in the seventeenth century. She has worked in the archives sector for several years, and besides her new role at NHSN is also a Special Collections and Archives Assistant at Newcastle University Library. She is passionate about uncovering inspiring stories about the social and cultural heritage of northern England, and excited to bring these skills to Nature’s Cure. Outside of work, Rachel has a deep appreciation of the natural world. She was born and raised in the North East, and spends most of her free time exploring the Tyne Valley and Northumberland Coast, usually accompanied by her two whippets. She is delighted to be joining the NHSN team, and is eager to share her passion for history and nature with the wider NHSN community.

A big NHSN welcome to Mel and Rachel!