Bideford’s Chope Collection being brought to life for a new generation thanks to Heritage Fund grant.
On 1st May Libraries Unlimited and dBs Pro announced a £176,351 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for Bideford Retold, a 12-month project to revitalise the Chope Collection held in Bideford Library and bring it to life for young people across North Devon.
The Chope Collection is a regionally significant archive of around 500 books bequeathed to the people of Bideford by local historian and folklorist Richard Pearse Chope. Chope’s passion for North Devon was captured in a favourite line by Hilaire Belloc: “One’s native place is the shell of one’s soul.” Without this funding, the collection would remain largely unknown, and its fascinating local stories and histories would be unheard by the communities they belong to.
Bideford Retold will empower young people aged 12–21 to discover and reinterpret their heritage, building pride and belonging. The project will breathe new life into the collection through new displays, interpretation panels and an inclusive, co-created digital experience developed by dBs Pro, the in-house creative studio of dBs Institute of Music. Using creative technology, dBs Pro will design an interactive space within Bideford Library where new audiences can encounter local stories in immersive and unexpected ways, beyond the page and into something they can experience first-hand.
Over 12 months, the project will deliver a programme shaped and driven by local young people. From the outset, they will have opportunities to share ideas and influence the direction of the work, with creative practitioners and advisors brought in to demonstrate how history and local knowledge can spark new and original creative work.
The project is a partnership between Libraries Unlimited and dBs Pro, working in collaboration with Space Youth Services, Bideford College and University of Plymouth. Together, they aim to increase the number of young people engaging with Bideford Library and generate insights into how libraries can remain relevant to young people’s lives. The project is also supported by The Bideford Bridge Trust who have contributed to funding the project.
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