Films shows group's work for town

Bolsover Civic Society has had a film produced which chronicles its 37-year history protecting and restoring the town's heritage.
NDET 16-7-13 RKH 1 Bernard Haigh from Bolsover Civic Society campaigning to save the greenfield land.NDET 16-7-13 RKH 1 Bernard Haigh from Bolsover Civic Society campaigning to save the greenfield land.
NDET 16-7-13 RKH 1 Bernard Haigh from Bolsover Civic Society campaigning to save the greenfield land.

The film features interviews with members of the society and the community and footage of the many precious landmarks they have conserved.

Society member Josh Ludlam is featured in the film telling viewers how he sees it as a vehicle for change.

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Josh says: “Bolsover is often considered an invisible or dormitory town. I disagree.

“There is a lifeblood of passion surging through the streets and I believe that Bolsover Civic Society drives improvements in our town.”

One such improvement, and the catalyst for the creation of the society, was the campaign to save a historic row of shops in Bolsover Market Place.

The plan was sparked in the late-1970s when civic society founder Bernard Haigh discovered the district council was planning to demolish the classic magnesium limestone buildings as part of plans for a carpark.

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“They were quite important buildings,” Bernard tells the film-makers.

“I had seen them on the 1634 map of Bolsover and they are the oldest commercial buildings in the town.

“And I thought, ‘perhaps we could change the council’s mind.’”

So Bernard organised a public meeting in the library which was attended by more than 100 people and by 1981 they had been completely restored.

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The film, called Bolsover Civic Society Building A Legacy, also features interviews touching on the restoration of the town’s Conduit Houses behind Bolsover Castle and the revamp of an original colliery truck used in Bolsover Colliery.

For more on Bolsover Civic Society visit http://www.bolsovercivicsociety.org.uk.