Bradford College Students Produce Podcasts on Local Heritage

Creative Media students create a four-part series on Calverley Old Hall

Students from Bradford College have recently completed a podcast project focused on the history and restoration of Calverley Old Hall. The initiative was part of their Level 3 Diploma in Creative Media studies and involved collaboration with the Landmark Trust, which manages the historic site.

Project Overview

In October 2025, the students visited Calverley Old Hall, where they received a guided tour and an introduction to the building’s history, the Calverley family, and the Landmark Trust’s restoration efforts. Following this, they worked together to research, write scripts, record, and edit a series of podcasts aimed at sharing the site’s stories with a wider audience.

The project was integrated into their radio and podcasting module, providing practical experience in media production. While the assessment focused on their technical skills rather than historical accuracy, the Landmark Trust praised the students for effectively bringing the stories to life.

Podcast Series Details

The resulting series consists of four episodes, each exploring different aspects of Calverley Old Hall:

• Episode 1: The Calverley Family before 1550
• Episode 2: The Calverley Family after 1550
• Episode 3: The Development of the Building Through the Ages
• Episode 4: Community Engagement on the Landmark Trust Project

Educational Benefits

The project offered students the opportunity to apply classroom learning to a real-world context, developing skills in research, storytelling, audio production, interviewing, and communication. A Creative Media tutor commented on the experience, highlighting the value of working on an external brief and engaging with a client, which added depth and relevance to their studies.

This collaboration reflects Bradford College’s focus on providing students with employer-led experiences that prepare them for careers in the creative industries. By meeting client expectations and producing content for a public audience, students gained insight into professional media production processes.

Availability of Podcasts

The Landmark Trust has published the completed podcasts on its website, allowing the students’ work to be shared as part of a nationally recognised heritage project. The restoration of Calverley Old Hall and the accompanying podcast series were supported by funding from National Lottery players.

For those interested, the podcasts can be accessed through the Landmark Trust’s website.