Following 2023’s successful Civic Voice Spring Convention in Halifax, we are delighted to welcome civic societies from across the country to Wakefield for the 2024 Spring Convention.

This year, the theme will be ‘regeneration’ – how do we regenerate our cities and towns in these challenging times? Across the Wakefield district, both heritage and culture are being used to transform local places, to bring new life, new interest – and new money – into the area – and local civic societies are playing their part in working with the local council, developers, businesses and others to bring about change.

Civic Voice is partnering with Wakefield Civic Society and YHACS (the Yorkshire and Humber Association of Civic Societies) to organise this unique event in Wakefield, long known as ‘the Merrie City’.

With a fascinating history and examples of built heritage that span from medieval times to the present day, there is much to see across the city centre. Of particular interest will be the Westgate HIgh Street Heritage Action Zone, a 4-year £4m + project funded by Wakefield Council and Historic England together with local business owners to refurbish some of the significant heritage properties along this key route into the city centre.

We hope you will join is for a full programme of activity that includes tours of the city centre and an evening dinner on Friday, 12th April, and a one-day Convention focused on ‘Heritage and Cultural-led Regeneration’ on Saturday, 13th April.

Our line up of guest speakers will offer local and regional perspectives on these subjects and will consider how civic societies across the country can use their knowledge, expertise and influence to help shape their own towns and cities.

The event is open to anyone interested in these themes – you do not need to be a member of a civic society to attend.

The Programme

Friday afternoon:

Our programme begins on Friday afternoon at 2pm when members of Wakefield Civic Society will be organising walking tours of the city centre for anyone attending the Saturday Convention. The tours will focus on the Westgate Heritage Action Zone project, due to be completed in March 2024. Details of the meeting place and tour options will be sent to anyone booking this part of the programme. There is no charge for the tours. The Westgate Heritage Action Zone will feature in the Saturday morning session at the Convention.

Luggage can be left at the meeting point (to be advised) to collect at the end of the tour.

Friday evening, 12th April:

To be held at Create Café, which will be transformed into a restaurant for the exclusive use of Convention delgates. Doors open at 7pm for a drinks reception followed by guest speaker Helen Featherstone, Director of England, North, National Lottery Heritage Fund, at 7.30pm. At 8pm, a three-course dinner with wine will be served, followed by tea/coffee.

The ticket price includes your welcome drink, a three-course meal with tea/coffee , and wine on the table with your meal.

A menu will be emailed to anyone booking a place for the dinner to enable personal selections to be made and any special dietary needs will be catered for as far as possible.

Saturday, 13th April:

Meeting at CAPA College, a new, purpose-built college for the performing arts, for tea/coffee from 9.30am, the Convention will start at 10am when we shall hear from a range of guest speakers including representatives from Wakefield Council, developers Rushbond, Historic England, a local artist and others to be confirmed, as well as Wakefield Civic Society, YHACS and, of course Civic Voice, in what will be a busy, but informative and entertaining day.

A buffet lunch and afternoon tea/coffee will be provided with the Convention coming to a close at 4pm.

The Venues:

The venue for the Friday evening dinner will be Create Café based on the lower ground floor of Wakefield One, the Wakefield Council building. Just a few minutes’ walk from Westgate Railway Station, by day it is a busy café but, for our event, it will be transformed into a cosy restaurant.

A welcome drink and wine with the meal are included in the price but there will also be a bar for anyone wishing to purchase additional drinks. Wakefield Civic Society make good use of the venue having held a number of dinners there – the food is highly recommended!

On Saturday, the Convention will be held in the Mulberry Playhouse, a theatre within CAPA College, a specialist Creative and Performing Arts College for students aged 16-19 which opened in September 2022 and scooped a Wakefield Civic Society Design Award shortly afterwards. The building is located on Mulberry Way, directly opposite Westgate Railway Station.

For more information, visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/civic-voice-spring-convention-2024-tickets-815223725107?aff=ebdsoporgprofile