The PLACE Education & Research Centre has been an independent charity since 2004. PLACE has a virtual office based at York St John University in York, where we can receive mail or e-mails.
PLACE is governed by a Board of Trustees. The Chief Executive is Dr Margaret Atherden.
PLACE is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (registered charity no. 1106814).
Our Charitable Objectives
- To promote research into the people, landscape and cultural environment of Yorkshire and elsewhere and to disseminate the useful results for the benefit of the general public.
- To advance the education of the public in the people and the natural and cultural heritage of Yorkshire and elsewhere.
Objectives of PLACE:
- Sponsoring, facilitating or undertaking research projects related to the people, landscape and cultural environment, primarily of the historic county of Yorkshire and of Yorkshire and the Humber (‘Yorkshire’), both independently and in collaboration with other organisations.
- Liaising and forming partnerships with other organisations concerned with the environmental and cultural heritage primarily of Yorkshire, and cooperating with them in research and conservation initiatives.
- Organising conferences, displays and events to increase public appreciation of the natural and cultural heritage of Yorkshire and elsewhere.
- Running day schools, short courses and field visits to educate the general public about the people, landscape and cultural environment of Yorkshire.
- Producing written or electronic publications, visual and audio media or other products to disseminate the results of research on the people, landscape and cultural environment of Yorkshire.
- Selling publications and other products in order to raise funds to further the charitable objects of PLACE.
PLACE Trustees
- Philip Mander (Treasurer)
- Susan Lee
- George Sheeran (Chair of the Board)
- Colin Speakman (Deputy Chair)
- Nancy Stedman
- Angela Clark
- Ben Garlick
PLACE Annual General Meeting
PLACE holds an AGM in a different location each year, usually as part of a day of activities and field visits for members and their friends. The 2024 AGM was held in York on 13th April. The minutes are available via the link below:
At the AGM each year, members receive the annual report and accounts for the previous year. Our 2023 annual report and accounts may be viewed by clicking the link below:
ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2023 final
The 2025 AGM will be held at York St John University on Saturday 12th April.
Partner Organisations
PLACE has partner organisations, with whom we organise joint events from time to time:
- City of York Council
- Council for British Archaeology
- Campaign to Protect Rural England (North and East Yorkshire)
- Environment Agency
- Forestry Commission
- Friends of the Dales
- Historic England
- Historic Towns Forum
- Huddersfield & Halifax Geographical Association
- Natural England
- North York Moors National Park Authority
- North Yorkshire County Council Heritage Unit
- South Yorkshire ECONET
- The Yorkshire Society
- University of Bradford
- University of York
- York St John University
- Yorkshire Archaeological Society
- Yorkshire Dales Landscape Research Trust
- Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority
- Yorkshire Farming and Wildlife Partnership
- Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union
- Yorkshire Philosophical Society
- Yorkshire Vernacular Buildings Study Group
- Yorkshire Wildlife Trust
Place Fellows
Independent researchers working in Yorkshire are sometimes invited to become Fellows of PLACE. They collaborate with us in some of our research projects and sometimes publish their work through PLACE.