In 2025, we delivered a programme of Sporting Heritage online webinars, bringing together people working across archives, museums, clubs and community groups. Over 467 people joined us online across the year. #SportingHeritage #HeritageSkills

The 2025 Sporting Heritage Award Winners showcase the wealth and breadth of work safeguarding sporting heritage for current and future generations ✨Celebrating Women’s Sporting Heritage Award Winner: Penny Miles for her work with Gŵyl Wal Goch

Thinking of taking a New Year’s Day dip tomorrow? 🥶 Cold-water swims are a huge part of 1 January in the UK, but the tradition is surprisingly hard to trace. Multiple countries claim the origins, and the ritual has appeared around the world for well over a century.

Tickets got!

Interested in developing research projects or looking for inspiration? Join us with the @BritSportHisSoc on 5 Feb 2025 at @Heritage_Quay, Huddersfield. A day of panels, networking & exploring partnerships across sports history + sporting heritage. Free booking: tinyurl.com/44vm2tsw

How did Boxing Day sport become such a big British tradition? The roots go all the way back to 1860, when Sheffield FC and Hallam FC played what’s considered the first inter-club football match on Boxing Day, a 2–0 win for Sheffield. It set the tone for what would become a festive season fixture.

Fancy a little Christmas Eve sporting history fact? In 1914, during the First World War, British and German soldiers famously stepped out of their trenches on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to exchange greetings, sing carols and even play an informal game of football.

Living Heritage UK submissions are now open until 27 March 2026. Sports + games are included in the new national inventories; make sure your sport is represented. Set up by the UK, Wales, Scotland + Northern Ireland after joining the UNESCO Convention.

The 2025 Sporting Heritage Award Winners showcase the wealth and breadth of work safeguarding sporting heritage for current and future generations. Please join us in celebrating the Asian Sporting Heritage Award. BEAP Community Partnership

So what happened to football on Christmas Day? For decades, Christmas Day was a huge fixture in the football calendar. In the late 19th and early 20th century, there was often a full programme of matches on 25 December, followed by another on Boxing Day.

Another roundup as we ease into a brand-new year. We're still buzzing from all the energy around NSHD and want to thank everyone who helped make the day so special. Here are just a few highlights we loved:

The 2025 Sporting Heritage Award Winners showcase the wealth and breadth of work safeguarding sporting heritage for current and future generations. ✨ Celebrating Disability and Neurodivergent Sporting Heritage Award British Deaf Association

Why does Boxing Day football exist? In the UK, 26 December has long been one of the biggest days in the football calendar, but the tradition began long before the professional game.

As we get ready to welcome a new year (how fast did 2025 go?!), we’re looking back at one of our favourite moments: Sport & Fashion Month. It gave us such a fascinating look at how sportswear has evolved. @LowerBlock @TheAtlantic @BBCNews

The 2025 Award Winners showcase the breadth of work safeguarding sporting heritage for future generations. Thank you to everyone involved. ✨ Celebrating the LGBT+ Sporting Heritage Award Winner: National Motor Museum, Beaulieu

Our exhibition 'Racing Pride: Celebrating the LGBTQ+ Community in Motorsport' has won the category of ‘Celebrating LGBTQ Sporting Heritage’ at the Sporting Heritage 2025 Awards: nationalmotormuseum.org.uk/news/racing-... #SHAwards2025 @racingpride.com @sportingheritage.bsky.social

A new display celebrating the achievements of Welsh sportswomen has opened in the Life is…gallery at St Fagans National Museum of History

Did you know the first Football League match ever played on Christmas Day took place on 25 December 1889? It was a Division One fixture between Preston North End and Aston Villa at Deepdale, marking the beginning of what would become a long-standing festive football tradition.

Strengthening skills, networks, and confidence across the sporting heritage sector 💪 With National Lottery Heritage Fund support, we’ve strengthened the skills, networks & confidence of those working to protect the UK’s sporting heritage.

This year, we were overwhelmed by the incredible activity taking place across the UK, celebrating, sharing, and protecting sporting heritage. The quality of nominations was staggeringly high, and we wish we could offer an award to everyone.

With The National Lottery Heritage Fund's support, we’ve been able to back 40+ grassroots sporting heritage projects helping local clubs, archives and community groups protect and share their stories. #SportingHeritage #HeritageFund #SportingStories

Thank you to everyone supporting sporting heritage across the UK. We're proud to start spotlighting the winners of the 2025 Sporting Heritage Awards. Celebrating Black Sporting Heritage Award Winner: @WimbledonMuseum, Arthur Ashe Exhibition

Are you using your sporting heritage collection to connect and inspire? A well-managed collection isn't just something to protect, it's something to share, activate and celebrate. Your community, whether defined by geography, shared interests, or a common purpose, can be part of that journey.

Protecting the nation’s sporting stories 🏆With support from @HeritageFundUK and National Lottery players, we’ve been safeguarding sporting collections at risk while championing the stories, objects and memories that might otherwise be lost. #sportingheritage #heritagefund

What an incredible night at the Sporting Heritage Awards 2025 ✨ A huge thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate the remarkable work happening across the UK to protect, preserve, and champion our shared sporting heritage.

Absolutely humbled that our team won the Sporting Heritage 2025 volunteer award for the Voice of the Fans exhibition. With thanks to everyone who supported us and @leedslibraries.bsky.social and @britishlibrary.bsky.social for their patronage #SHAwards

It’s awards night! 🏅#SHAwards

📬 Stay connected to the world of Sporting Heritage! Want to be the first to hear about awards, funding, event updates and new podcasts? Our newsletter is the best way to stay up to date with everything happening across the sector.

Stronger, clearer and more resilient 💪Thanks to investment from the @HeritageFundUK and National Lottery players, we’ve strengthened the core of Sporting Heritage, clarifying who we are, refining our governance and extending our team so we can target support where it’s needed most. #sportingheritage

Celebrating the Sporting Heritage Research Award 🏆 The countdown is on! In less than a week, the annual Sporting Heritage Awards will return, taking place on Thursday, 13th November at Headingley Stadium, Leeds.

🎙️ Dive into the world of sporting history with our podcast series! From project highlights to conference insights, we cover it all. Explore our Sporting Heritage podcasts recorded as part of our projects, annual conference, or National Sporting Heritage Day activity.

“Sports are a mirror to society.” Our Collections at Risk Study Day explored why sporting archives matter & what we can do to protect them....

Innovation meets heritage at the Sporting Heritage Awards! On 13 Nov, we’ll be recognising the people & organisations who keep the nation’s sporting stories alive. This week, we’re spotlighting the Celebrating Digital Innovation in Sporting Heritage Award. #SportingHeritage #DigitalInnovation

Would you benefit from talking through an idea, tackling a challenge, or seeking advice from someone who understands the sporting & heritage world? Our mentoring offer is here to support individuals & organisations keeping sporting stories alive. #SportingHeritage #HeritageSupport

Roots, Rucks and Resilience. As part of a Sporting Heritage Community Grant, Sideline Assembly CIC has been exploring the stories & experiences of women & girls in rugby across Sussex. Set against the backdrop & sometimes the shadow of the Women’s Rugby World Cup it's been an eye opening journey...

The countdown to the Sporting Heritage Awards is on! On 13 Nov, we’ll be celebrating the people & organisations who keep the nation’s sporting heritage alive. This week, we’re spotlighting the Celebrating Community Sporting Heritage Award. #SportingHeritage #SportingHeritageAwards

Spotlight! ⚡️ Museum of Richmond is celebrating Four Trailblazing Sportswomen from West London — just in time for the Women’s Summer of Sport 2025. See their trophies, stories, and legacy — and celebrate the women who made history in sport. 📍 Museum of Richmond, Old Town Hall 🎟 Free entry

Behind every great sporting heritage project, there’s passion, community & often just a little bit of funding to make it possible. 💙 That’s why we’re proud to deliver an annual community grants programme supporting organisations across the UK. #SportingHeritage #CommunityGrants

Cardiff City FC Community Foundation are working to create the club’s first dedicated museum! The Remembering the Past, Preserving the Future project is bringing together fans, former players, and volunteers to collect memorabilia and photographs that capture the spirit & social history of the club.

This #NSHD2025 @WomenInRugbyLG celebrated the incredible history of the women’s game, from the pioneers of the 1980s to the Lionesses who’ve made history on the world stage. They teamed up with @literacykicks, bringing the story of the trailblazing 1996 Great Britain #Lionesses into schools.

The Sporting Heritage Awards celebrate the people & organisations who keep the nation’s sporting heritage alive! As we build up to 13 Nov, we’re spotlighting the Celebrating Women’s Sporting Heritage Award. #SportingHeritage #SportingHeritageAwards #WomensSport

#SportAndFashion courtesy of Fitzwilliam Museum, @romseymill.bsky.social and @cambridgeunited.bsky.social in celebration of #BlackHistoryMonth

At Sporting Heritage, hosting workforce events is at the heart of what we do. They provide tools, case studies & insights—but just as importantly, they create connection. A space where ideas are shared, confidence grows & friendships are made. 🤝

A new exhibition that tells the story of Women’s Rugby League for the first time has opened at the University of Huddersfield. The Pioneers: Women in Rugby League reveals the hidden history of the sport through rare archival treasures. Discover more via our blog🔗 tinyurl.com/3934ahrf

A big shout-out to Hearts Heritage for marking #NSHD2025 with a brilliant Live Transcribathon event at the Hearts Museum! Hearts Heritage invited volunteers to join their community challenge to help transcribe historic Club minute books, some dating back to 1896–98.

As we gear up for the Sporting Heritage Awards on 14 Nov at Headingley Stadium, Leeds, we’re celebrating the people & organisations who keep the nation’s sporting heritage alive! 🏆 These Awards shine a light on the work, stories & collections shaping communities across the UK. #SportingHeritage

Thanks to partners Bayfirth Research CIC, @sportingheritage.bsky.social & Cricket Scotland, a small part of 'Catching History' was published this week - access it at www.bayfirth.co.uk/women-s-cricket-research. Director Dr Fiona Reid & Cricket Scotland Partners.(Credit:Cricket Scotland/Ian Jacobs)

Celebrating the people & organisations who keep the nation’s sporting heritage alive! 🏆 Sporting heritage is about people, places & stories—and the positive impact they have on wellbeing, education, identity & community pride. #SportingHeritage #SportingStories

A huge thank you to @CastleHouseMuseum for celebrating #NSHD2025 with a brilliant day of free, football-themed fun for all the family, hosted within the walls of this historic Dunoon landmark.

The #SportingHeritage Awards are coming on 13 Nov! First up: Celebrating Sporting Heritage Volunteers. Volunteers are the backbone of our sector, protecting stories & collections for the future. 👏 Big thanks to all who give their time & passion! #Volunteers