Aims and Values

  1. Design, perform, and contribute to expert research for application in sectors beyond academia.
  2. Promote historical methodologies and work towards their integration in interdisciplinary research.
  3. Contribute to radical or progressive projects with the potential to have demonstrable material benefits in communities.
  4. Reclaim contentious sites, objects, and issues, for the benefit of communities.
  5. Develop new career routes for researchers, supporting young people in developing new skills and security.

Who we are

Dr James C. Ford (PhD, MA, Ba, AFHEA)
Director

James completed his history PhD in 2017, at Liverpool. James has researched and taught a wide range of subjects, from history to philosophy and theology, at Liverpool, Manchester, and Oxford. He has archaeological experience across Lancashire, and worked for Lancashire Museums on a variety of technical, exhibition, research, comms, and policy and procedural work. He has written on art, linguistics, religion, and politics; local, modern, and ancient history; working class, LGBT, disability, and feminist history. His most recent publication is Atheism at the Agora: A History of Unbelief in Ancient Greek Polytheism (2024, Routledge).

Ben Jones (MA)
Senior Consultant

Ben has spent thirteen years within the heritage sector working with archaeology, numismatics, decorative arts, and industrial salvage, with written and oral histories. He has extensive experience of retrospective documentation and digital records management, and policy and procedure. Ben has other competencies in the use of A/V equipment, music and radio production and recording, composition techniques, and video and image editing. He also works in arts and crafts, particularly with ceramics, glass, and horticulture.

Alexa Thompson (BTC, LLM, GDL, BA)
Legal researcher

Alexa completed her Bar Training Course and was called to the Bar by The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple in November 2023, and is currently a pupil barrister at a Chambers in Manchester. Alexa completed the LLM in International Human Rights Law at the University of Leeds (Dist); following on from completion of the Graduate Diploma in Law at BPP. Alexa studied Theological Studies in Philosophy and Ethics at undergraduate level (1st Class, Hons). Alexa has a range of experience in the not-for-profit advice sector: at Citizens Advice as a Debt Adviser; at Mind as a Housing and Welfare Rights Worker; and she provides pro bono representation to clients in the Employment Tribunal with the Free Representation Unit. She has worked with forensic geneticists advising defendants and convicts in US death row cases.