Celebrating Heritage Across Our Communities This Heritage Open Days

Heritage Open Days returns from 11 to 20 September, offering a unique opportunity to explore England's rich history and culture through thousands of free events across the country.

As England's largest community-led festival of history and culture, the annual celebration brings together volunteers, heritage organisations and local communities to open the doors to remarkable places, many of which are not usually accessible to the public.

Whether you're interested in historic buildings, hidden local landmarks, exhibitions or guided tours, Heritage Open Days provides the perfect opportunity to discover something new right on your doorstep. Best of all, every event is free to attend.

You can explore events happening in your area by visiting the official Heritage Open Days website.

At ELM Group, we are fortunate to manage a number of historic and listed buildings across England. These properties form an important part of our built heritage, and we recognise the value of preserving them while helping people connect with the stories and history they hold.

Visit The Twitch Inn Heritage Centre, West Malling

One of our managed independent living retirement estates in West Malling, Kent, is home to The Twitch Inn Heritage Centre which served as the officers' mess for RAF West Malling during the Second World War.

Open to the public up to ten times each year, the Heritage Centre will once again take part in Heritage Open Days, welcoming visitors from 12pm to 4pm on:

• Sunday 13 September

• Saturday 19 September

• Sunday 20 September

Visitors can discover a fascinating collection of RAF memorabilia, military uniforms and displays celebrating the history of RAF West Malling and the local area. The centre is also famous for its unique wartime features, including smoke-drawn graffiti on the ceilings and cartoons created by renowned cartoonist David Langdon, offering a rare glimpse into life during wartime Britain.

The Twitch Inn Heritage Centre is a wonderful example of how historic spaces continue to preserve and share stories from the past, helping future generations understand the people and events that shaped our communities.

We encourage anyone with an interest in local history, aviation heritage or historic buildings to take advantage of this fantastic free event and explore one of Kent's hidden gems.

For more information about The Twitch Inn Heritage Centre and Heritage Open Days, visit: https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk