Members of Ackworth and District Heritage Group, which formed in 2000, work tirelessly to celebrate and maintain historic features in the area.

Restoration of an 18th century obelisk outside Ackworth School is expected to start this month as part of a long-running group project to return three such monuments in the village back to their former glory.
Chairman Pauline Lockett said: "I'm passionate about Ackworth, I can't think of anywhere else I would live, and there are so many things here worth preserving.

"We are in a climate now where lots of buildings are being pulled down everywhere and we are trying to preserve what we can for future generations.
"Our group motto is to promote, project and to preserve Ackworth's heritage – change is coming and it is a problem.
"I do wish Ackworth could stay more or less as it is now.
"One thing we do really need is a bypass although someone has said, if you get a bypass, you get a town."

Another project the group is working on, with Ackworth Parish Council, is moving a rare red public telephone booth from Wakefield Road to behind the Bell Lane parish rooms.
Three rescued tenter poles – metal stumps which were historically used to dry fleeces and skins – have also been installed on Doncaster Road. Mrs Lockett added: "We'd like a commemorative plaque to mark the tenter poles and are trying to locate one.

"The obelisk project is very important. Ackworth School's obelisk was a bus stop when I was a little girl and it will soon have a new globe back on top with railings around.
"It's a grade two listed structure which was probably used as a milestone as the letters on it are at the height a horse and coach would be.

"This year we also hope to repaint the railings around 19th century village character John Gully's grave and produce a DVD of Ackworth's past and present.
"English Heritage has also asked us to work with it on restoring a dovecote in Sharlston, which is a real honour."
l Ackworth Heritage Group is holding an open evening at the Bell Lane parish rooms on Thursday January 29 at 7.30pm. All are welcome to attend.