EAST Riddlesden Hall has been given an award for its work bringing families together.

The National Trust property regularly hosts special educational sessions involving children, their parents and grandparents.

A team of 15-plus volunteers, many of them retired teachers, work with the families on fun history sessions using the hall’s exhibits.

Activities over the past 12 months have won the hall a Community Award for Commitment to Family Learning from Bradford Council’s Children's Service.

The 17th-century manor house beat other district attractions such as the National Media Museum in Bradford, and the council’s own library service, to gain the accolade.

Sherry Hollingdrake, the hall’s planning officer, said the award recognised the team’s enthusiasm for the sessions, and their support for the council’s family learning programme.

She said: “Families can learn how to work and play together. It’s a lot of fun. It’s about them loosening up and learning to enjoy each other’s company.

“They can dress up as Tudors and learn what it was like to live 400 years ago, or do Forest School activities like bug hunts.”