The following was written by the Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives (AGRA)

DATE: 2 September 2021

AGRA is pleased to announce two new appointments to the organisation. Jane Roberts will undertake the role of Communications Officer. Joe Saunders has been appointed to the role of Social Media Officer. Both are new, permanent posts.

Jane is a history graduate and AGRA Associate. In addition to her genealogy work, she is a former family history columnist for Yorkshire nostalgia magazine Down Your Way. She also edited the Huddersfield and District Family History Society journal. Her book about rugby league players who died in the Great War was published in 2018. Previously she was a civil servant, in a role which had a significant communications element.

Joe works as a freelance historian on family, house and local history research projects. He is an Associate of AGRA and a Trustee and Outreach team member of the British Association for Local History. Joe is also a part-time history PhD student at the University of York. He has run social media accounts for university groups, a digital humanities project and for The Federation of Family History Societies.

Antony Marr, AGRA Chair, said: “We are constantly looking at ways to move AGRA forward and develop our on-line presence and cope with the growing demands of social media. I welcome the appointment of Jane and Joe to these important roles – the first step in a package of changes currently being planned by our marketing and recruitment team.”

Both appointments are with immediate effect.