Working alongside heritage experts from the University of Nottingham, the charity has now been registered with the Charity Commission (No. 1215937) and has appointed a board of trustees bringing together representatives from the club and city, historical specialists and lifelong supporters. The working group has also begun recording oral histories with key figures connected to the club, started cataloguing historical items already in the club’s possession and developed an initial framework to identify and catalogue memorabilia held by supporters, private collectors and other organisations.

Progress has also been made towards relaunching the club’s Hall of Fame, which has remained inactive since Les Bradd’s induction in 2019. A proposed restructuring will allow supporters to regularly nominate and vote for new inductees, helping ensure those who have made outstanding contributions to the club receive the recognition they deserve.

Ian Roberts, Chair of Trustees, said: “As one of several passionate Notts supporters involved in Notts Heritage 1862, I’m acutely aware of the club’s unique standing in football and how crucial it is for our status as the world’s oldest professional club to be properly acknowledged and celebrated not only by the club, but by football fans around the world.

“The level of engagement we’ve received from heritage experts – many of whom specialise in areas beyond football and sport – reflects Notts County’s immense historical significance.

“Together with my fellow trustees and the wider working group, they have helped lay the foundations for Notts Heritage 1862 to thrive, and I’d like to thank everyone involved for their hard work, passion and dedication.”

Roberts said the charity is now in a position to broaden its engagement with supporters as it develops its short-term objectives.

“Our efforts mean we are now able to increase our engagement with supporters on several of our short-term objectives. We want to ensure that this charity organisation is fan-focused both in terms of how it is organised and most importantly, the engagement with our fans.

“We have already recorded a series of pilot oral-history interviews with lifelong supporters. The learnings from these will help us build a wonderful archive of memories from former players, managers, club staff, supporters and others with historical connections to the club.

“With the long-term aim of opening a museum, some of these interviews will be available for visitors to watch – and the content can also be used on the club’s digital channels to help bring some of Notts’ amazing stories to a new and younger audience.”

Alongside collecting personal stories, the charity is developing a comprehensive heritage archive to safeguard the club’s unique history.

“We are also working hard to establish the best process for cataloguing key historical items held by the club, supporters, private collectors and other organisations, so we can work towards building a full, physical heritage archive that helps us tell the unique story of the club.

“We’re currently preparing an appeal that would enable these groups to initially make us aware of what they have, with the hope that certain items could be loaned or even donated to the charity.

“Before launching that appeal, it’s essential that we develop a robust and trustworthy framework – and the advice and support of the University of Nottingham’s collections and archives experts has been crucial.”

Supporters who believe they own items of historical significance are being encouraged to keep them safe while the charity finalises its processes.

“We encourage anyone who believes they may have items of interest to consolidate what they possess and await a further update. Please refrain from bringing anything to the club at this stage, as we are currently unable to accept items. We’ll provide a further update when appropriate.

“We also look forward to sharing more information about how supporters can contribute to the Hall of Fame, which has sadly fallen by the wayside in recent years. Fans, alongside the club and the charity, have a crucial role in ensuring individuals who have made outstanding contributions to Notts County are recognised appropriately.

“As previously mentioned, the development of a museum at Meadow Lane remains a top priority. As well as providing a destination for fans, local people and schoolchildren to immerse themselves in our incredible history, we believe it could significantly enhance Nottingham’s appeal to visitors.

“As Notts Heritage 1862 continues to grow, we intend to maintain close dialogue with local authorities to ensure Nottingham and the wider area can truly benefit from the club’s rich heritage – whether through increased visitor numbers or a strengthened sense of local pride in being home to one of the oldest institutions in world sport.

“We will then explore ways of telling the club’s story nationally and internationally, ensuring Notts County’s place in football history is recognised, understood and celebrated far beyond the boundaries of Nottingham.”

Notts County CEO Joe Palmer added: “Notts Heritage 1862 is doing vital work to protect and elevate the story of this very special football club.

“We explicitly wanted to ensure that the organisation was a fan-led charity working closely with the club but managed independently.

“Our history is one of our greatest assets and the progress made so far shows just how powerful it can be when supporters, experts and the club pull in the same direction.

“As the charity continues to grow, we will do everything we can to support its ambitions – ensuring our heritage is not only preserved but used to inspire future generations and strengthen the club’s place on the world football stage.”