Saving Bletchley Park How #socialmedia saved the home of the WWII codebreakers

In 1939, Alan Turing’s bombe machine—the most advanced method used to crack the Nazis’ Enigma code—was born at Bletchley Park. But at the turn of the 21st century, the only cracks were the ones running through the walls, and the huts where teams of codebreakers had changed the course of WWII were crumbling to the ground.

At the most crucial turning point of the war, Britain’s bravest and most inspiring citizens were the lifeblood that pulsed through the veins of Bletchley Park. Here, thousands of men and women contributed to the effort that saved our nation and inspired future generations with their work in the fields of computing and technology.

As Dr Sue Black walked through its fast-disappearing huts and hallways, she asked herself one question: who would save Bletchley Park?

This question galvanised Sue and hundreds of volunteers to use technology in a remarkable new way, sparking a social media campaign that would help bring recognition to its veterans, secure its future and transform it into a world-class heritage centre.

This is the story of the campaign that saved Bletchley Park and an inspirational testament to the remarkable men and women whose work made it a place worth rescuing.