Thursday 25 March 2021

Updates from The Heritage Alliance

Key Reminders for Next Week

Next week, on 1 April, the Heritage Digital consortium will be hosting its next big online event, #HeritageDigitalNow - this time on the topic of Engaging Digital Audiences. The event is free and open to all.

And don't forget that applications for Round 4 of our Rebuilding Heritage programme are open - and the deadline is 11pm, Tuesday 30 March 2021.

Heritage Day 2021 - Catch Up

This week we held our annual signature event Heritage Day. Thank you so much to those who were able to join us. 

We heard from our Chief Executive Lizzie Glithero-West, as well as Sir Laurie Magnus, Chair of Historic England and Caroline Dinenage MP, Minister of State for Digital and Culture. Lizzie's speech included a video from our team, outlining the events of the past year, you can watch it here.

For a recap of the event, you can visit the Heritage Alliance Twitter page @Heritage_NGOs or search for the hashtag #HeritageDay2021.

Our next issue of Heritage Update will have further links and follow up to our fantastic digital Heritage Day. 

Ecclesiastical's Heritage Heroes Awards - Winners

Heritage Day 2021 ended with the awarding of the 2020 Heritage Heroes Awards. We were delighted to announce that the winners for this year are:

Heritage In Lockdown Heroes

WINNERS: Alexandra Park litter picking volunteers - for their work in clearing the huge amounts of rubbish dumped by park visitors over periods of lockdown, where there was a huge increase in people using this historic parkland.

HIGHLY COMMENDED: the North Leigh Roman Villa Volunteers, for the difference they have made in linking heritage sites with their community during the pandemic, and Dave Hagen for his regeneration and event work on the  Heritage Trust of Lincolnshire's Holbeach Royal Observer Corps Underground Monitoring Post project.

Supporting the Sector in Lockdown Award 

WINNER: Alex Page, volunteer at English Heritage [Alliance Member], for his work as Chair of the Safety in the Historic Built Environment Group – a network of heritage organisations across the UK welcoming over 20m visitors a year, he has shared best practice and supported others struggling with Covid-19. 

Digital Heritage Hero Award 

WINNERS: Astrid Gillespie and Paul Hamilton, of the Friends Group of All Saints, East Horndon, for their resilience and ingenuity when their beautiful church, All Saints in East Hornton made the news when an illegal rave was held in the church. The rave resulted in damage to the fabric of the building and significant litter. Their quick thinking in setting up a Just Giving page and advertising it through Facebook enabled them to smash their initial funding target of £2,000 and raising over ten times that through over 1120 public donations.

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Alex Clark, volunteer at the Holy Trinity Church, Sunderland, cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust [Alliance Member] and David Parr House Volunteer House Guides, who have bravely undertaken training to provide highly personalised tours digitally, via a 3D model of the House.

Share Your Heritage News, Jobs & Events

We've updated our advertiser form to allow advertisers to state in which issue/s they would like to place an advert. Alliance members can advertise with us for free, and non-members can place an advert for £165 (per ad, per issue).

Want to advertise a job, course, event or news item in Heritage Update? Find out how on our website.

Policy Updates

This fortnight:

• Changes to our team - this week, we are sadly saying goodbye to Katie Ramsey, our Advocacy & Communications Officer, who will soon be starting a great new role as Public Policy Officer at The National Trust.

• A reminder that we produced a summary of the 2021 Budget, outlining key details for heritage.

• The Alliance and our Spatial Planning Advocacy Group have signed a letter from the Joint Committee on Local Listing and responded to the NPPF and National Design Model Codes Consultation

• Our CEO, Lizzie Glithero-West, joined the Historic Religious Buildings Alliance and the new Heritage Minister, Caroline Dinenage, at the Big Update

• The Covid Roadmap continues, with people able to meet in groups of 6 outside from Monday. Feed back your thoughts on the Covid Status Certification.

• The consultation on subsidies, closes soon. 

Our New Website

We are so excited to have launched our new website, which will make it easier to find our advocacy documents and publications and keep up to date with our work and news from our members and the wider sector.

The Heritage Alliance is a small, independent, membership-based organisation. As we grow more resilient, we invite organisations to join our membership and inform our advocacy work to ensure that we are listening to as wide a range of voices across the sector as possible. 

To find out more about membership, please contact Delphine, our Development & Membership Manager on development@theheritagealliance.org.uk.

Heritage Recovery Plan

A reminder that the HEF (The Historic Environment Forum) Covid Task Group has worked closely with Historic England to compile a Heritage Recovery Plan for the period from April 2021.

#HeritageChat

On 16th March 2021 #HeritageChat provided an opportunity to talk about ‘Local Heritage & Local Listing’. Participants  debated topics such as: how to facilitate a meaningful participation of local communities; what criteria should be considered for listing; what level of protection should be granted to locally listed assets; what role the LPAs should have, and what are the main issues they may face. The chat was led in collaboration with the CBA [Alliance member]. You can read the full summary of the chat here.

The next #HeritageChat, on Tuesday 20th April 1-2pm (UK time), will discuss ‘The Future of Volunteering’. You can add here the questions you would like to see discussed.

To find out how our monthly Twitter #HeritageChat works, please see instructions here. Do you need a diary scheduler to remember when #HeritageChat takes place? Download it here for Outlook and for Google calendar!

Help Us Improve #HeritageChat

Don’t forget to fill this short survey to help us improve #HeritageChat – it will take 2-3 mins and your opinions and experience will help us shape the future of #HeritageChat!

Heritage Counts Research Published

The new Heritage Counts report 'Know your home, know your carbon: reducing carbon emissions in traditional homes' was launched at Heritage Day this week.

The report, published by Historic England on behalf of the Historic Environment Forum, aims to support and empower the people who look after our historic buildings. It shows the power of small behaviour changes and the need to recycle and reuse our buildings first to reduce carbon emissions.

Duncan Wilson, Chief Executive of Historic England said:

“Our buildings are important sources of embodied carbon, so we know we must reuse them, rather than demolish and rebuild. From small behavioural changes to larger energy efficiency improvements this new research demonstrates that we can greatly reduce the carbon footprint of our precious historic homes, whilst maintaining what makes them special.”

Modelled examples in the report show that carefully retrofitting our historic homes can lead to substantial carbon savings in the long term. Adrian Olivier, Chair of the Historic Environment Forum said:

“Urgent action to combat climate change is among the 2030 United Nations Global Sustainable Goals. To be effective, action must be taken at every level and by everyone, not just Governments - we are all responsible and we can all contribute - collectively and individually. Empowering people to retrofit their home in a more sustainable way will be a major step on our collective journey to net zero.”

One week to go until #HeritageDigitalNow – Engaging Digital Audiences

On 1 April, The Heritage Alliance’s National Lottery Heritage Fund supported Heritage Digital project will be hosting their next big online event, #HeritageDigitalNow; this time on the topic of Engaging Digital Audiences.

Held between 9:15am and 1:45pm and featuring 4 webinars, a discussion panel about digital audiences and money, and a keynote from Andrew Henderson of Heritage Open Days, this event is free to anyone working, volunteering or freelancing in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland’s heritage sector.

Heritage Digital webinar recordings

We make the recordings of all of our live webinars available on the project portal. Here are a few recent webinars you might have missed:

• Brexit, Data Protection and Heritage: What You Need to Know – view recording
• Brexit, Intellectual Property Rights and Heritage: What You Need to Know – view recording
• Getting Started With Creating Video Content – view recording

Apply for Round 4 of the Programme by Next Week

Round Four of our Rebuilding Heritage programme is the broadest offer of the programme and will include new group training on financial literacy, digital marketing and workplace inclusion, in addition to offers of support in business planning, communications, fundraising, legal issues, leadership and wellbeing.

Applications close at 11pm, Tuesday 30 March.

Government News

Headlines:

• New Round of CRF Funding Announced
• 'Tax Day' Announcements - The Governments consultations on creating a simpler tax system
• Launch of Heritage Counts
• Queen's Speech - 11 May

Funding Announcements

• £1 million of DCMS funding is being awarded to boost digital development in heritage organisations.

COVID-19

The specific heritage sector guidance has now been updated (as of 15 March): Heritage locations - Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19).

The latest guidance also includes:

• Lockdown Rules [updated]
• International Travel [updated]
• COVID-19: Guidance for small marriages and civil partnerships [updated]
• Hotels and Guest Accommodation [updated]
• Visitor Economy Guidance [updated]
• Environment Agency Boating Guidance [updated]
• Educational Gatherings (details of exemptions)
• VAT Deferral New Payment Scheme [updated - to include businesses on the VAT Annual Accounting Scheme and the VAT Payment on Account Scheme]
• Restart Grants (available to non-essential retail businesses and businesses in the hospitality, accommodation, leisure, personal care and gym sectors)
• Free Workplace Testing For All Businesses
• Events Programme - Terms of Reference for the Events Research Programme have been published.
• Lateral Flow Test Sites - Online postcode checker
• Updated Additional Restrictions Grants information 
• Further information on weddings in Stage 2

Social Impacts & Sentiment Tracking

• Impact of Coronavirus on the Economy - new ONS report
• Weekly Social Impact Survey - ONS
• Latest IATA Consumer Confidence Poll
• The BVA-BDRC Sentiment Tracker shows Britain is increasingly optimistic about the coronavirus crisis outlook (sign up to receive them here)
• ALVA Attractions Recovery Tracker Wave 7
• DfT Travel Tracker - Wave 3
• CMA Analysis of Complaints
• ONS Statistical Analysis Q4

• The World Health Organisation is workin with the art world on a global campaign confronting the mental health toll of the pandemic

Funding

• The Welcome Back Fund has been announced - £56 million to boost tourism, improve greenspaces, outdoor seating areas, and market and food stall pop ups. 

• The guidance on the Additional Restrictions Grant has been updated to specifically include tourism and events businesses that are not eligible for other grants

• Jerwood Arts has announced a £1m donation to support freelancers in the arts currently facing financial difficulty.

• Please check the Covid-19 Hub to see which grants are still available

Government Announcements

The next Queen's Speech will be held on the 11 May.  The Queen’s Speech will set out the Government’s agenda for the next session and its plans to build back better from the pandemic and level-up opportunities across the country.

The National Bus Strategy has been announced - looking to 'Bus Back Better' in the Covid 19 recovery

Brexit & Immigration

Check our Brexit Hub for the latest Brexit guidance that is relevant to the heritage sector. Alliance Members can continue to inform us with your questions and concerns.

The Brexit FAQ Trello Board from the Historic Environment Forum remains open as a resource for the sector.

This Q&A gives further detail on the UK's participation on Horizon Europe, and the draft work programme which includes opportunities relating to cultural heritage, museums, creative industries, languages and climate change.

New information on travelling for work in the EU is available here.

You can also read our latest briefings and papers on Heritage, Brexit and Immigration on our website.

Planning

• The National Planning Policy Framework and National Model Design Code: consultation proposals closes to responses on 27 March
• Measures to support the safe reopening of hospitality, in relation to planning regulations

Environment & Agriculture

• DEFRA - Environmental land management schemes: overview
• DEFRA - Sustainable Farming Incentive: expression of interest [updated]
• A reminder that applications are open for Round 2 of the Green Recovery Challenge Fund

Other News

• The Charity Commission has found that the National Trust [Alliance Member] did not breach charity law with its research into the links between its properties and histories of slavery and colonialism

Sector Digest

Read on for a breakdown of the latest news from across the sector.

We'll be back with this next time!

But do see the consultations section below.

Alliance Member News

A snapshot of the current work of our members.

Consultations

Open Consultations:

• MHCLG - NPPF and National Model Design Code: consultation proposals - 27 March
• DEFRA - Local Factors in Managing Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk & Property Flood Resilience - 29 March
• Covid Status Certification Review - 29 March
• BEIS - Subsidy control: designing a new approach for the UK - 31 March
• MHCLG - The Future Buildings Standard - 13 April
• BEIS - UK internal market: the continuity of exclusions from the principles of mutual recognition and non-discrimination for services - 23 April
• DEFRA - Amendments to the Flood Re Scheme - 26 April
• Independent Review of Destination Management Organisations - 28 Apr
• DEFRA - Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive - 7 May
• DfT - Public Transport Ticketing Scheme - 24 May
• HM Treasury - R&D Tax Reliefs: consultation - 2 June
• Historic England - Historic England’s Draft Industrial Heritage Strategy - 7 June
• BEIS -  Private Rented Sector minimum energy efficiency standards - 9 June
• DCMS  - Improving broadband for Very Hard to Reach premises - 11 June
• Home Office - Protect Duty (how the Protect Duty can make the public safer at publicly accessible locations) - 2 July

Tax Day Consultations

The government has today published a series of tax documents and consultations in a move to strengthen policymaking and help create a more trusted, simple and modern tax system.

The full list of consultations is available here.

COVID-Status Certification Review - Call for evidence

The Government is seeking views on the role of Covid-status certification in the UK’s recovery from the pandemic. The Cabinet Office has published a call for evidence to ensure that the review considers a broad range of interests and concerns.

Deadline: 29 March 2021

Subsidy Control: designing a new approach for the UK

Following the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020, the UK has the freedom to design a new domestic subsidy control regime that reflects our strategic interests and particular national circumstances. This consultation invites views on the best way to design a bespoke approach to subsidy control. The government is seeking thoughts on any additions to the principles underpinning the regime, as well as any subsidies which should be excluded from the commitments to these principles.

Deadline: 31 March 2021, 11.45pm

Independent Review of Destination Management Organisations

An independent review to assess how Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) across England are funded and structured, and how they perform their roles, in order to establish whether there may be a more efficient and effective model for supporting English tourism.

Deadline: 28 April 2021, 11.45pm

Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive: ensuring a stable scheme

This consultation sets out proposals for the closure of the domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (DRHI) scheme and seeks to propose reform administration, consumer experience, management and value for money. 

Deadline: 7 May 2021, 11.45 pm

Public Transport Ticketing Scheme Block Exemption: call for evidence

This call for evidence is seeking views of the effectiveness of the public transport ticketing scheme block exemption. Seeking evidence on the objectives intended to be achieved by the public transport ticketing scheme block exemption and the extent to which those objectives are achieved.

Deadline: 24 May 2021, 11.45pm

Historic England’s Draft Industrial Heritage Strategy

This consultation is on Historic England’s draft Industrial Heritage Strategy. The Strategy sets out the key priorities for their internationally important industrial heritage to be delivered by Historic England usually in partnership with others.

Deadline: 7 June 2021

Non-domestic Private Rented Sector Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards: EPC B implementation

Responses to the earlier consultation raised issues with how existing minimum energy efficiency standards have been implemented, so in this consultation BEIS have set out proposals to improve the implementation, improve enforcement, ensure the policy can be delivered in practice

Deadline: 9 June 2021, 11.45pm

Improving broadband for Very Hard to Reach premises

Through this call for evidence, the Department of Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) wants to hear views and experiences of consumers’ broadband connectivity in rural and remote areas of the UK. In addition, DCMS would also like to receive information on both the known benefits of broadband services and the current barriers to deployment and take-up.

Deadline: 11 June 2021, 11.45pm

Events

Upcoming Heritage Events - Quick Look

• 29 March: CPD – Introducing Building Survey for Retrofit, IHBC
• 30 March: Welsh Gardens and the Grand Tour, Georgian Group
• 1 April: Saving St Denis: a transformation in East Hatley, SPAB online lecture
• 1 April: Heritage Digital: Heritage Digital Now: Engaging Digital Audiences
• 6 April: Follies: An Architectural Journey , Georgian Group
• 13 April: The English Landscape Revolution, Georgian Group
• 13 April: CPD Session - Materials, SPAB

• 14 April: Conservation challenges in the post-industrial North East, SAVE Britain's Heritage

• 19 April: Permeability and the Picturesque: British Country Houses at the Turn of the Nineteenth Century, Georgian Group

• 20 April: CPD Session - Services, SPAB

• 21 - 23 April: CIfA Online Annual Conference

• 22 April: Rethinking Place, Production & Power - showcasing the creative re-use of old buildings, SPAB

• 28 April: New Design for Old Buildings in Wales, SPAB

• 2 May: AoHE Extra Ordinary Motor Gathering 'OMG'
• 4 May: Sir John Soane's Fascination with Napoleon Bonaparte, Georgian Group
• 13 May: Construction Summit Conference and The Construction Awards of Excellence, Chelsea Harbour Hotel, London
• 22 - 23 May: Online symposium: Georgian London Revisited, Georgian Group
• 15 June: Brighton's Development as a Seaside Resort between c.1750 and 1830 - Causes and Consequences, Georgian Group

• 15 June: Humble Heritage Workshop - Repair of Flint Walls, SPAB, Lewes, East Sussex

• 28 - 29 June: Humble Heritage Advanced Workshop - Lime Production, SPAB, Old House Project, Kent

• 7 September: Tour of St Anne's Church, Limehouse, SPAB, London

CIfA Online Conference: Defining Digital Accessibility

How do we make our work findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable? Find out more in the Defining Digital Accessibility session at the CIfA online: Annual Conference from 21 – 23 April. The conference will incorporate sessions, keynote addresses and training workshops on topics such as planning, equality & diversity, online engagement and public benefit – early bird pricing will end next week on Wed, 31 March.

Jobs

Salaried

Canal & River Trust - Kickstart Opportunities

The Canal & River Trust [Alliance Member] has secured government support to create dozens of opportunities in heritage repair and construction, and waterways management, for young people, funded by the Department for Work and Pensions.

Find out more on their website.

Notes & Subscriptions

The voice of the independent heritage movement, Heritage Update is a free e-bulletin produced on a fortnightly basis by The Heritage Alliance.

Advertise in Heritage Update

Heritage Update now reaches some 14,000 inboxes and is Tweeted to over 21k Twitter followers as well as shared on our Facebook and LinkedIn pages.

Advertising vacancies in Update is free to Alliance members and costs £165 per ad per issue to non-members. We also welcome image-based advertising on our side-bar for academic courses, projects and services of interest to the sector.

More information about advertising with us can be found on our website.

Schedule of forthcoming issues:

• Issue 440 - Thurs 8 April (content deadline: Fri 2 April)
• Issue 441 - Thurs 22 April (content deadline: Fri 16 April)
• Issue 442 - Thurs 6 May (content deadline: Fri 30 April)
• Issue 443 - Thurs 20 May (content deadline: Fri 14 May)
• Issue 444 - Thurs 3 June (content deadline: Fri 28 May)

If you wish to use or quote from items in Heritage Update, you should always check the accuracy and current position with the source. The Heritage Alliance cannot guarantee the accuracy of (or accept any responsibility for) the contents of Update.

Become a Sponsor for Heritage Update

As we work to improve Heritage Update as an important resource for the sector, we are currently developing sponsorship packages for the new and improved Heritage Update.

Sponsors of Heritage Update receive a package of benefits including having their name and logo displayed on our website, having their logo displayed at the top of each issue of Heritage Update, and receiving recognition for their contribution to the sector in our communications about the newsletter.

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of Heritage Update, please email development@theheritagealliance.org.uk.

Support The Heritage Alliance

A donation to The Heritage Alliance will help us to champion, inspire, catalyse and support the independent heritage sector. Thank you.

Contact Us

Chief Executive
Lizzie Glithero-West [Mon-Thurs]
lizzie.glithero-west@theheritagealliance.org.uk

Head of Policy & Communications
Hannah Shimko 0207 233 0700
policy@theheritagealliance.org.uk

Advocacy & Communications Officer [Mon, Tues & Wed] - Update Contact
Daniella Briscoe-Peaple 0207 233 0800
comms@theheritagealliance.org.uk

Development & Membership Manager
Delphine Jasmin-Belisle 0207 233 0600
development@theheritagealliance.org.uk

A full list of our staff contact information can be found on our website here.

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Heritage Update is produced by The Heritage Alliance, with thanks to our generous sponsors the Historic Houses Foundation.

Image credits (in order of appearance): The Landmark Trust; Waterloo Uncovered; English Heritage; The Ragged School Museum; Heritage Open Days, The SPAB, National Historic Ships UK.