No images? Click here Issue 488Friday 10 March 2023In this issue:
Header ImageThe header image for this issue of Heritage Update Image features our young Trustee Panel at the Charterhouse as part of Heritage Day. All rights reserved. Have you been forwarded this email? Join our mailing list to receive each issue of Heritage Update straight to your inbox every fortnight. And find out more about advertising your heritage news in an upcoming issue here on our website. Updates from The Heritage AllianceHeritage Day 2023:Thank you to all those who joined us at Heritage Day 2023 last week, whether online, in person, on Twitter or all three! This year’s event was an exploration of the skills and leadership we will need as a sector for the future, and also invited a special occasion for us to mark and celebrate the past 20 years of The Heritage Alliance. Lizzie Glithero-West, our Chief Executive, opened Heritage Day 2023 with an “excavation” of the 20-year journey of The Heritage Alliance since its founding as Heritage Link in 2002 to its position today as the largest coalition of heritage interests in England, now representing over 190 members. Lizzie emphasized the need to look ahead and for the heritage sector to continue collaborating for public benefit, seeing a future where “The Heritage Alliance will still be going strong 200 years from now." We heard from the Heritage Minister, Lord Parkinson, who emphasised the importance of heritage to communities and reflected on his own personal interest in history, arts and heritage. The Minister highlighted the value of heritage, recognising it as "an important source of economic growth and prosperity" for the country, while René Olivieri, Chair of the National Trust advocated that Heritage sector organisations “can and should exercise our collective might to do more good, to think now and long-term, and promote conservation beyond our individual boundaries.” Finally, the event was rounded off with a fantastic speech from our former Chair, Loyd Grossman CBE, who articulated that the history of the Heritage Alliance has seen it move “from strength to strength.” You can catch up on our tweets using the hashtag #HeritageDay2023 across the week on our Twitter channel @Heritage_NGOs, and you can also read Lizzie’s reflections on our keynote speeches from the Heritage Minister and René Olivieri on her own Twitter channel (@heritage_lizzie). Changes to the TeamLast week we sadly said goodbye to two of our team members. Mia Lupoli returned to Government at the end of her six-month posting with us in which she has been progressing our EDI action plan and working hard on a host of policy matters. We also wished Daniella Briscoe-Peaple the very best as she began a new engagement role in The Royal Parks on the Greenwich Park Revealed project. Danni has been the Alliance’s first Communication Manager and has really developed and professionalised our support for the sector in this space. This edition of Heritage Update is the last she worked on and also her 100th! We were, however, delighted this week to welcome Max Clark to the team as our Communications Manager. Max comes from New York originally and is a graduate of McGill University and more recently the London School of Economics, where he completed his Masters in International Social and Public Policy. He has worked in campaigns, local government, and at the OECD, and is bringing a mix of policy, communications, and advocacy experience to the position. As a former student of history, he’s enthusiastic about British history and the preservation of historic buildings and landscapes, and is thrilled to have joined us. Welcoming new members:Church of England, The Cathedral and Church Buildings Division – Core Member. The lead Church of England body for policy, advocacy and advice for church and cathedral buildings. It is the home of the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England and the Church Buildings Council. Union Chapel Project. - Core Member. Union Chapel is home to a working church, an award winning venue, a unique organ and The Margins Project for those homeless and in crisis in London. It’s a rich community where people come to revel, to worship, to listen to wonderful music, to volunteer and to find help when they need it most. There are six main groups based there all united by a love for their space and their desire to welcome people to it. Rocket Heritage and Archaeology – Affiliate Member. Rocket Heritage & Archaeology is a company that provides heritage and archaeological services for a wide range of projects across the UK. They work in both rural and urban settings, on behalf of planners, housebuilders (large and small), the renewables sector, civils, infrastructure, architects, land developers, large estates and country houses, historic buildings, land promoters, right through to an individual building an extension on their residential property (and everything else in between), helping clients with their archaeological and heritage issues. Swire Charitable Trust – Core Member. They focus their funding on regeneration through restoration and on protecting and developing the skills and knowledge that underpin the UK’s heritage sector. They also support smaller organisations that strongly engage with their local communities as well as safeguarding endangered skills. Diocese of London – Core Member. The Diocese of London is the group of Church of England organisations located north of the river Thames in London. It comprises parishes, schools, chaplaincies, missional communities and other organisations, which are united by their common Christian faith. The Diocese is overseen by the Bishop of London, assisted by Area Bishops, Archdeacons and senior staff, and administrated by the staff of the London Diocesan Fund. Its Cathedral is St Paul’s. Heritage Alliance MembershipIf you are not already a member and you enjoyed Heritage Day 2023, please take a look at our Join Us page where you’ll find testimonials from some current members. We’d be delighted to welcome you to our membership. https://www.theheritagealliance.org.uk/join-us/membership/ Ecclesiastical's Heritage Heroes Awards 2022Ecclesiastical’s Heritage Heroes Awards is a regular feature of Heritage Day. These awards, which celebrate the significant contribution of volunteers, are now in their 12th year. David Kennedy at Coombe Conduit was our 2022 Heritage Hero, and the winners of the special category for 2022, the Heritage Storyteller Award, were China Exchange History Champions. Among other things, David developed an online tour that ensured the Coombe Conduit, an ancient waterworks, was still accessible during the pandemic, while China Exchange History Champions have revealed Chinatown’s heritage through storytelling and walking tours and contributed to anti-racism work. Meanwhile, two other finalists received commendations, the Volunteer Wreck Custodians who look after 64 protected wreck sites, and A Thames Lark for engaging young people with research through an immersive event along the Thames. David Kennedy stated that, “I am deeply honoured to receive this award. I’d like to say, that over the years, I’ve been supported by many other volunteers and I wish to thank them for this.” Meanwhile, Sau Hing Au spoke on behalf of the Chinatown History Champions when she said, “We are delighted that our collective efforts to share Chinatown’s stories are being recognised and are grateful to everyone involved.” Data Gathering: Cost of Living - 3min surveyWe are still gathering as much anecdotal information as possible on the impact of the Cost -of-Living crisis for Historic England, as part of the wider case for continued energy cost support for heritage organisations. The expected end date of this project is the end of March so we would appreciate having your input by filling out this short survey. This data is compiled into fortnightly reports to capture the range of pressures and challenges the wider heritage sector faces due to rising prices and energy
costs. Topics which have been noted regularly in our evidence log include rising energy bills, staffing issues, the need to cut costs, consumer confidence and ongoing Covid recovery impacts. The deadline to fill out the survey is 4:00pm on 20 March. If you have any further information to add on the Cost-of-Living crisis please email commssupport@theheritagealliance.org.uk. Many thanks in advance for your help with this. Policy Updates
Seeking Funding/Guidance for Your Heritage Project?The Heritage Alliance is not a funding body, but we co-manage the Heritage Funding Directory with the Architectural Heritage Fund. This free resource for the sector includes a directory we have jointly collated, listing funding sources for heritage projects across the UK (and internationally), and includes some helpful guidance on fundraising. We are regularly updating existing records in the directory. If you are a funder and would like to list your fund in the Heritage Funding Directory, please follow this link to submit the details through our online form. We also welcome updates to existing entries through this form. News from the Historic Environment ForumResilience Task GroupThe Historic Environment Forum (HEF) is continuing its work on sector resilience. The Heritage Sector Resilience Plan, launched last year, sets out key priority areas of action under 5 core themes: Skills, Climate Change, Diversity & Inclusion, Strong Governance and Embedding Heritage in wider Public Policy. Organisations working in these areas are welcome to contact the HEF Team Leader and Resilience Task Group Manager to help the Forum and wider sector understand where important resilience activity is taking place. Please contact HEFtask1@historicenvironmentforum.org.uk if you have information to share. Sustainability & Climate Change Task GroupThe HEF Sustainability & Climate Change Task Group were pleased to form part of the line up for this year’s Heritage Day. Thank you to all who attended the Insight Round Table on 1st March, where guest speakers from Climate Intelligence provided an overview of carbon accounting. The Task Group has continued to grow the HEF Net Zero Resource Page: the latest webinar recording is now live on the HEF website, featuring a guest presentation from The Climate Change Committee. Rebuilding Heritage – Free Upcoming Workshops & ResourcesOur Rebuilding Heritage team is delivering further free training and resources to support heritage organisations across the sector to gain support to develop new skills and build resilience. A reminder that in March we are running three more focus groups discussing the following topics. Each focus group session will be led by an expert in their field. Participants will form small groups of 8, taking part in a 90-minute discussion.
To participate, please express your interest by email at: RebuildingHeritage@theHeritageAlliance.org.uk. Upcoming webinar: ‘Engaging your Audience on Social Media’Our upcoming webinar – taking place on 10 March (10am – 11.30am, via Zoom) will be ‘Engaging your Audience on Social Media’ with Jade Staiano. Book your place here. This expert-led webinar will cover ways to drive engagement on social media and create a content strategy, aimed at Heritage organisations for whom time and money are tight. Further Resources:The Rebuilding Team has also now shared their recent ‘Interviews with Experts’ – exploring Top 10 Tips for Heritage Business Planning in Challenging Times with Louise Emerson, and Top 10 Tips for Heritage Fundraisers in 2023 and Beyond with Gill Jolly. Find these and all other free resources developed by the project team online, via the Resources page. Share Your News with The Heritage SectorDo you have news/jobs/courses/events to share with the 6000+ heritage professionals subscribed to Heritage Update? Please use our advertiser's form to send through content (maximum 70 words) for £165 (per item, per issue), or at no cost if your organisation is a member of The Heritage Alliance. Read more in our step-by-step guide on sharing your content in Heritage Update. Government NewsOur summary of the latest announcements and guidance for the heritage sector. Headlines
DCMS & CultureLord Parkinson, Undersecretary of State for the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) Delivers Speech at Heritage DayLord Parkinson, Undersecretary of State for the DCMS, whose portfolio includes heritage, delivered a speech last week at Heritage Day 2023 held at the historic Charterhouse. Lord Parkinson reflected on heritage as “an important source of economic growth and prosperity” and stated he was looking forward to the continuation of the Heritage Alliance’s good work for years to come. The minister spoke about several heritage sector policy issues, including the Department for Education’s new cultural education plan for 2023, expressing a desire to extend blue plaques beyond London, and his interest in resolving the VAT situation that sees new buildings charged 0% VAT and repair and maintenance charged at 20% VAT. To follow the Heritage Alliance’s Twitter Thread covering his speech, click here. Lord Parkinson Confirmed as Minister for HeritageThe DCMS has now confirmed Lord Parkinson will continue to serve as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Arts and Heritage and DCMS Lords Minister. His portfolio will include arts and libraries, museums and cultural property, alongside heritage. Meanwhile, Julia Lopez has been appointed the new Minister for Media, Tourism, and Creative Industries. The Heritage Alliance will be writing to her soon to welcome her to the position as she will also cover heritage matters in the House of Commons. Parthenon Marbles DiscussionThe Chair of the British Museum has suggested that a “hybrid deal” may be possible between the British Museum and Greece over the Parthenon Marbles. George Osbourne, the British Museum Chair, suggested in a BBC Radio Interview that, “I think there is a way forward where the sculptures could be seen by both in London and Athens, and that will be a win-win for Greece and for us.” Culture Secretary encourages public to add Coronation events to digital mapWith two months to go until the Coronation, members of the public and community organisations across the UK have been invited by the Culture Secretary to celebrate this historic milestone on a digital map, designed to encourage people to add their own activities so others in the local community can find out about events near them and get involved. Treasure Law ReformThe Government is planning to expand the definition of what qualifies as a treasure. The Government has laid Statutory Instruments to reform treasure law (the Treasure Act 1996) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and update its associated Code of Practice. The change should ensure museums can acquire significant finds not currently protected by law whilst clarifying the treasure process for finders, landowners, archaeologists and others. The current definition only legally classifies newly discovered artefacts as treasure if they are over 300 years old and made of precious metals or are part of a collection of valuable objects or artefacts. The new definition would now include objects that are over 200 years old regardless of the metallic origin of the substance, so long as they provide substantial historic insight into the country’s heritage. Planning (DLUHC)City of London Planning Guidance change encourages early consideration of ‘greener’ alternatives to demolitionDevelopers will now have to carry out a detailed survey of the carbon impact of different development options prior to the submission of planning proposals in the City of London. This new requirement aims to reduce the environmental impact of building works through encouraging the reuse of existing buildings. The scheme is the first of its kind in the country and supports the City Corporation’s Climate Action Strategy. Environment (DEFRA)Designation of Marine AreasThis week three marine habitats are set to receive the highest levels of protection as the first three Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) are designated before 6 July 2023. The three sites are Allonby Bay (Irish Sea), Dolphin Head (Eastern Channel) and North East of Farnes Deep (Northern North Sea). This is intended to safeguard ‘blue carbon’ habitats to help tackle climate change, protect the feeding and nursery grounds of fish species such as cod and herring and reverse the impacts of human activity on these three areas. Natural England seeks views on extending Surrey conservation areaNatural England is seeking consultations on extending the Surrey conservation area by more than 100 sq km - up by 25 per cent. The consultation will remain open for 14 weeks, as Natural England seeks to safeguard the Government’s commitment to protect more of England’s landscapes for future generations. Stakeholders and members of the public can look below in the consultations section to find out how to participate. UK proposes measures to protect much-loved sea birdsThe Department for Environmental, Food, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has launched a consultation on proposed management measures for sand eel fishing within English waters, with the aim to reduce negative impacts on important marine biodiversity. Sand eel, small, eel-like fish, are a vital food resource for vulnerable seabirds such as puffins and kittiwakes, and their numbers have come under pressure due to industrial fishing in the North Sea. Further details on the consultation can be found below in the consultations section. Brexit & ImmigrationHome Office Resumes Migrant Worker Visa ReviewUnder pressure from numerous sectors including food, construction and tourism experiencing chronic labour shortages, the Home Office has directed the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to resume its review of the Shortage Occupation List, which determines whether migrants can acquire visas for positions in occupations that are particularly affected by the labour shortage. The Heritage Alliance will be responding and you can find more information in the Consultations section below. Government Extends Horizon Europe Guarantee scheme to bolster UK R&DThe government has announced that it will be extending the support provided to UK Horizon Europe Applicants until the end of June 2023, after the grant-donating program was slated to end by the end of February 2023. This will prolong the government’s support of the UK’s research and development sector as a continued interim measure before the UK formalises its relationship with Horizon Europe. EducationDepartment for Education Announces Planned Cultural Education Plan for 2023Nick Gibb, Minister of State for the Department for Education (DoE), has announced the DoE is planning on publishing a Cultural Education Plan in 2023 to support the arts and heritage in education in collaboration with the DCMS and Arts Council England. The Department will continue to spend around £115 million per annum in cultural education over three years, through music, arts, and heritage programmes. Sector DigestRead on for a breakdown of the latest news from across the sector. National Lottery Heritage Fund Launch of 10-Year StrategyHeritage 2033 outlines the National Lottery’s intention to invest £3.6 billion in worthy causes over the next decade. The strategy focuses on four core principles: Saving Heritage; Protecting the Environment; Inclusion Access and Accessibility; and Organisational Sustainability. It is intended that these principles will eventually underpin the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s future decisions on funding programmes and forming partnerships, and further guidance on this will be published in the Summer. Until then, funding applications should continue to use the current guidance and outcomes. You can read an overview of the new strategy here. Business Rates Savings for Museums after Lobby Group SuccessA change in the method used to calculate business rates for the majority of museums will result in substantial savings across the sector. From 1st April 2023. The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) will use receipts and expenditures to consider whether the property makes a profit, so that the rateable value can then be based on an estimation of the rent a tenant would pay to achieve this trade. Rates were previously assessed on the basis of the estimated cost of constructing like for like buildings, a method that many museums had criticised owing to the fact that large display spaces and historic properties are common in the sector. This change follows years of collective lobbying from several museum bodies, including the Association of Independent Museums [Alliance Member]. Building Improvement Grants Programme for Christian buildings launched by Benefact TrustBenefact Trust [Alliance Member] is now accepting applications for the Building Improvement Grants Programme. The grants aim to facilitate the protection and enhancement of Christian buildings. The programme marks Benefact Trust’s adoption of a different approach to grant funding that aims to address current societal issues. A new framework has been introduced that will see funding offered under the following six grant types: Community Impact Grants; Building Improvement Grants; Heritage Skills for Christian Building Grants; Methodist Grants; Crisis Response Grants; and Roof Alarm Grants. Peatland Code Version 2.0 LaunchedThe IUCN UK Peatland Programme has launched a new update to the Peatland Code, which expands its scope to include fen peatlands, among other changes, with the intention of improving the restoration and protection of the UK’s Peatlands. The Peatland Code enables landowners with degraded peatlands to generate carbon units that can be sold to companies seeking to offset their carbon emissions, with these greenhouse gas reduction claims verified by an independent body. Dame Julie Kenny DBE DL appointed Commissioner of Historic EnglandThe Secretary of State for DCMS has appointed Dame Julie Kenny as a Commissioner of Historic England for a term of four years from 2023 until 2027. A successful South Yorkshire based entrepreneur, Julie served as an Intervention Commissioner with Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council and was honoured in Her Majesty the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in June 2019 with a Damehood for her work with heritage. UK State of the Sector SurveyThe Culture, Health and Wellbeing Alliance and partners are running a UK State of the Sector Survey for everyone who is involved in doing, commissioning or supporting creative health work in the UK. They are asking for as many responses as possible to help them understand how you work and what your priorities are, and will use responses to advocate for respondents’ work, and provide more helpful resources. Results will also feed into the Creative Health Review being undertaken by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Arts, Health & Wellbeing. The deadline for responses is 5pm on Thursday 6 April. Costa Carras European Citizens Award for the Safeguard of Endangered HeritageEuropa Nostra and Elleniki Eterairia have launched a new award that celebrates the legacy of Costa Carras, who championed Greek and European Heritage over a 50-year period. The award will be presented to an individual or organisation in recognition of work done to conserve the heritage of Europe. The winner will receive a prize of € 10,000. Nominations will be accepted until 6th April 2023. See here for details. Alliance Member NewsA snapshot of the current work of our members.
ConsultationsOpen Consultations (with closing dates):
EventsUpcoming Heritage Events - Quick Look
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Notes & SubscriptionsHeritage Update is a free e-bulletin produced on a fortnightly basis by The Heritage Alliance, the voice of the independent heritage movement. You can also visit our website to access an archive of previous issues. Advertise in Heritage UpdateHeritage Update reaches an estimated 14,000 inboxes, is tweeted to our 22.9k Twitter followers, and is shared on our Facebook and LinkedIn pages. Sharing news, events, courses and vacancies in Heritage Update is free for Heritage Alliance Members, or costs £165 per ad per issue for non-members. Simply submit our online advertiser's form with the details and payment (if needed) ahead of the content deadline for an upcoming issue. The full instructions are on our website. We also welcome image-based advertising for academic courses, projects and services of interest to the sector. This costs £75 for members (to feature an 'enhanced' member news item) and £185 for non-members. Schedule of forthcoming issues:
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 Heritage Update. Seeking Funding/Guidance for Your Heritage Project?The Heritage Alliance is not a funding body, but we co-manage the Heritage Funding Directory with the Architectural Heritage Fund. This free resource for the sector includes a directory we have jointly collated, listing funding sources for heritage projects across the UK (and internationally), and includes some helpful guidance on fundraising. We are currently updating existing records in the directory. If you are a funder and would like to list your fund in the Heritage Funding Directory, please follow this link to submit the details through our online form. We also welcome updates to existing entries through this form. Support The Heritage AllianceA donation to The Heritage Alliance will help us to champion, inspire, catalyse and support the independent heritage sector. Thank you. Contact UsChief Executive Communications Manager (Heritage Update Contact) Head of Policy & Communications Head of Development & Membership A full list of our staff contact information can be found here on our website. Unsubscribe?If you no longer wish to be on the mailing list for Heritage Update, please scroll to the very end of this email and click 'Unsubscribe'. 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; Heritage Open Days; Wessex Archaeology; The SPAB; National Historic Ships UK. Details of the header image are listed at the top of each issue. |