‘Work as a team to protect heritage sites,' says Shropshire councillor

Councillor Nicola Lowery, also a member of the board of trustees at World Heritage UK says the Government needs to work on a collective vision to promote the country's most beautiful and important places for years to come.

It comes after the World Heritage UK third annual conference was held at the Ironbridge Gorge Museums.

The Gorge, and the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, are the two World Heritage Sites local to Shropshire.

The conference is a joint conference organised by The Ironbridge International Institute for Cultural Heritage at the University of Birmingham, World Heritage UK and the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust.

The Ironbridge International Institute for Cultural Heritage and University of Birmingham in association with World Heritage UK held a special international meeting to discuss research and global policy, and how to pass on the values of World Heritage sites on the first two days.

This was then followed by the conference, which ran until yesterday, and allowed attendees to discuss how to get the message out about World Heritage.

This joint event took place within the Ironbridge Gorge which, in 1986, became one of the first UK sites to be awarded World Heritage Status by UNESCO.

At the conference delegates heard from some of the most influential leaders in heritage.

Sessions looked at communicating with governments and the public sector, how to talk to business and funders, and address the needs of young people and communities, as well as how groups communicate with each other.

Speakers included Suhair Khan from the Google Cultural Institute, Duncan Wilson CEO of Historic England, Lizzie Glithero-West, CEO of the Heritage Alliance, Paul Simons, a partner in the Great Spas of Europe, and Judy Ling Wong, President of the Black Environment Network.

Councillor Lowery, borough councillor for the Ironbridge Gorge at Telford & Wrekin Council chaired the fourth session on communicating to business and funders and introduced the CEO of Blenheim Palace Dominic Hare and Andy Crofts, Heritage Director at Chris Blandford Associates.

She said: “It is becoming increasingly clear that the UK must continue to aspire for a more coherent approach to World Heritage Sites to ensure they are better known and understood.

"This is a fundamental part of WH:UK’s vision and one I imagine many of us share.

"DCMS is the lead government department on World Heritage issues and is responsible for ensuring that the UK as a State Party fulfils its obligations under the World Heritage Convention.

"However, we need the government to establish a clear agenda for World Heritage Sites and build a collective vision for World Heritage in the UK.

"This coordinated approach will assist in securing a more sustainable form of funding by ensuring that the outstanding universal values within our sites can be provide inspiration and present opportunity to businesses and funding streams to allow us continue to enhance and protect our sites to be enjoyed by all.

“Within this I do feel as though closer relationships need to be forged with the private sector and on clearly communicating the value and potential of World Heritage Sites to businesses and investors to ensure we engage and secure investors that will lead through innovation and sensitively deliver successful projects across tourism, housing, infrastructure and establish businesses that will enrich and sustain our sites for generations."