Advocacy timeline
Trustees of the Heritage Crafts Association give their time freely and voluntarily to work for heritage craftspeople and everyone concerned about continuing the traditional skills which are so important for us as individuals and also for our economy.
Heritage Crafts for England alone have a GVA of £4.4 billion, which is the same as the petrochemical industry, and have almost 210,000 practitioners (source: Mapping Heritage Craft: The Economic Contribution of the Heritage Craft Sector in England, BIS 2012).
Doing what we do on your behalf is only possible through your support. Every penny of your £20/£40 subscription goes directly to working for heritage crafts. Please join us now to help in this work, every membership makes a huge difference to what we are able to do.
November 2014
- Robin Wood and Pat Reynolds met with members of the Heritage Funding Roundtable.
- Robin Wood and Pat Reynolds attended the launch of the Manifesto for Craft Education.
October 2014
- Patricia Lovett and Pat Reynolds met with Emily Cherrington (HRH The Prince of Wales’ Assistant Private Secretary), Elizabeth Buchanan (Advisor on countryside matters and Chair, The Princes’ Countryside Fund) and Helen Aldiss (Director, The Princes’ Countryside Fund).
August 2014
- The first Save our Skills project – wooden laddermaking – started with two days of filming
- Robin Wood spoke on BBC Radio’s Mark Forrest show about the problems faced by young people wanting a traditional craft career
July 2014
- Working with Furniture Village, endangered crafts were highlighted in the Metro newspaper and BBC online
- Robin Wood and Pat Reynolds met with Professor Geoffrey Crossick, Crafts Council Chair.
- Pat Reynolds attended a meeting at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London to discuss future projects
- Supported the NSEAD Manifesto for Art, Craft and Design Education.
June 2014
- Contributed to the Manifesto for Crafts Education
- Pat Reynolds met with Ruth Nutter to discuss co-operation on the Ruskin in Sheffield programme.
- Patricia Lovett met with Emily Cherrington, Prince of Wales’ Assistant Personal Secretary
May 2014
- Patricia Lovett met with Florian Schweizer (new CEO, NADFAS)
- Patricia Lovett attended the Craft Industry Board, which brings together government departments and craft bodies.
- Responded to the government consultation on Apprenticeship funding reform in England: payment mechanisms and funding principles
- Pat Reynolds attended a meeting at the University of York to discuss research in to craft significance and endangerment
April 2014
- Pat Reynolds met with Helen Maclagen, Director of UNESCO-UK to discuss living heritage
- Patricia Lovett met with the Prince of Wales’ Assistant Personal Secretary
March 2014
- Pat Reynolds attended launch/workshop of Crafts Council’s Education report
- Pat Reynolds met with other craft bodies and craftspeople to create a new Apprenticeship and associated assment framework, as part of the second round of Trailblazers for the Department for Business, Innovation and Science.
- Greta Bertram attended meeting at the Heritage Lottery Fund to discuss their programmes for Intangible Cultural Heritage
- Robin Wood met with Derbyshire County Council, who are keen to support craft businesses.
February 2014
- Robin Wood met with our major funder, the Headley Trust
- Patricia Lovett met with several prestigious London stores to discuss a potential project
- Robin Wood and Patricia Lovett met with Gwyn Owens, Head of Creative Economy (DCMS) and Viscount Younger, Junior Minister at BIS
- Responded to the DCMS consultation on the future of English Heritage, with a call for the continued support of building crafts, and expansion of the support for all intangible cultural heritage
January 2014
- First HCA-supported National Honours announced
- Patricia Lovett met with APT, a social enterprise who have developed qualifications in millinery
- Robin Woodand Patricia Lovett met with Viscount Younger, Junior Minister at BIS, Philippa Hobson of the Craft Industry Board and Gwyn Owens, Head of Creative Economy at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
December 2013
- Pat Reynolds met with universities interested in research into craft
- Pat Reynolds met with other craft organisations to consider Trailblazer apprenticeships
November 2013
- Robin Wood represented UK crafts at the International Folk Crafts Expo, China
- Lord Cormack, HCA Patron spoke in the House of Lords on the difficulties facing craft apprenticeships
October 2013
- Making Matters : Marketing Makers event took place despite storms sweeping the south-east
- HCA resources for teachers launched
September 2013
- Robin Wood and Patricia Lovett met with Philip Spedding of Arts&Business to discuss funding for craft training.
- Final report for Mapping Heritage Crafts published.
- Patricia Lovett took part in a regular meeting of the Crafts Industry Board. The Crafts Industry Board brings together government departments and non-governmental organizations with an interest in the crafts industry. The board is independent but administered and facilitated on behalf of the sector by Creative & Cultural Skills.
August 2013
- Greta Bertram presents an award-winning paper on traditional craftsmanship as heritage in the UK at the Sharing Cultures 2013 conference on intangible cultural heritage in Aveiro, Portugal.
- Pat Reynolds provided advice on two potential new TV projects.
July 2013
- New suite of HCA Heritage Craft Awards launched.
June 2013
- Daniel Carpenter co-presented crafts consultation day at St Fagans National Museum of Wales.
May 2013
- Daniel Carpenter and Greta Bertram staffed the HCA stand at Basketry and Beyond festival – funded by a Heritage Lottery Fund grant (application supported by the HCA).
- Craft Skills Awards – a partnership between the HCA and other organizations supporting crafts.
February 2013
- Pat Reynolds started as the first HCA full-time administrator with funding from the Headley Trust and Tedworth Trust.
November 2012
- Mapping Heritage Craft report launched at the RSA.
- Greta Bertram represents HCA at the first meeting of the ICOMOS-UK Intangible Cultural Heritage scientific committee
May 2012
- The HCA NADFAS Grant 2012: Support for an Apprentice or Trainee is launched. Applicants can apply for up to £5,000 to suppport them in learning a traditional craft skill.
- Tanya Harrod represents HCA on the selection panel for the Cockpit Arts/NADFAS Award.
- Hank Dittmar, Chief Executive, and Edith Platten, Education Manager, The Prince’s Foundation for Building Communities meets Robin Wood and Patricia Lovett from HCA.
- Jocelyn Cunningham, Director of Arts and Society, the RSA, meets with Robin Wood and Patricia Lovett.
- Clara Arokiasamy, Trustee ICOMOS meets with Robin Wood and Patricia Lovett.
April 2012
- Initial working group meeting for Icon’s National Conservation Education and Skills Strategy (NCESS) and Strategy Launch at the Clothworkers’ Hall. Greta Bertram representing HCA.
- HCA Committee and Patrons given tour of Gieves and Hawkes, to see some of the apprentices on the Savile Row Bespoke scheme, kindly arranged by Mark Henderson, Deputy Chairman Gieves and Hawkes.
- First meeting of the National Crafts Skills Awards at CCSkills. Patricia Lovett representing HCA.
March 2012
- Over 200 guests attend HCA Spring Conference at the V&A. Speakers: Emma Bridgewater, Lida Cardozo Kindersley, Ele Carpenter, Robin Wood and Stuart Mitchell.
- First Marsh Awards for Heritage Crafts presented to winners Wayne Parrott (Trainer category) and Jim Portus (Volunteer category).
- Online Craft Directory developed by HCA Committee member Steve Golemboski-Byrne, HCA Trustee Daniel Carpenter and HCA Administrator Sally Dodson launched on the new look www.heritagecrafts.org.uk
- Emily Hodges, Senior Head of Accreditation and Training, The Prince’s Trust meets with Patricia Lovett from HCA.
- Martina Milburn, CEO, The Prince’s Trust meets with Robin Wood and Patricia Lovett.
February 2012
- Heritage Heroes television series presented by John Craven airs on BBC2. Featuring many craftspeople that HCA had suggested to the show researchers, including boat builder Gail McGarva and knife maker Stuart Mitchell.
- HCA reach over 300 members amongst its Friends and Affiliated Groups.
- David Bell, Danny Bonwitt and Karen Pratt from the National Association of Decorative and Fine Art Societies meet with Chris Rowley and Sally Dodson from HCA.
January 2012
- Sir Tom Shebbeare, previously responsible for The Prince’s Charities, meets with Robin Wood and Patricia Lovett from HCA.
- Guy Salter, Deputy Chairman, the Walpole Group meets with Robin Wood and Patricia Lovett.
- Baroness Garden meets with Robin Wood and Patricia Lovett.
- HCA are invited to sit on the Craft Advisory Board, organised by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
- Cockpit Arts, the creative business incubator, agree to work with HCA to put on a Marketing Workshop at the end of the year.
December 2011
- Greta Bertram represents HCA at a charity seminar held at Clothworkers’ Hall.
- Sally Dodson represents HCA at the Heritage Alliance AGM and seminar hosted by Lloyd Grossman.
November 2011
- HCA organise the first meeting of the Skills working group to take forward ideas and issues raised at the Skills Forum held earlier this year.
- HCA become a partner for the Cockpit Arts/NADFAS Award, to be implemented in 2012.
- Inception meeting of the Heritage Craft Research steering group held at CC Skills. Greta Bertram representing HCA.
October 2011
- Greta Bertram represents HCA at World Skills event, London.
- Following lobbying from HCA, Creative and Cultural Skills initiate crafts mapping project, that will include traditional crafts.
September 2011
- First e-newsletter for HCA Friends is published. Membership now at 250.
August 2011
- Applications open for the first ever Marsh Awards for Heritage Crafts.
July 2011
- HCA exhibit at prestigious craft event ‘Art in Action’ and HCA Chair, Robin Wood is invited to give a talk.
June 2011
- Complete Councils Survey Report by HCA Trustee, Greta Bertram, is published.
May 2011
- HCA host a Skills Forum in London. Over 100 craftspeople and organisations came to discuss how craft skills can best be passed onto the next generation. Event kindly sponsored by The Balvenie.
March 2011
- HCA Spring Conference with Professor Tanya Harrod, Alex Langlands of the BBC Edwardian Farm programme, and makers at the V&A.
- We have also had meetings and/or detailed talks with over seventy craft associations, and are currently following up as many others of the rest that we can contact.
January/February 2011
- Meeting with Skills Minister John Hayes.
- Meeting with significant leaders in the world of heritage and craft, organised by Lord Cormack.
November 2010
- Meeting with Caroline Felton, CEO, Creative & Cultural Skills.
- Meeting with John Edwards, English Heritage lead on skills.
- Meeting with Andrew Sich, Head of Policy & Corporate Affairs, City and Guilds.
- Meeting with John Taylor, Livery Company Skills Council.
- Meeting with John Penrose, Minister for Tourism and Heritage. Mr Penrose issues statement recognising crafts as ‘valuable parts of our heritage’.
- Appointed first Administrator Sally Dodson, funded by the Headley Trust.
- Sheffield Metal Trade Audit meeting to agree scope and staff appointed.
August 2010
- Patricia Lovett represents HCA on the CCS committee formed to take the Crafts NOS to the next stage.
- Robin Wood meets with Sheffield City Council to initiate survey into metal trade skills.
- Robin Wood speaks at Carpenters Fellowship annual Frame event.
July 2010
- Robin Wood represents HCA at the Norfolk Show.
- Meeting with Sir Patrick Cormack.
- Unofficial meeting with Theresa May, Home Secretary, with follow-up information sent.
- Awarded £15,000 for two years from the Headley Trust for an administrator.
- Frank Hassard gives HCA presentation: Intangible Heritage – ideas, challenges, opportunities to heritage and culture conference with representatives from the Cameroons, UK, Saudi Arabia, USA and Estonia, to emphasise the importance of heritage craft to the new global ecology – for both human and environmental concerns.
- Robin Wood attends round table meeting organised by Radcliffe Trust to look at heritage and craft issues.
June 2010
- HCA at the Open Day at the Museum of English Rural Life with many of the committee demonstrating and talking to visitors.
- Robin Wood represents HCA at Glastonbury.
- Patricia Lovett gives HCA presentation at CCS Crafts Blueprint ‘One Year On’ conference.
May 2010
- Launch of map of craftspeople on the HCA website.
April 2010
- Follow-up leaflets and information sent to those attending the launch and forum, and other interested parties.
- HCA helps the last sieve and riddle maker find a successor, saving the craft from extinction.
March 2010
- The first forum of heritage craftspeople, keynote speech by Professor Ewan Clayton, and discussion groups, with results on the HCA website held at the V&A.
- Launch of HCA, with Phil Harding, TV presenter and flint knapper, at the V&A.
- Launch of HCA Friends’ and Affiliated Groups Scheme.
January 2010
- Online HCA survey of craftspeople.
December 2009
- Charitable status granted.
November 2009
- Research into National Living Treasures/Craft Champions carried out for future action.
October 2009
- Meetings with Mick Elliot (DCMS, Director of Culture), Jeremy Hunt (Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport), Sir Patrick Cormack.
September 2009
- Dr Roy Brigden, Professor Ted Collins, Sir Mark Jones and Alex Langlands agree to be HCA Patrons.
August 2009 to January 2010
- Patricia Lovett, on behalf of HCA, wrote the National Occupation Standards for Craft with the Standards Officer at CCS.
July 2009
- Meetings with David Bell (NADFAS), Ben Bradshaw (Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport), Ed Vaizey (Shadow Minister for Culture), Mark Jones (V&A), National Trust, ICON, British Council and Royal Warrant Holders Association.
June 2009
- Crafts Blueprint launched by the Creative and Cultural Skills (CCS) sector council; Brian Crossley and Patricia Lovett attended as Blueprint committee members and Robin Wood as Chair of HCA.
April 2009
- Adjournment Debate in the House of Commons by Tom Levitt, MP for High Peak, on heritage craft, with a follow up meeting with the Minister for Culture, Barbara Follett.
March 2009
- Meetings with Lord Tony Young (Minister for Skills and Apprentices), Artworkers Guild, English Heritage, HLF, Arts Council England, Crafts Council and VAN.
- HCA website launched.
- Proposals for a suggested education outline for a craftworker.
February 2009
- Heritage Crafts Association established.
