Eco Comment – Heritage Open Days

One of the joys of September for me is the opportunity to enter usually quite expensive venues for free.  

This is thanks to the Heritage Open Days scheme. But, what has that got to do with all things sustainable and eco I hear you ask?  

Many years ago in 1985 the then Council of Europe set up European Heritage Days. This was an initiative to raise awareness and appreciation for Europe’s cultural heritage, and the need for its care and protection. Today 50 countries take part, England having joined in 30 years ago in 1994. Today it is this country’s largest community heritage festival and offers over 5,400 opportunities nationwide for people to come together and enjoy our diverse heritage and making ‘doorstep discoveries’. Previous years have had a focus such as Extraordinary Women in 2018 and Hidden Nature in 2020. In 2019 they published a downloadable Silver Anniversary Book ’25 Years of People Power 1994-2019′. This available for free from the website heritageopendays.org.uk 

Research into how it all happens led me to discover that ‘it’s a unique joint venture spanning the private and voluntary sectors, with more than 2,200 organisations involved’ in bringing it all to fruition. Alongside all the community groups and volunteers who fund and manage the different site openings and events some of the key players include, not surprisingly the National Trust and possibly more surprisingly the People’s Postcode Lottery. Included within the latter is the ‘Postcode Earth Trust which has awarded over £5 million to the National Trust, enabling the continuation of its conservation efforts and ensuring the success of events like Heritage Open Days, making them accessible and free for all.’ (Laura Chow Head of Charities, People’s Postcode Lottery) 

Conversations about the pros and cons of gambling is for another day. I would just like to write about the conservation that results in people visiting the sites available to them.  

Initially the events and visits are free, but what they do is open up interesting and exciting places to new audiences and people who, if they had to pay wouldn’t be able to go. ‘45% of visitors last year said they would not have visited had there been a charge for the event but c.2/3 visitors gave a donation where the opportunity was offered and £8.9 million was contributed to local economies through secondary spend.’  

The sector’s Wellbeing & Heritage Working Group (facilitated by Historic England and the Council for British Archaeology) have written a paper on ‘5 Ways to Wellbeing with Heritage Open Days’ as the information gained from the feedback surveys indicated that: 

• 91% of organisers + 55% of visitors agreed that the event was good for meeting new people 

• 88% of organisers + 74% of visitors agreed that it gave an opportunity to support the community 

• 90% of visitors learned something new about the local area 

• 82% of visitors felt increased pride in their local area

So many people benefit in so many ways from getting out and finding out about new and ‘old’ things. By doing this they discover some of the conservation issues and we’re not just talking about the buildings but about the countryside and how nature does or doesn’t thrive in a variety of situations.  

The theme this year is ‘Routes – Networks – Connections’. The Open Days will be celebrating how people and ideas have moved around and come together throughout history. The transport routes, communication networks, trade unions and social clubs. The travellers who have spread ideas and the hosts who welcome them. There are so many stories on our doorsteps just waiting to be uncovered.’ We at the cathedral are at the centre of so many ‘routes’. Our buildings, our lives and our faith has grown in response to those people who both lived in and visited Wakefield, be they friend or foe. Our geographical place in the country meant we had people from the north, south, east and west passing through whether by land or water and although low lying we had two very visible vantage points from which the surrounding countryside could be viewed, Sandal Castle and Wakefield Cathedral. 

Wherever you visit on your Heritage Open Days I hope that you meet new people, have new experiences and learn about how we can provide ‘care and protection’ to our heritage and the countryside surrounding it.  

Susan Morgan
Eco Group