National Lottery Heritage Fund

History

The fund's predecessor bodies were the National Land Fund, established in 1946, and the National Heritage Memorial Fund, established in 1980. The current body was established as the "Heritage Lottery Fund" in 1994. It was re-branded as the National Lottery Heritage Fund in January 2019.

Activities

The fund's income comes from the National Lottery, which is managed by Allwyn Entertainment. Its objectives are "to conserve the UK's diverse heritage, to encourage people to be involved in heritage and to widen access and learning". As of 2019, it had awarded £7.9 billion to 43,000 projects.

In 2006, the National Lottery Heritage Fund launched the Parks for People program with the aim to revitalize historic parks and cemeteries. From 2006 to 2021, the Fund had granted £254 million to 135 projects.

In January 2019 it simplified its funding schemes under one banner – National Lottery Grants for Heritage – with awards from £3,000 to £5 million. Funding requests for projects over £5 million will be considered as part of two time-limited national competitions to be held in 2020–21 and 2022–23.

Its funding routes include the Digital Skills for Heritage Fund, a £3.5m fund for grants to support digital volunteering in the heritage sector, launched in November 2021.

Structure

The chair of the trustees is appointed by the Prime Minister; René Olivieri served as interim chair from January 2020 following Sir Peter Luff's retirement at the end of 2019. Dr Simon Thurley CBE, former Chief Executive of English Heritage, became the chair of trustees on 1 April 2021.

The Chief Executive from July 2016 to December 2021 was Ros Kerslake OBE, former CEO of The Prince's Regeneration Trust. In August 2021, the Fund announced that Ros Kerslake would be stepping down at the end of 2021. The Chief Executive since January 2022 is Eilish McGuinness.

The Fund's head office is in London, and it has offices elsewhere in the UK.

Major projects

Major projects have included:

• Restoration of the Kennet and Avon Canal in Somerset – awarded £25 million in 1996
• Restoration of Heaton Park in Manchester – awarded £8.5 million in 1999
• Creation of the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea – awarded £11 million in 2002
• Refurbishment of the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow – awarded £13 million in 2002
• Restoration of Greenhead Park in Huddersfield – awarded £3.8 million in 2005
• Renovation of the Piece Hall in Halifax – awarded £13 million in 2012
• Acquisition of Titian's Diana and Callisto for the National Gallery London and National Galleries of Scotland – awarded £3 million in 2012

References

References

1. Tandy, Virginia. (1 August 2019). "The Heritage Lottery Fund and its role in the construction and preservation of the past: 1994–2016". University of Manchester.
2. Maeer, Gareth. (2017). "A people-centred approach to heritage: The experience of the Heritage Lottery Fund 1994–2014". Heritage Values and the Public, edited by Margarita Díaz-Andreu. Journal of Community Archaeology and Heritage.
3. (30 January 2019). "A Guide to the National Lottery Heritage Fund". Jura.
4. (12 March 2025). "Allwyn grows full year revenue to €8.79 billion with National Lottery". Gaming Intelligence.
5. (13 March 2007). "Heritage Lottery Fund". [[National Audit Office (United Kingdom).
6. [https://www.heritagefund.org.uk/about/insight/evaluation/parks-people-why-should-we-invest-parks Parks for People: why should we invest in parks?], ''Heritagefund.org'', 23 June 2021
7. Simon Stephens, [https://www.museumsassociation.org/museums-journal/news/2021/11/heritage-fund-backs-digital-volunteering/ Heritage Fund backs digital volunteering], ''Museumsassociation.org'', 26 November 2021
8. (7 January 2019). "Our people".
9. (30 December 2019). "René Olivieri appointed as Interim Chair of The National Heritage Memorial Fund".
10. (13 September 2019). "Heritage Fund Chair to step down".
11. (25 February 2021). "Dr Simon Thurley CBE appointed as new Chair".
12. [https://www.gov.uk/government/news/the-prime-minister-has-appointed-dr-simon-thurley-cbe-as-chair-of-the-national-heritage-memorial-fund-and-the-national-lottery-heritage-fund The Prime Minister has appointed Dr Simon Thurley CBE as Chair of the National Heritage Memorial Fund and The National Lottery Heritage Fund], ''Gov.uk'', 25 February 2021
13. "Ros Kerslake OBE".
14. (20 July 2021). "Chief Executive, Ros Kerslake CBE to leave The Heritage Fund at end of 2021".
15. (11 August 2016). "Eilish McGuinness".
16. (1 June 2015). "Major Grants". Heritage Lottery Fund.
17. (24 December 2002). "Kennet And Avon Canal Locks Turned Into River Of Light". Culture24.
18. (2 March 2005). "'Largest' park's history restored". [[BBC News]].
19. (25 July 2002). "Maritime Museum gets go-ahead". [[BBC News]].
20. (31 January 2002). "Museum wins £12m grant". [[BBC News]].
21. (13 October 2005). "£4m grant to Huddersfield Park". [[Horticulture Week]].
22. (20 July 2012). "Halifax Georgian Piece Hall awarded lottery grant". [[BBC News]].
23. (8 March 2012). "Titian saved for the nation".