Further to our news last week where we advised that we are working with members of World Heritage UK (WHUK) to start to address barriers to heritage, we are delighted that so many people have shown an interest in this work.
We recognise this is a real issue, highlighted in the government’s 2018 Glover Review and from our own experiences, and we know that underrepresented individuals face a wide range of barriers such as language, mobility, age, social isolation and deprivation when visiting natural landscapes. An awareness of these challenges is growing but unfortunately capacity and funding to address these issues is not matched.
We at JCT are not experts in this field but we do want to start to make a difference and know that currently, within our sector, available resources to undertake this work are extremely limited. As such, we envisage this work with WHUK members as a jumping off point for progression. This work is core to our Partnership Plan objectives and work programme outcomes. We are actively seeking funding, which will then enable us to engage with specialists who can advise and inform our next steps.
Our methodology starts with talking to others; to gain a better understanding of their experiences, their research and actions so that we can collate and share this information with our World Heritage UK colleagues and local partners, to help gain a wider perspective. We appreciate our work must span beyond our peer group and hope we can garner additional contacts from whom we can learn.
Fundamentally, the Jurassic Coast Trust believe that accessibility to heritage is so very important for all, as World Heritage Sites transcend national barriers and are safeguarded for present and future generations. We want to make improvements which align with the recommendations in the Glover Review, both internally in our own organisation, and for the engagement of visitors to the Site.
We are very happy to hear and listen to anyone who would be willing to share their experiences with us, and would welcome feedback. Please contact our Engagement and Partnerships Manager, Caroline Peace: [email protected]
