R E V I E W 37 an impressive 331 volunteers for the project, in addition to strengthening its existing audience by targeting young people aged 16–25 through specifically designed taster days, ‘Hands on Heritage’ expeditions and its Church Detectives Project. HTL recognised the challenges of engaging young people on a long-term basis and retaining them as volunteers. They are often unable to commit for a long period of time or on a regular basis because many struggle to travel. It was therefore more practical to offer them short-term projects during periods such as school holidays. Hands-on events also appealed to the younger groups so HTL developed the ‘Hands on Heritage’ summer residential approach which proved very successful. The Church Detective Project was designed specifically for pupils from a community special school and appealed as it linked with their Duke of Edinburgh Award. Perhaps one of the best examples of a BPT embracing change in order to harness people power is Clevedon Pier and Heritage Trust in Somerset. The trust was established in 1981 with the aim of restoring the only Grade I listed pier in the UK and building a new visitor and education centre, which in turn would provide the funds needed for the continued maintenance of the site. The trust secured 90 per cent of the required funding but wanted to launch a community shares scheme in order the raise the remaining funds. To do this it had to convert from a BPT to a community benefit society, allowing it to offer interest-bearing withdrawable shares to members. The organisation worked with Co-operatives UK and the Charity Commission in order to protect the charity’s assets while ensuring that the new incarnation of the organisation would remain a charity. To make the change, Clevedon had to re-register the charitable company with the Charity Commission and Companies House, register the society with the Financial Conduct Authority and have Co-operatives UK register the new society with HMRC. All this might seem complex and time-consuming but it has allowed the trust to launch a share offer and engage people power in a completely new way. It could be argued that BPTs are not only embracing new approaches to draw on people power but that they are actually leading the way when it comes to exploring new and exciting ways of engaging with the communities they serve. The Heritage Lottery Fund must take some credit for helping this evolution, the Transition Fund awarded to a number of BPTs has supported organisations determined to achieve a significant strategic change, helping them to restructure and reach out to new audiences. Likewise, the Enterprise Programme seeks to support BPTs working in new partnerships with private sector end-uses. UKAPT, the umbrella body which provides support and advice to BPTs, has recently benefited from transition funding. A revitalised national network with wider membership, improved and updated advice and a higher profile all mean that the potential for people power projects will increase. The Architectural Heritage Fund, recognising that the need for BPTs has never been greater as we witness the disposal of large swathes of government-owned heritage property, has shifted its focus to support projects which can demonstrate significant social impact, and is committed to working with others to reinvigorate the BPT movement, encouraging the recruitment of a new generation of volunteers. Although not one to boast of its achievements, the building preservation trust movement has always been a people power movement where, at its best, collective grassroots-led conservation works because it harnesses the energies of dynamic, committed people while retaining relevance to both local communities and national agendas. Sarah McLeod is chair of the UK Association of Building Preservation Trusts and CEO of the Arkwright Society, which owns and manages the Grade I mill complex at Cromford, a key location in the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site in Derbyshire. She is a visiting fellow of the University of Derby and a course contributor to the MSt in Building History course at Cambridge University. Clevedon Pier in Somerset, now the only intact Grade I listed pier in the UK, was built in the 1860s to receive paddle steamer passengers from Devon and Wales. To fund the pier’s restoration, Clevedon Pier and Heritage Trust took the unusual step of converting from a BPT to a community benefit society so that it could offer interest-bearing shares to members. (Photo: Clevedon Pier and Heritage Trust)
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