The Heritage Alliance is delighted to announce that Peter Ainsworth has agreed to be our new Chair from December 2018.
Peter Ainsworth has over 30 years of commitment to public life. Following a successful career in banking, which he combined with serving as a local councillor, Peter entered Parliament in 1992. During his time as an MP Peter was the shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1998-2001) and then the shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural affairs (from 2001-2002, and again 2005-2009). Peter is currently Chair of the Big Lottery Fund, which thanks to National Lottery players gives grants for the improvement of communities across the UK. He is also Chairman of the Churches Conservation Trust.
Peter will go forward for election as a trustee at The Heritage Alliance’s AGM on 6 December. Thereafter, if approved, he will assume the role of Chair from Loyd Grossman CBE, who will be standing down at the AGM at the end of his third and final term of office.
Peter Ainsworth said: “It’s a great honour to have been asked to succeed Loyd Grossman as Chair of the Heritage Alliance. “At a time of economic, social and political challenge the values and lessons gifted to us by the past become even more potent. The vast diversity of our historic buildings and landscapes provides thousands of jobs and is the cornerstone of our vital tourism industry. Just as important is the sense of joy, and sometimes awe, to be gained from visiting a great house, a medieval church, or a humble cottage steeped in history. This is for everyone today; it is the duty of our generation to pass it on to the future. “I look forward to getting to know more about all of the Alliance’s different member organisations very soon.”