The latest edition of Heritage and Society, produced by Historic England on behalf of the Historic Environment Forum for which the Alliance provides the secretariat, has been published . The report is structured around seven topics that highlight the wide-ranging impact of heritage on society. The key points are summarized below along with an illuminating fact from each topic.
- England’s historic environment is enjoyed by millions: in 2016/17, almost three quarters (74.8%) of adults in England or 33 million adults had visited a heritage site at least once during the year, an increase of 44% since 2011
- Members of the public deeply value the historic environment: the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Taking Part household survey found that 94.2% of adults in England agreed or strongly agreed with the statement ‘it is important to me that heritage buildings or places are well looked after’
- The historic environment is important for our health and wellbeing: the wellbeing benefits of participating in and engaging with heritage are increasingly being recognised in the public health sector, with the concept of ‘social prescribing’ slowly entering the mainstream. In 2017, Halton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), who are responsible for delivering local NHS services, published its first Cultural Manifesto. The manifesto advocates for a new approach to healthcare that focuses on ‘wellness not illness’ and addresses ‘root causes and not just symptoms’. It argues that ‘it is the context in which people live their lives that is the most important determinant of life expectancy and this requires a more than medicine approach.’ The Alliance is currently working on a report looking at Heritage and Health.
- The historic environment creates a strong sense of place: two-thirds (66%) of adults in England agree with the statement that ‘Historic buildings are a source of pride in the local area where I live’.
- The historic environment influences how we perceive places: a study into the impact of heritage-led regeneration found that 93% of respondents felt that their local heritage led regeneration project had improved their perceptions of the local area and 91% felt that it had improved the image of the wider town.
- The historic environment brings people together: almost two-thirds (64%) of adults in England agree with the statement, ‘public spaces (e.g. parks, public squares, etc.) are important for interacting with people in my neighbourhood’.
- The historic environment inspires learning and understanding: in 2015 the Heritage Lottery Fund published research of the impact of its national heritage investment programme over the last 20 years: 67% of visitors agreed that visiting has made them have a better understanding of other people’s cultures.