Why did you want to join an HLF committee?

I'm a member of the Institute of Fundraising and I am excited about appraising projects. I'm very much interested in cultural heritage as well as built environments - where do people come from, why do they wear certain things, eat some foods and not others, like a certain genre of music? I'm have always been fascinated by the fact that British heritage has impacted the rest of the world, and how the Commonwealth in particular influences our lives in Britain.

What do you like about it?

I like interacting with the proponents of the projects – the people on the ground. I love their zeal and interest. I like going to a woodland, for example, and chatting with people: why do we need to conserve it? Which species are threatened? How are they going to make a difference?

[quote]“That's the thing that hits me - that beautiful building has flourished when people felt: 'This is our heritage'.”[/quote]

What have you learned from the role so far?

I am learning rapidly about the breadth of heritage. My father was a civil engineer but I never got interested in construction. I know what buildings look like but not how you conserve them. Now I read material I wouldn’t normally read - it's a whole new area of learning. 

What has most surprised or challenged you?

The level of detail to which you need to go and the issues and questions you need to raise.

More and more I'm realising that no question is a daft question, because it is that daft question that raises other questions that are much more searching.  

What would you say to anyone who is thinking about joining an HLF committee?

It's an exciting place to be! There is an opportunity to make decisions - in a way, we are custodians of our heritage.

We also have the opportunity to hand over that baton to the next generation. Increasingly more people of all ages are engaging with their heritage. We however need to encourage a wider range of people to become custodians of their heritage lest we lose it. 

What is your favourite HLF-supported project?

In the little village of Crowcombe outside Taunton, there is a 500-year-old Church House. It was a community building but became derelict in the 19th century. After 80 years a new priest tried to restore it, and got the community around it. But after he left the village it became derelict again. In 2000 another group of people raised money to restore it and engaged with HLF. That's the thing that hits me - that beautiful building has flourished when people felt: "This is our heritage".

Find out more

Discover more about our South West committee and find current vacancies on our Board & committee recruitment page.