Meet the future game changers of heritage
Last October, we met seven people who’ve ‘changed the game’ across heritage, land and nature. Now we’re highlighting the next generation of Game Changers and spotlighting the vital role young adults play in shaping public life.
Recent research by The National Lottery has revealed eight in 10 young adults feel a personal responsibility to be a positive role model for the next generation.
Meet two young people nominated by their peers and communities, who have already been making a tangible difference in their local areas thanks to National Lottery funding.
Hayley Melrose
Hayley is a fourth year History student at the University of Stirling, who has been a volunteer for the eco-museum of Scottish Mining landscapes. The virtual museum explores the hidden local landscape legacies of coal mining across the Scottish midland coalfield through a series of cycling and walking routes. These routes are created by local communities to commemorate their industrial heritage.
Hayley grew up in an ex-mining community in Danderhall, Midlothian. Her great grandparents were miners, piquing her interest in how the legacy of coal mining has shaped her local community.
Hayley Melrose.
Through her volunteering and passion for heritage projects, Hayley was invited to sit on the board of the collection trust for the National Mining Museum of Scotland. At 21 years old she is the trust’s youngest ever member. Hayley used this opportunity to nominate another young woman to be accepted onto the trust.
Hayley said: “Getting involved in volunteering and the Eco-Museum has opened up opportunities I never knew young people could get involved with. Looking ahead, I want to use my platform to advocate for other young people and change the face of heritage in the UK.”
Lisa Manning
Lisa began her journey in the natural heritage sector after seeing a job advert for New to Nature three years ago. New to Nature was established in partnership with Groundwork UK to champion greater diversity and youth voice within the sector, and to encourage longer term change. It supported young people to kickstart their career in the environment sector, and gain 12-months of paid employment.
In 2023, Lisa attended our People, Skills and the Future of the Heritage Sector event at UK Parliament, sharing her experience with New to Nature. You can hear from Lisa on our Instagram.
Lisa Manning.
After New to Nature, Lisa worked full-time at the National Trust, which then led her to become a Policy Officer for Wildlife and Countryside Link – the largest environment and wildlife coalition in England, bringing together 86 organisations to use their voice for the protection of nature. Her role includes compiling and creating reports and campaigns to steer government policies for nature.
Lisa says: “I’m proud to be part of a movement making nature more inclusive and to show other young people from under-served backgrounds that there’s space for them here too.”
Future Game Changers
We know there are many more young people out there who deserve recognition. Get involved today by sharing your own stories of the game-changing impact young adults are having in your organisations. Use #GameChangers on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram and tag us @HeritageFundUK.
Meet other future Game Changers across community, sport and arts and film on the National Lottery Good Causes website.
