Topic: Swindon Heritage Coalition

[Bassettina]

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Passed on to me by a local history friend. Anyone know anything about it? Signed up to it? Mechanics Institute Trust seem heavily involved.

A plan for a Swindon Heritage Coalition (SHC)

Our Mission:We believe that heritage can create unique, enjoyable places for people.

We believe passionately in Swindon; its history, heritage and culture; its future opportunity and most importantly its
people.

We want to recapture the pioneering spirit and character that created “New Swindon” to inspire our town today.

Background:
The Mechanics’ Institution Trust was established in 1995 with the objective of saving the Mechanics’ Institution for the people of Swindon and was founded by 1400 members. The Trust is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee; we are set up as a building preservation trust and development trust with many supporters from across Swindon.

The Trust recognised early on that the objective of securing the Mechanics’ Institution was going to be a long term, complex piece of work. With this in mind the Trust felt that we would be best placed to develop projects and partnerships that would show the longer term ambition that the Institution could bring both physically as community space but also socially and culturally to the town. Projects such as “The Hooter” youth project; member surveys; setting up the Swindon Civic Trust; local democracy issues and most notably the operation of the Community Crossroads for 5 years. We have also been keen to extend our reach toward other heritage assets and issues in the town.

In many ways the Trust was ahead of the curve in articulating the now widespread topic known as “people and place”. We combined an understanding of heritage conservation and community development, which eventually ended in the Trust operating as both a building preservation trust  and a development trust , an unusual blend but akin to much policy on heritage and regeneration coming from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the government’s localism agenda.

The Trust is the only building preservation trust and development trust in Swindon.

Swindon Heritage Coalition?
Main objectives:
•   To provide a forum for local heritage groups and organisations to come together, share good practice, raise concerns facing the sector and plan strategically in the interests of heritage in Swindon;
•   Plan and deliver joint campaigns to raise public awareness of Swindon heritage (both built and cultural);
•   Provide a coherent message to relevant stakeholders such as Swindon Borough Council, Forward Swindon etc;
•   Broker relations with the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to raise the overall amount, quality and diversity of HLF funds coming to Swindon;
•   To produce a mapping exercise of heritage and cultural organisations in Swindon;
•   Champion Swindon’s heritage and history and articulate the benefits to communities, sense of place, regeneration and the benefits to the local economy etc. 

Structure:
•   The SHC will be a loose coalition of local organisations and groups, the individual independence of each organisation will be maintained;
•   The SHC will be facilitated and hosted by The Mechanics’ Institution Trust at arms length from the board and set up constitutionally as a sub-committee (a structure the Trust uses for similar projects, such as the Children’s Fete, the GWR Park, Culture Committee sub-committee etc);
•   A Terms of Reference will be developed and agreed by the founding members of SHC;
•   If the work and/or the members of the SHC grow a steering group and associated structure will be developed to avoid slow decision making;
•   The SHC will meet quarterly and organise further events and communications when it deems necessary;
•   The SHC will develop a brand, identity and marketing that can be used in the interests of raising the profile and work of the sector. 

An example of members:
•   The Mechanics’ Institution Trust
•   Swindon Civic Trust
•   The Alfred Williams Heritage Society
•   Richard Jefferies Society
•   “Friends” groups – Steam etc
•   Rodbourne History Group
•   Historical societies – Highworth, South Marston etc
•   The Swindon Society
•   Any local supporter groups of national organisations (National Trust supporter groups for example)

Observers and invited representatives from:
•   English Heritage (NMRC)
•   The National Trust (Central office)
•   Forward Swindon
•   Swindon Borough Council
•   Heritage Lottery Fund (South West)

[Muggins]

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Seems a sensible move to me, if anyone has the time to administer to it and make it happen.  I take it it would do much the same as the Civic Trust and partnerships are the thing of the day,  groups like those mentioned do join together for better strength and it's high time we hade another Environmental Forum - perhaps SCAN is that.

It makes sense.

[Jean]

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With my Richard Jefferies Society hat on, I know that a Swindon Heritage Forum was proposed last year and there were a couple of meetings (led by Helen Miah of Swindon Borough Council). The aim, I believe, was to come up with a Swindon Heritage Strategy.

I have no idea if the Swindon Heritage Coalition is another idea or the same thing. I suspect that this must be something else; perhaps a proposal by the Mechanics Institution Trust? 

The Trust is the only building preservation trust and development trust in Swindon.

Just to put the record straight, a Richard Jefferies Museum Trust was set up last autumn under the auspices of Forward Swindon.

From past experience of coalitions and fora, whilst they sound like a good idea - do they end up as just another talking shop in place of real action?   

[Muggins]

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Forums usually are just that - talking shops - but they do bring people of like minds together and that's when the actions happen, if if it's not the forums themselves that lead them, there is some merit in sitting around a table talking about what's going on and what resources are avaible to carry on.

United we stand, divided we fall and all that.  Stronger together (now where have I heard that before?)

What has to be watched is that the Forum itself does not become just another group in competition with it's various parts.

Congrats on the Richard Jefferies Musem Trust.

If the Heritage Forum is being set up by people from the Mechanics Trust, then I suspect they are taking the first step to move it forward - and good on them.

[the gorgon]

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Will this consortium offer constructive criticism and guidance?

Will this consortium keep an open mind on any proposals that don't meet their 'vision'?

Will the consortium help get things like lottery funding even though the redevelopment doesn't meet their 'vision'?

Will this consortium listen to (or welcome the involvement of) regeneration experts such as the Prince's Regeneration Trust?

Unless they do I fear it could do more harm than good.  It is right and proper to oppose destructive redevelopments (such as the glass tower plan for the MI). However, it is wrong to oppose redevelopments just because you want something else to happen to the building yet are not in a position to do anything.

[Muggins]

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"Will this consortium offer constructive criticism and guidance?2

I belive that the intended members of this Forum would do that, they have been so doing for many, many years already. I'd say try and stop them.

"Will this consortium keep an open mind on any proposals that don't meet their 'vision'?"

As the Forum would be made of several groups, then they would have some open minds and their vision would/should be a democratic one.


"Will the consortium help get things like lottery funding even though the redevelopment doesn't meet their 'vision'?"

They would not be able to get lottery funding if they could not prove wich or need for their  vision, in fact as Forums are not considered charitable they would be highly unlikely to be able to apply for funding.  They are what they are debating/talking/information places. If they had a combined vision, they would decid which of their parts would be the lead funding applicant.

"Will this consortium listen to (or welcome the involvement of) regeneration experts such as the Prince's Regeneration Trust?"

I would think they would be silly not to listen to all sides of a story.

As to your last point, when you join with others you mostly have to bend you own plans a bit, but you do bring your knowledge to the table.

We don't know yet, if this will be formed and what it's terms of reference will be, a good time to join it is now while its still forming and you can influence the way it manages itself. 

I'd like to throw my hat in the ring by suggesting that it's not just our built heritage that needs protecting and properly developing, or not, as the case may be. 

[Daniel Rose]

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A Swindon Heritage Coalition was a proposal from the Mechanics' Institution Trust. This comes out of discussions between the Trust and other heritage partners such as the Heritage Lottery Fund as a way of pulling together the heritage sector in Swindon.

It is anticipated that the group is not an organisation simply a forum that can help facilitate the better sharing, awareness and strategy of the heritage sector locally. We feel this is very much needed and would be welcomed following initial conversations with groups.

The Trust has been working with SBC to bring our joint thinking together and this has resulted in us working in partnership to launch this initiative. Trying out the "One Swindon" approach.

A long list of local heritage groups have been contacted at this initial stage and the first meetings are due soon to set the main objectives of this group, its membership and priorities.

Further details will be posted via the Trust's website and elsewhere in the comings months.