On Tuesday 21 February, Nigel Huddleston, MP for Mid Worcestershire, attended an event in Parliament hosted by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to learn more about the impact of National Lottery investment in his constituency and where it ranked on the 2016 Heritage Index.
Produced in collaboration with the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Heritage Index is an annual index that combines over 120 metrics, from historic buildings to local delicacies, revealing which local authorities are best at using heritage to foster a distinctive identity – and which could do better.
Analysis of this year’s index reveals that places which do most with their heritage have a higher quality of life (ONS well-being measures) than areas which have low levels of activity. As well as inherited physical assets such as battlefields and castles, the index measures new forms of heritage activity like community initiatives and volunteering.
Nigel discovered that of the 326 local authority districts in England, Wychavon sits in the 85th position overall, and that the area has huge potential to make much more of its heritage.
Nigel said: “It was great to attend this event and hear more about Mid Worcestershire’s heritage assets and how they are being used by the community. I would urge constituents to think about the local heritage where they live, and think about how they could apply to HLF to undertake a project to explore it further. Heritage is at the heart of what makes a place distinctive. The Heritage Index is a useful tool to help communities better understand their heritage and tap into its vast potential. Securing National Lottery funding is one way of helping to fulfil that potential and it’s been making a difference to local communities across the UK for over 20 years.”
Since the National Lottery started in 1994, the National Lottery Fund has awarded almost £16million to more than 95 projects in Mid Worcestershire.