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A future for all our pasts

Helping our members save the UK’s heritage assets.

The list below provides an example of some of the key topics covered in each stage of Toolkit. This is not an exhaustive list of the contents of Toolkit as new topics and resources are added regularly.

Stage 1: Your Organisation

Are you thinking about setting up a new community group to help to rescue a heritage building? We can help you think through the issues, decide on a structure and establish a voluntary organisation. Get your organisation ready to take on a project.

  • Setting up an organisation
  • Developing a strategic business plan 
  • Employing staff and working with volunteers
  • Building your profile and communications
  • Establishing good governance
  • Understanding insurance and risk management
  • Getting it right; charities, tax and trading

Stage 2: Planning Your Project

Understand your building, your community and your vision. Explore your options, plan your project and be ready to tackle the challenge.

  • Developing your vision, aims and objectives
  • Building community support and making your project inclusive
  • Acquiring the building
  • Exploring end uses and users
  • Developing a project brief
  • Finding and appointing professional advisers
  • Developing a project business plan
  • Developing a fundraising strategy
  • Developing a project execution plan
  • Developing a conservation plan
  • Managing risk
  • Understanding heritage legislation, policies and statutory controls

Stage 3: Delivering Your Project

We look at issues you will need to consider before and during construction and the opportunities that this phase creates.

  • Finding and appointing a building contractor
  • Fostering an effective client-professional team relationship
  • Preventing heritage crime
  • Encouraging community participation
  • Providing opportunities for heritage skills training

Stage 4: The Future

Your building project is complete. How can you safeguard the future of your building?

  • Selling a heritage property
  • Managing a property portfolio
  • Running a heritage visitor attraction
  • Delivering programmes of community participation
  • Assessing impact and legacy planning
  • Recognising achievement

Throughout Toolkit, we provide ‘top tips’ written by heritage professionals and specialists in their fields, a range of case studies where you can learn from other heritage building projects, and we link to external organisations that can help you further.

There are some guidance areas which you will need to consider throughout the whole of your project, and we keep reminding you of these!

Catch up on our latest news. Find out more