Be a part of the team! Local Heritage Volunteers work with our Heritage Advisory Group and local branches to identify heritage buildings, structures and artefacts at risk of being lost. This will help identify local campaigns.
What they do
Local Heritage Volunteers will work with our Heritage Advisory Group and local branches to identify heritage buildings, structures and artefacts which as at risk of being lost. This information will feed into IWA’s Waterways Heritage at Risk Register and heritage campaigns plan.
Why it matters
The waterways network needs to continue to be a usable and valuable asset now and into the future. We want to ensure that that its history is protected and included in development plans rather than being removed.
What’s involved
This is a flexible role and there will be the opportunity to define the geographical area you want to cover.
There are no time set time commitments but we anticipate it will involve 10-15 hours per month.
Responsible to
Heritage Advisory Group/ Local Branch
Main Tasks
The Inland Waterways Association is the only organisation actively campaigning across all waterways to protect and preserve their unique heritage. We also want to ensure there is better recognition of the living waterway heritage such as skills and techniques. We are not asking for the waterways to become a museum. In fact, we want the very opposite. The waterways network needs to continue to be a usable and valuable asset now and into the future. All we are asking is that its history is protected and included in development plans rather than being removed. Each Local Heritage Volunteer will agree a section of canal to monitor and undertake the following task:
Walk and detail the waterways heritage on your allocated section of waterways.
- Take photographs of particularly interesting/significant waterways heritage and upload them to our tracker
- Support the Advisory Group in creating a Waterways Heritage at Risk Register and identify particular ‘causes for concern’.
- Support campaigns to protect identified heritage at risk, whether creating conservation areas, listing structures or lobbying against inappropriate development.
- Work closely with IWA’s Planning and Conservation Officers to monitor planning applications that might impact on the heritage of local waterways.
Required skills and experience
Experience not required as full training and induction will be given to volunteers. The following skills would be desirable:
- Interest in waterways heritage
- Good IT skills
- Good communication skills and enjoys working in a team
Training and Support
You will receive ongoing support from Heritage Advisory Group and your local branch.
Each Local Heritage Volunteer will complete 6 hours of online training. This will include:
- Webinar: Welcome and Induction to IWA
- Webinar: Heritage Heroes: Protecting our Waterways Heritage: Project Outline and your role as a Heritage Champion
- Webinar: Guidance on engaging with local authorities: focus on archaeological and historic buildings/ structures and planning permissions when working on listed structures.
- Workshop: How to identify heritage at risk
- Workshop – Lone Working: Undertaking a Risk Assessment
Expenses: We will cover pre-agreed travel expenses for site visits.
Join US
If you are interested in volunteering for this role, please contact Amy Tillson at amy.tillson@waterways.org.uk
