Specialists in access to historic environments
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Easy access to historic environments must be some of the most challenging tasks ever to be considered by Property and Services Managers. Surprisingly it is in this sector where the most significant strides have been witnessed in making properties more accessible, welcoming and easy to use. Some of the core issues about easy access to ancient buildings and landscapes have been identified and sometimes quite elegant and innovative ways of circumventing or eliminating barriers have been found, so that historic environments can become more accessible and enjoyable for all.
In the lead of this activity, has to be one of our main clients, the National Trust. www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Over the past few years, the Access for All Office, based in Swindon, has driven the inclusion agenda forward and has undertaken some of the most extensive internal and external audit processes in the UK to date.
Audits have covered almost all of the major properties, owned and managed by the Trust and even some of the smaller ones such as Mendips (John Lennon’s Liverpool childhood home) and the tiny Bridge House in Ambleside Cumbria. Industrial sites, mills, foundries, castles, steam boats, base-camps, wet-lands and some of the largest country estates such as the well known Fountains Abbey, Stourhead and Ickworth, have been visited in turn and an Action Plan produced that will incrementally improve access over time.
The Access Collaboration has been proud to have conducted the external audits each year for the National Trust since 2003 and work is on-going.
We have been involved in the production of Access Plans for HLF (Heritage Lottery Fund) funding, lift-trials, consultation with traditional and non-traditional audiences, open days and staff training.
We are also proud to have been appointed as access consultants to Canterbury City Council and Kent County Council for the following
- The Beaney Museum, Library and Gallery in Canterbury - redevelopment 1st phase
- On-going audits of Museums and galleries in the district 2007-8.
Links
Access for All Office - National Trust
Easy Access to Historic Buildings
www.english-heritage.org.uk/upload/pdf/EAHL.pdf
Easy access to historic landscapes
