National Lottery Heritage Fund
The National Lottery Heritage Fund, formerly the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), distributes a share of National Lottery funding, supporting a wide range of heritage projects across the United Kingdom.
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Non-departmental public body overview | |
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Formed | 1994 |
Jurisdiction | United Kingdom |
Headquarters | International House, 1 St Katharine's Way, London E1W 1UN[1] 51.5077°N 0.0737°W |
Employees | 300 |
Minister responsible |
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Non-departmental public body executives |
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Parent department | Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport |
Parent organisation | National Heritage Memorial Fund |
Website | www |
History
The fund's predecessor bodies were the National Land Fund, established in 1946, and the National Heritage Memorial Fund, established in 1980.[3] The current body was established as the "Heritage Lottery Fund" in 1994.[4] It was re-branded as the National Lottery Heritage Fund in January 2019.[5]
Activities

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The fund's income comes from the National Lottery which is managed by Camelot Group.[6] Its objectives are "to conserve the UK's diverse heritage, to encourage people to be involved in heritage and to widen access and learning".[7] As of 2019, it had awarded £7.9 billion to 43,000 projects.[5]
In 2006, the National Lottery Heritage Fund launched the Parks for People program with the aim to revitalize historic parks and cemeteries. From 2006 to 2021, the Fund had granted £254million to 135 projects.[8]
In January 2019 it simplified its funding schemes under one banner – National Lottery Grants for Heritage – with awards from £3,000 to £5 million.[5] Funding requests for projects over £5 million will be considered as part of two time-limited national competitions to be held in 2020–21 and 2022–23.[5]
Its funding routes include the Digital Skills for Heritage Fund, a £3.5m fund for grants to support digital volunteering in the heritage sector, launched in November 2021.[9]
Structure
The chair of the trustees is appointed by the Prime Minister;[2] René Olivieri served as interim chair from January 2020[10] following Sir Peter Luff's retirement at the end of 2019.[11] Dr Simon Thurley CBE, former Chief Executive of English Heritage, became the chair of trustees on 1 April 2021.[12][13]
The chief executive since July 2016 is Ros Kerslake OBE, former CEO of The Prince's Regeneration Trust.[14] In August 2021, the Fund announced that Ros Kerslake would be stepping down at the end of 2021.[15]
The fund's head office is in London, and it has offices elsewhere in the UK.[2]
Major projects
Major projects have included:[16]
- Restoration of the Kennet and Avon Canal, Somerset – awarded £25 million in 1996[17]
- Restoration of Heaton Park, Manchester – awarded £8.5 million in 1999[18]
- Creation of the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea – awarded £11 million in 2002[19]
- Refurbishment of the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow – awarded £13 million in 2002[20]
- Restoration of Greenhead Park in Huddersfield – awarded £3.8 million in 2005[21]
- Renovation of the Piece Hall in Halifax – awarded £13 million in 2012[22]
- Acquisition of Titian's Diana and Callisto for the National Gallery London and National Galleries of Scotland – awarded £3 million in 2012[23]
References
- "Contact us". Heritage Lottery Fund. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
- "Our people". The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- Tandy, Virginia (1 August 2019). "The Heritage Lottery Fund and its role in the construction and preservation of the past: 1994–2016". University of Manchester. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
- Maeer, Gareth (2017). "A people-centred approach to heritage: The experience of the Heritage Lottery Fund 1994–2014". Heritage Values and the Public, edited by Margarita Díaz-Andreu. Journal of Community Archaeology and Heritage. pp. 38–52.
- "A Guide to the National Lottery Heritage Fund". Jura. 30 January 2019. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
- Hancock, Alice (14 November 2019). "UK National Lottery operator Camelot posts record first-half sales". Financial Times. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
- "Heritage Lottery Fund" (PDF). National Audit Office. 13 March 2007. p. 4. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
- Parks for People: why should we invest in parks?, Heritagefund.org, 23 June 2021
- Simon Stephens, Heritage Fund backs digital volunteering, Museumsassociation.org, 26 November 2021
- "René Olivieri appointed as Interim Chair of The National Heritage Memorial Fund". Gov.uk (Press release). 30 December 2019. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
- "Heritage Fund Chair to step down". Arts Professional. 13 September 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
- "Dr Simon Thurley CBE appointed as new Chair". Heritage Lottery Fund.
- The Prime Minister has appointed Dr Simon Thurley CBE as Chair of the National Heritage Memorial Fund and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Gov.uk, 25 February 2021
- "Ros Kerslake OBE". The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- "Chief Executive, Ros Kerslake CBE to leave The Heritage Fund at end of 2021". Heritage Lottery Fund.
- "Major Grants" (PDF). Heritage Lottery Fund. 1 June 2015. p. 18. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
- "Kennet And Avon Canal Locks Turned Into River Of Light". Culture24. 24 December 2002. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
- "'Largest' park's history restored". BBC News. 2 March 2005. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
- "Maritime Museum gets go-ahead". BBC News. 25 July 2002. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
- "Museum wins £12m grant". BBC News. 31 January 2002. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
- "£4m grant to Huddersfield Park". Horticulture Week. 13 October 2005. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
- "Halifax Georgian Piece Hall awarded lottery grant". BBC News. 20 July 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
- "Titian saved for the nation". Country Life. 8 March 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2020.