Championing our region’s heritage

Philip Bell, Chief Executive, The Yorkshire Society

THE Yorkshire Society is working with voluntary environmental and heritage groups throughout Yorkshire and has recently launched a new, mutually supportive network of voluntary, not for profit and charitable organisations under the banner of Yorkshire Heritage Guardians.

In order to improve communication between groups, and boost wider awareness of their important work throughout the Yorkshire region, the society has set up two networks – one of larger Regional Heritage Guardians who operate across the whole county, and Local Heritage Guardians operating in a more local, defined area.

Member organisations have access to their own page in the Heritage Guardians section on the new Yorkshire Society website, as well as access to the Yorkshire Society Heritage Guardians newsletter bulletin and social media to share news, information and events with other organisations’ memberships. An annual Yorkshire Heritage Guardians Congress is planned each year to bring members together in person.

It is also hoped the Yorkshire Heritage Guardians initiative will also influence regional decision making about the importance of the natural environment and cultural heritage to the region’s economy and community wellbeing.

Many of our Heritage Guardian member organisations are highly specialised in such areas as natural and local history, geology, architecture and archaeology, folk music, and dialect. There are now 23 members including the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, the North Yorkshire Moors Association, Friends of the Dales and the Yorkshire Wolds Heritage Trust.

To find out more about Yorkshire Heritage Guardians and its member organisations visit https:// theyorkshiresociety.org/whatwe-do/heritage-guardiansinformation/