Community Heritage and Archive Group Webinar Series

We are setting up a series of webinars across October, November, and December. details of which can be found under our events page. We are very excited to be announcing the winners of the 2020 CAHG Awards at the first webinar on 26th October, which will also see a short AGM take place and a special presentation by The Restoration Trust and the National Lottery Heritage Fund on Heritage, Wellbeing and Belonging. Do register for the events, via the Eventbrite link on their respective pages.

Speakers for the first event are:

Liz Ellis works at National Lottery Heritage Fund as Policy Project Manager, promoting inclusion and wellbeing in heritage through active collaboration with UK wide communities and stakeholders. Her work includes ensuring under-served communities are aware of Heritage Fund grant opportunities, supporting cross sector -partnerships including with disability led organisations, race equality networks and LGBTQ leaders, and supporting the heritage sector in building ambition, skills and knowledge on inclusion and wellbeing.

Having qualified as a mental health nurse and working in acute adult mental health hospitals, Liz studied BA and MA Fine Art at St Martins School of Art, London with subsequent national and international residencies and touring exhibitions. As Curator Community Learning at Tate Modern 2006-14, Liz led local, national and international partnerships, including interdisciplinary programmes with NHS Trusts, mental health organisations, universities and artists. She is a member of  the Wellcome Trust Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group.

A commitment to social justice and the power of cultural rights informs her practice.

Laura Drysdale has been running the Restoration Trust since 2014, co-producing partnership projects using heritage and culture for mental health. The small charity has a national reputation for engaging people who are seldom seen in heritage places – real or virtual. Projects in archives, historic landscapes and museums offer exceptional access to real heritage and expertise, combined with imaginative creative experiences. Change Minds, a partnership with Norfolk Record Office and others, is a flagship archives programme exploring 19th century asylum records. Plans are afoot to run Change Minds in more places through the national Archives for Wellbeing Network hosted by Norfolk Record Office.

Laura began her career as a textile conservator, and worked in museums and heritage until she changed tack and became a mental health support worker.  She is a member of this year’s Wellcome Trust Ideas Hub cohort and a National Lottery Awards 2020 nominee.

Richard Johnson is currently the Research Coordinator for Dr Hills’ Casebook, a project about history, mental health, and creativity. It is centred on the Norfolk County Asylum during the superintendence of Dr William Hills (1861-1887); a subject Richard has researched for two years. The project is a successor to Change Minds and, as part of that programme, utilises primary sources including patient case histories held at the Norfolk Record Office.

Richard acknowledges the exceptional opportunity that became available with Change Minds Norwich (2018) and the consequent immense impact that it has had on his wellbeing and recovery from long-term mental illness.