News
07 Nov 2024
by Heritage Open Days
Mosaic of photographs including: a windmill. brick house, green railings, wooden wheel, large map, person at workshop.

The festival

This year's programme provided another brilliant showcase of the amazing breadth of our heritage:

  • 5,427 events ran, from open days at stunning holiday homes and pantomime costume workshops in historic theatres, to games of bowls and and guided walks listening for bats and birds!
  • 27% events were inspired by our Routes-Networks-Connections theme, from international food tours to online talks about place names. 

The community

Heritage Open Days is powered by an incredible network of local people, this year it included:

  • c.115 local coordinators who pull together wider programmes such as: Leeds Civic Trust, The Forum who work across the whole of Norfolk, Coleford Area MCTi Partnership in the Forest of Dean, and Mole Valley District Council in Surrey.
  • 2,354 local organisers including business owners, church wardens, council officers, home owners, museum staff and, of course, passionate volunteers for local societies.
  • A further 41,700 volunteers + 7,800 paid staff.
Every year I look forward to making new connections through the festival network, with different organisations. This year we have worked with the Pontefract Civic Society, Swindon Archives, the Whipple Museum, Bristol Library Service and have engaged with some new guest speakers.

Coordinator

2024 - Women's Engineering Society

The community's impact

The festival has a consistent track record as a community engagement tool and provides a valuable gateway for people to the heritage sector.

  • 82% of visitors said visiting made them feel more proud of their local area.
  • 35% of visitors were from a C2DE background.
  • 22% of visitors had not been to a heritage site in the last 12 months.
  • £11.5 million contributed to local economy through secondary spend.
  • Over 3,000 people were inspired to vote for the final entries to be featured in our 30 for 30 Anniversary Gallery.
It was a real pleasure to attend and to see a part of my local community that isn't typically open to the public. The team of volunteers went above and beyond to make the event meaningful, engaging and interesting. It feels cliche but as a result I feel more connected to my community.

Visitor

2024 - Cottenham Church Tower

The Virtual Tour was exceedingly insightful and gave an opportunity for a person such as myself to access a National Trust property, 575 Wandsworth Road would have otherwise been inaccessible as a wheelchair user. It was a wonderful way for Heritage Open Days to provide inclusiveness to some physically disabled people and to those who may be geographically challenged. The event was of great value with knowledgeable guest speakers imparting their expertise of their area, linking it to property in a seamless style.

Visitor

2024 - 575 Wandsworth Road (National Trust)

I really enjoyed it. It was great going into stores I usually don't go. Exploring new places can be daunting and take some courage, and exploring it in a group helped to get over that initial hurdle. I liked that the shop owners talked us through and let us try things. It was fascinating to hear what food is out there, that I normally don't consume. As an international I also found it nice to find places where other internationals are.

Visitor

2024 - International Food Tour

My son is autistic and has wanted to see behind the scenes at a recycling depot for a long time I saw this and jumped to the occasion. Without having the heritage open day it just simply isn't possible to look around these sites. He listened to the speaker and asked his questions and got up close and personal with the recycling trucks which made his year. A very good day out for him that he hasn't stopped talking about.

Visitor

2024

Bowes Museum is close to my heart as my late grandparents and father took me on regular visits as a child. … As finances are tight, the prospect of a free visit made it too good to miss. My senses were flooded with memories and seeing the exhibitions brought back some very happy thoughts.

Visitor

2024 - Bowes Museum

Supporting the community

Each year the national team is led by the feedback of the community and strives to do more to support them. This year we:

  • Invested in a new database and website to provide the foundations for future growth.
  • Set up a new series of registration surgeries to give organisers 1:1 support.
  • Held 4 webinars + 3 local workshops to inspire and connect organisers.
  • Supported 18 organisations through our New Wave training programme working with young adults to create new events.
  • Invested  £21,600 in local community programmes through our anniversary and New Wave projects.
  • Sent out 15,695 kids castles + enough bunting to run up and then down the other side of Mount Everest!
This year, I really enjoyed organising the event because it allowed me to bring the community together in a meaningful way. With more resources and support available, I felt confident in making the experience engaging and accessible for everyone.

Organiser

2024

Festival snapshots from local organisers

Clifton Suspension Bridge Trust

For 10 years this Trust has been engaging visitors with a busy historic bridge. This year over 93 guests attended 'Meet the Engineer' talks and 460 people engaged with volunteers on the bridge itself to learn more about its history and current maintenance work.

Man talking to a group of visitors stood on a pedestrianised bit of a large road bridge, with a suspension cable and scaffolding running up behind.
Jon Turton of Taziker talks to visitors about the ‘painting pods’ used to the access the bridge’s historic ironwork. (Image: Clifton Suspension Bridge Trust)
We take the HODs as a challenge to do something new and different that we might not be able to offer at any other time.

Organiser

2024

Chelmsford Civic Society

Over the past 10 years this local society has been developing a fantastic, creative hub of festival events. This year alongside their usual popular array of walks and talks they set about engaging visitors in the creation of a painted history rock snake!

RockSnakeHead_ChelmsfordCivicSociety.jpg
The 'History Rock Snake' was an innovative new event that went down a treat! (Image courtesy of Chelmsford Civic Society)
This year I was particularly excited about the rock snake, where we invited people to paint a rock with something from history. We had over 100 visitors to two painting sessions, some had seen the event advertised, some were visiting the park in general. We had a few visitors love the first visit so they attended the following weekend, and others waited over an hour to the end of the session to take their and other stones home to keep!

Organiser

2024

The Sand House

A local charity has been keeping the story of an extraordinary site of lost heritage alive through its events. The Sand House was a Victorian mansion carved out of the sandstone walls of a quarry and the charity has run talks and walks exploring its story in the past but this year they tried something new with a poetry workshop.

Woman with dreadlocks writing in a notebook sat at a table with assorted photo print outs scattered on it.
Bringing The Sand House to life through poetry and stories at this year's HODs event. (Image courtesy of The Sand House Charity)
Passionate facilitators bringing the story back to life.

Visitor

2024

A big thank you

A huge thank you to everyone who has participated in and contributed to our wonderful festival. Whether by visiting, volunteering, or planning and promoting. Every cup of tea poured, form filled in, poster put up, or story exchanged has made a difference.  THANK YOU and see you next year!

Save the date! HODs returns: 12-21 September 2025

Find out more

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