Sheffield is first in the country to launch a ten-year heritage strategy created by the community

An overarching plan governing how Sheffield looks after its most historic places has been launched.
The Joined Up Heritage Sheffield's aim is that within the decade, Sheffield will understand and celebrate its heritage better; will champion its diverse heritage; will make better use of the economic potential of heritage; support its education value; and recognise its social, well-being and environmental benefits.The Joined Up Heritage Sheffield's aim is that within the decade, Sheffield will understand and celebrate its heritage better; will champion its diverse heritage; will make better use of the economic potential of heritage; support its education value; and recognise its social, well-being and environmental benefits.
The Joined Up Heritage Sheffield's aim is that within the decade, Sheffield will understand and celebrate its heritage better; will champion its diverse heritage; will make better use of the economic potential of heritage; support its education value; and recognise its social, well-being and environmental benefits.

A milestone moment is being celebrated with the publication of Joined Up Heritage Sheffield’s first-ever Heritage Strategy.

The document – understood to be the country's first community-led blueprint of its kind – sets out a vision for the 10 years up to 2030, and reflects a feeling that Sheffield could do more to promote its history.

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Valerie Bayliss, chair of Joined Up Heritage Sheffield (JUHS) said: “This is a hugely important step for Sheffield. We are presenting a ten-year plan for improving understanding of the city’s diverse and fascinating heritage’ – a heritage that embraces many aspects of Sheffield life.

"Many people think of heritage as about historic buildings. Heritage is indeed about the built environment, but it’s also about so much more than that: places as well as buildings, collections and records, customs and traditions, memories, stories and languages. We’ve neglected a lot of this for far too long.”

The Strategy has an Action Plan, setting out actions to be taken over the next decade and Joined Up Heritage looks to develop a partnership with major players to implement the Action Plan, while working alongside a new Heritage Forum, the place where the community can continue to make its input.

Robin Hughes, a JUHS trustee, said: “Many people were involved in designing the Strategy, through workshops, reviews and consultation. This hasn’t been done before. It was a fascinating process.

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“People were buzzing with ideas and debated them seriously, resolved differences of view and came up with something really special.”

The aim is that within the decade, Sheffield will understand and celebrate its heritage better; will champion its diverse heritage; will make better use of the economic potential of heritage; support its education value; and recognise its social, well-being and environmental benefits.

And the social benefits are more urgent than ever, a point highlighted by the impact of lockdown. Better connection with heritage improves people’s well-being and can provide the sense of belonging we all seek as we face the fallout from the pandemic.

The Strategy marks a new beginning for Sheffield’s heritage and has been welcomed by key players in the city and Cllr Bob Johnson, Leader of Sheffield City Council, said: “I warmly welcome the publication of the Heritage Strategy for Sheffield. It is particularly powerful that it’s been developed by Joined up Heritage and the Sheffield community. The Council supports the aims and intentions of the strategy, seeing it as an important foundation for collaboration and joint work in the future.”

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Martin McKervey, chair of Sheffield Property Association, said: “The Sheffield Property Association applauds and congratulates Joined Up Heritage Sheffield for the work they have done, this strategy is an important contribution to life in Sheffield.”

And Stephen Betts, CEO of Learn Sheffield, added: “We are delighted to support the Heritage Strategy. We look forward to working with Joined Up Heritage Sheffield to develop a diverse and inclusive heritage education programme for our city that makes full use of our wonderful heritage resources and organisations.”

JUHS acknowledges the support of the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University for the Strategy project.