Cornwall Heritage Trust hosted a special event to encourage heritage sector collaboration last week in celebration of its 40th anniversary year.
The independent charity’s Progress and Pathways Day was hosted at Kresen Kernow, Cornwall’s archive centre, and was sponsored by Poynton Bradbury, trusted specialists in architecture and conservation.
Bringing together leaders and key decision-makers from across the heritage sector, the event aimed to spark meaningful conversations about collaboration, including how heritage organisations, partners and businesses can work together to support Cornish heritage into the future.
The day was part of a packed calendar of events which celebrate the charity’s 40th anniversary.
It included a wide variety of talks and activities, including…
- A look back over the last 40 years of Cornwall Heritage Trust’s charitable work with Cathy Woolcock, CEO. This explored the charity’s strong legacy of protecting Cornwall’s past and its ambitious plans to broaden reach, deepen community impact and strengthen the future of Cornwall’s heritage.
- An insight into training and apprenticeships with James Shipway, the charity’s recently-qualified Countryside Ranger and leader of its Young Rangers climate action group. 2025 was an exciting year for James, seeing him graduate from his Level 4 Countryside Ranger Apprenticeship with flying colours and being named as ‘Higher/Degree Apprentice of the Year’ at Bridgwater and Taunton College.
- A deep dive into the collaborative work undertaken between Cornwall Heritage Trust and Kresen Kernow, which resulted in the Pobel ha Leow / People and Places exhibition. The exhibition, which runs until February 2026, delves into the Kresen Kernow Collection and the archive of Cornwall Heritage Trust to explore the varied roles that the sites in the charity’s care have played for Cornwall’s communities over time.
- An exploration of adapting heritage assets for the future with Poynton Bradbury Architects. Drawing on 50 years of experience working with some of Cornwall’s most significant sites, this explored a wide range of topics, including access and inclusion, responding to the climate crisis, reuse and transformation, use of local materials, community identity and the importance of context and setting.
- A reflection on the challenges and opportunities for the Cornish heritage sector from Ann Reynolds, Cornwall Council Strategic Historic Environment Senior Officer.
Cornwall Heritage Trust Engagement Manager, Sophie Meyer, said: “From the cost of living crisis to the impact of climate change, the Cornish heritage sector faces unprecedented challenges right now, and that’s why it’s so important to work together to secure its future and ensure it thrives. We’re hugely grateful to everyone who joined us for the day and to Poynton Bradbury for sponsoring the event. I’m really looking forward to seeing the results of the conversations started here.”
Laura Highton, RIBA Specialist Conservation Architect and Poynton Bradbury Director, said: “We were delighted to continue our support of Cornwall Heritage Trust through the sponsorship of this event. It was a fascinating afternoon, with a series of enlightening talks and activities that truly engaged the audience with the distinctiveness and special character of Cornwall’s heritage assets. The day encouraged collaboration, mutual support, and the development of skills and training across the sector, while also providing valuable insight into the Trust’s latest projects and achievements.”
This event was sponsored by
