Wellbeing and Heritage Conference
Together with partners we ran a two-day in-person conference on wellbeing and heritage held at Delaprè Abbey in Northampton on 20–21 March 2024. There were sessions on themes such as evaluation, social prescribing, mental health, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), and policy. There was also a range of workshops and networking sessions. We would like to thank all those involved in this successful conference. Outputs from the conference will be signposted here in due course.
Overview
The heritage sector has done much in the last two decades to deepen its community engagement, widen access to its sites and activities, and support people’s wellbeing. Heritage organisations are increasingly putting health and wellbeing at the core of what they do. They are focusing their strategies and priorities on supporting communities, addressing big societal issues such as health inequalities and loneliness, and helping those in most need to find a safe space, respite and inspiration.
The evidence that heritage is good for health and wellbeing is growing. As more and more people struggle with a range of health and social issues, it is crucial that sectors, organisations and practitioners work together to help individuals and communities live better and feel supported.
The Wellbeing and Heritage Conference 2024 provided an opportunity for the heritage sector to open up and reach out to new partners, communities and people to share evidence and data about the wealth of work that it has been doing, and the possibilities that it holds for supporting health and wellbeing.
Conference programme
Over the course of two days, we heard from a wide range of speakers and had the opportunity to participate in a variety of workshops and networking sessions designed to showcase good practice, develop skills, and create opportunities for new partnerships and collaborations.
This event was organised and supported by Historic England, The Council for British Archaeology, Southampton Institute for Arts and Humanities (SIAH) and Delaprè Abbey, with the participation and help of the sector-wide Wellbeing and Heritage Working Group.
Live stream of the event
There was also a live stream of the event at the Council for British Archaeology's YouTube channel.
Supported by
