Industrial Heritage Support Officer for England project receives funding for 2025-2026

The Industrial Heritage Support Officer (IHSO) role has been awarded funding to enable it to continue its work to preserve England’s industrial heritage in the year April 2025 to March 2026. 

The IHSO project, which began in September 2012, is funded by Historic England and the Association for Industrial Archaeology (AIA) and managed by the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust (IGMT). It aims to support the approximately 600 industrial heritage sites open to the public in England. These sites are major educational, leisure and tourism assets, and an important part of the story of England’s pioneering role in industrialisation. Many of these sites are amongst the country’s most visible, and visited, heritage monuments.

The aims of the IHSO project, managed by IHSO Officer Mike Nevell (pictured), are to develop partnerships and promote partnership working through England’s Industrial Heritage Networks; continue to improve capacity during the post-COVID recovery; promote best practice in conservation, guidance, and engagement in industrial heritage sites; and gather data on the impact of the IHSO project.

In 2024 the project supported more than 400 sites through one-to-one advice, network meetings, site visits, seminars, websites, and social media.

At the end of March the first round of Industrial Heritage Network meetings for 2025 will take place online, and on 25 April, Mike will be talking at an event hosted in Coalbrookdale, organised by the Boiler and Engineering Skills Training Trust, about the need for trained engineers to run industrial heritage sites.

More projects in 2025 to 2026 are expected to include a major report on the industrial heritage sector in England; more online training seminars to support the sector; and the continuation of the Industrial Heritage Networks. These are key to bringing together people working at industrial sites so that they can exchange experience and best practice. 

Nick Booth, Collections and Learning Director at the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, said: “We are delighted that our partners at Historic England and the Association for Industrial Archaeology have agreed to fund the Industrial Heritage Support Officer post, based at Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, in 2025/26. This role is vital for the support of the wider Industrial Heritage sector and it is a mark of the importance of IGMT as a leading Industrial Heritage organisation. At a time of increased cuts to heritage organisations, and rising costs, this role has never been more relevant.”

Shane Gould, Head of Industrial Heritage at Historic England, said: “Historic England welcomes the ongoing work of the Industrial Heritage Support Officer role and the wider project in providing help and support to England’s publicly accessible industrial heritage. Many of these sites are owned and/or operated by trusts and voluntary groups, and the IHSO provides an important forum for sharing knowledge and expertise.” 

Zoe Arthurs, Chair and Trustee of the Association for Industrial Archaeology, said: “The Association for Industrial Archaeology is proud to support the essential work of the Industrial Heritage Support Officer project, in partnership with Historic England. We recognise the value in providing training, advice and liaison for around 600 industrial heritage sites open to the public in England. This project will help safeguard and promote our unique industrial heritage and we are thrilled to see it extended into the future.”

In addition to IGMT and the AIA, the IHSO project steering group includes Sir Neil Cossons and representatives from Arts Council England, the Canal & River Trust, English Heritage, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the National Trust, the Science Museum Group, the Association for Independent Museums, and a project liaison from Historic England.

More information about the IHSO project is available on the project’s website: industrialheritagesupport.com/