HELM is a comprehensive training programme aiming to improve decisions that impact on the historic environment by raising awareness of its value among non-heritage professionals.

The HELM website offers a range of expert guidance relating to historic buildings, archaeology and landscapes. Those using the site will find information on local heritage management, as well as technical advice and training information. Guidance will continually be updated.

The website has a searchable database of case studies, illustrating good practice in the historic environment. It is hoped this will inspire more imaginative and appropriate solutions to the management and development of historic places. Lists of local authorities’ own historic environment guidance encourage sharing of knowledge and experience.

Information on seminars and courses are posted on the website. Take up of training should improve the speed and quality of decisions affecting the historic environment, from urban regeneration and countryside initiatives to design of streetscapes.

What is HELM aiming to achieve?

HELM is part of English Heritage’s wider commitment to providing the tools to enable local authorities to manage change in the historic environment with skill and confidence.

HELM aims to ensure that the historic environment plays a key role across all aspects of local government from urban regeneration and countryside initiatives to transport strategies. The project has the backing from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). “I’m pleased to support HELM, which will be a valuable tool fro people involved in decisions affecting the historic environment.” Keith Hill, Planning Minister at the DCLG.

Who is HELM aimed at?

HELM wishes to reach decision-makers within local authorities and government agencies, in particular elected members and officers such as planners, highways engineers and estates managers.

English Heritage will provide local authorities with presentations on basic historic environment principles relevant to their role. Please contact your council’s conservation, training or member services department for details.

Further information for users is available by selecting an occupation from the "Let us guide you" list on the website home page.

What are our key messages?

The historic environment surrounds us, it enriches our lives and shapes our land.

REGENERATION & DESIGN: The historic environment is a part of successful regeneration. New development should be sympathetic to its historic surroundings.

UNDERSTANDING & RECORDING: Proper understanding of historic value leads to better, faster decisions.

LIVEABILITY: Historic places give people a past and a future. They provide identity, atmosphere and interest.

MANAGING & PROTECTING: Local Authorities are key players in the protection and management of the historic environment.

FUNDING: Good management avoids the financial problems that arise from damage and neglect.

HELM Contacts

How do I contact HELM?

Please your comments or questions or to request news..

To write:

HELM
English Heritage

LONDON EC1N 2ST
UK

Acting HELM Project Manager

HELM Training

HELM Website and Case Studies

Heritage Champions

HELM training

What Training Courses are available?

Local and regional training events have been available since November 2004. Information on seminars and courses are posted on the website.

How do I Apply?

There is an application form available on this website, which you can fill in online or print out and send to:

HELM
English Heritage

LONDON W1S 2ET

If you wish us to send you an application form or have any questions regarding applying for a course please email HELM at

How can I make enquiries?

Please email your comments or questions to

To request news from HELM email

To write:

HELM

LONDON EC1N 2ST

Email:

Acting HELM Project Manager

HELM Training

Website and Case Studies

Heritage Champions

Where can I get details of conservation training or courses not covered by HELM?

For details of conservation courses please contact:

Building Conservation Directory
Cathedral Communications Ltd
Tisbury Brewery
Church Street
Tisbury
Wilts
SP3 6NH

tel:
www.buildingconservation.com

English Heritage Guidance

How do I navigate this site to find English Heritage Guidance?

The HELM website contains English Heritage guidance on managing the historic environment.

English Heritage Guidance can be searched and downloaded as a PDF from this website by using the GUIDANCE LIBRARY/EH Guidance navigation buttons. Guidance is also available in both text and PDF version when accessed through the five topic buttons: REGENERATION & DESIGN, UNDERSTANDING & RECORDING, LIVEABILITY, MANAGING & PROTECTING and FUNDING.

Local Authority Guidance

What Local Authority Guidance is available in my area?

Many local authorities, amenity groups and relevant bodies produce their own guidance on a wide range of topics and English Heritage is keen to encourage sharing of knowledge and experience.

English Heritage commissioned Oxford Brookes University to collate a database of local authority publications on the historic environment. An initial telephone pilot survey was followed by a comprehensive questionnaire survey. This information has been entered into a database and is now available on the HELM website by using the GUIDANCE LIBRARY/LA guidance navigation buttons. You can search for local authority guidance by theme, name of local authority of keyword.

A summary report of an analysis of the data is available to download. Please contact the relevant local authority to receive a copy of their guidance and if you have any questions relating to this survey or database please email

Case Studies

Are there case study examples of good practice in my area?

Case Studies have been collected from throughout England in order to illustrate good practice related to the historic environment. These have been collected from a number of sources, including Local Authorities, English Heritage regions and existing publications and guidance relating to management of the historic environment.

The case studies are local stories which put theory into practice and produce real results with positive benefits. Case studies are a good way of illustrating some of the many alternatives and issues involved in local decisions that effect the historic environment. They can demonstrate and inspire innovative solutions.

The case studies database can be searched on this website by a simple search, which includes an interactive map to display case studies from each region and searches by keyword, theme, place and local authority. There is a specialist search, where more searches are available such as building, site or project name; heritage type; period and date etc. More than one item can be searched at one time in a single field by using the ‘Ctrl’ button. Clicking on the red ‘reset’ button will clear previous searches.

How do I submit a case study of my own?

If you wish to submit a case study, please contact us at and we will send you a form to complete. We will check all case studies submitted with our regional colleagues’ first, but will get back to you as soon as possible and let you know if we will be putting it up.

Completed forms, enquires and comments should be sent to

Sharing Information & Discussion

How can I share information, discuss topics related to historic environment local management and learn from my colleagues?

Case studies are a good way of illustrating some of the many alternatives and issues involved in local decisions that effect the historic environment. If you wish to submit a case study, please contact us at and we will send you a form to complete. We will check all case studies submitted with our regional colleagues’ first, but will get back to you as soon as possible and let you know if we will be putting it up. Completed forms, enquires and comments should be sent to .

HELM training offers you a chance to learn from your peers, understand different perspectives and see how people from other professions approach the same problem. It will also give you a chance to share your own ideas and build partnerships.

Conservation Advice

Who can I ask for advice if I am concerned about a local conservation issue?

Local Authorities play a key role in managing the historic environment and you should contact your local conservation officer or archaeologist. If you wish to contact English Heritage for advice or information on matters concerning your local area please feel free to contact the relevant Regional Office.

What Conservation Work does English Heritage do?

English Heritage is probably best known for the historic sites in our care which are open to the public. Less well known is our role in looking after the historic environment as a whole, including historic buildings, monuments and areas, and archaeological remains. We aim not only to ensure the preservation of our historic surroundings for the future, but also to encourage people to appreciate and enjoy this heritage today.

Scheduling Monuments

We advise the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on scheduling proposals and all applications for Scheduled Monument Consent, and give grants for major repairs to monuments.

Archaeology

We are the main source of funding for rescue archaeology and give expert advice on all aspects of archaeological projects.

Listed Buildings

We advise the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on proposals to "list" buildings of special historic or architectural interest. English Heritage expert staff also advise local authorities and, where necessary, the Department for Communities and Local Government on applications for listed building consent relating to Grade I or II* buildings or the demolition of any listed building. We also give grants for repairs to outstanding buildings, and give advice to owners of historic properties on how to maintain them.

Looking After Places of Worship

We work in partnership with individual denominations to protect listed places of worship, and operate grant schemes for repairs to important churches and cathedrals.

Looking After Conservation Areas

We advise local authorities on the management of conservation areas and offer grants for the regeneration of areas in need.

The Register Of Parks And Gardens

We maintain a Register of Parks and Gardens of special historic interest which now contains some 1400 sites. The Register helps us to work in partnership with local authorities to manage change to these nationally-important landscapes.

Does English Heritage offer grants for conservation work?

See the section under FUNDING on the HELM website.

English Heritage can offer grants to support important buildings and monuments in England. For advice on applying for a grant please contact your Regional Office.

English Heritage is of course not the only source of funding for historic buildings. A free and regularly-updated online guide to relevant sources of funds is published by the Architectural Heritage Fund on the Funds for Historic Buildings website at www.ffhb.org.uk. This is partly funded by English Heritage.

Where can I get information on technical or specialist suppliers or craftspeople?

As a public body, English Heritage is unable to recommend individual businesses. However, for details of craftspeople and suppliers please contact:

Building Conservation Directory
Cathedral Communications Limited
High Street
Tisbury
Wiltshire
SP3 6HA
Tel
Fax
www.buildingconservation.com

Where can I find out if a building is listed?

Details about listing can be obtained from your Local Authority. There is a useful listing of all UK Local Authorities at http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Dl1/Directories/Localcouncils/index.htm

Where can I find out about buildings at risk?

The English Heritage Heritage at Risk Register
SAVE Britain's Heritage www.savebritainsheritage.org

About English Heritage

Who is English Heritage?

English Heritage is a public body with responsibility for all aspects of protecting and promoting the historic environment. Officially known as the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England, English Heritage is an Executive Non-departmental Public Body sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). Our powers and responsibilities are set out in the National Heritage Act (1983) and today we act as the government's advisor on the historic environment. We also work with Communities and Local Government, and the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Department for Trade and Industry.

English Heritage is funded in part by the Government and in part from revenue earned from our historic properties and other services.

The work of English Heritage is overseen by a board of up to 16 Commissioners selected by the Government for the breadth of their national and regional expertise. The Commission is, in turn, advised by expert advisory committees and panels.

What does English Heritage do?

English Heritage works in partnership with the central government departments, local authorities, voluntary bodies and the private sector to:

Conserve and enhance the historic environment
Broaden public access to the heritage
Increase people's understanding of the past

We meet those responsibilities by:

acting as a national and international champion for the heritage
giving grants for the conservation of historic buildings, monuments and landscapes
maintaining registers of England's most significant historic buildings, monuments and landscapes
advising on the preservation of the historic environment
encouraging broader public involvement with the heritage
promoting education and research
caring for Stonehenge and over 400 other historic properties on behalf of the nation
maintaining the National Monuments Record as the public archive of the heritage
generating income for the benefit of the historic environment

How many staff does English Heritage employ and how can I find out about vacancies?

English Heritage employs an average of 1,650 staff located at our properties and offices.

Vacancies are available via our website:

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/about/jobs/

What is the charitable status of English Heritage?

English Heritage is a not for profit organisation responsible for protecting England's cultural heritage. This includes safeguarding our built environment, preserving ancient artefacts, rescuing and discovering important archaeological sites and enabling people to understand and enjoy their past through education, exhibitions, events and publications.

English Heritage is formally known as The Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England and was established by the National Heritage Act 1983.

English Heritage has been given the same benefits from tax relief as charities by the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988.

How is English Heritage different from the National Trust?

We both manage properties. The Trust is a charity, while English Heritage is funded by government and has wider responsibilities with national and local government.

Where are my local historic properties?

English Heritage currently has over 400 properties across England. To view details of your local property please visit English Heritage's Days Out & Events web pages.

If you would like a copy of a map showing all English Heritage sites please contact our Customer Services Department on or

Let us guide you

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