Over the first year, RICHeS has been at the heart of building an informed, collaborative and innovative UK heritage science community. The 31 RICHeS investments have shared their expertise and insights through presentations and pop-up stalls at RICHeS IHQ-led regional workshops in Cardiff, Liverpool, London and Edinburgh, bringing people together and sparking new ideas.
Across the programme, more than 150 events and workshops have reached over 3,000 participants. These activities have included workshops with curators, training days and open days, all designed to enhance knowledge and foster collaboration. Project partners have played a central role, with over 200 collaborations and partnerships formed through RICHeS in just the first year.
Looking ahead, we are excited about the continued growth of collaborative communication between leading organisations and researchers, as well as cross-sector engagement and international collaborations in heritage science and conservation.
You can still register for the next regional workshop in Cardiff, or if you are interested in a particular RICHeS investment, we encourage you to reach out and explore future events and workshops with them directly.
New roles and skills across the UK
Across the RICHeS investments, 82 new staff members have been recruited across the UK. he project teams have also trained or upskilled over 450 people, both internally and externally helping to develop a highly skilled and informed heritage science community.
For example, Historic Environment Scotland delivered a Level 3 training course on Energy Efficiency Measures for Older and Traditional Buildings to 14 external participants. Through RICHeS investment, they are also constructing a new Retrofit Centre for Traditional Buildings that will expand their capacity to deliver this type of training in the future.
We were also delighted to see further institutional investment in development opportunities. Historic Royal Palaces welcomed their first Heritage Science Laboratory Technician Apprentice through the HRP Apprenticeship Programme in collaboration with South Thames Colleges Group. The apprentice will work closely with the newly expanded team, with RICHeS investment supporting additional staff through the REVEAL project.
Once the 31 investments are fully operational, each will support the employment of a staff member through RICHeS programme funding. If you are interested in joining a team, keep an eye out for future opportunities.