COVID Historic Environment Resilience Forum (CHERF)

High-level sector-strategies for rebuilding, recovery and resilience.

The intent behind setting up the COVID Historic Environment Resilience Forum (CHERF) is to create a collaborative space to plan, coordinate, and communicate high-level sector-wide strategies and guidance for rebuilding, recovery and strengthening resilience in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

CHERF will directly address the questions:

  • What contribution can heritage make to the country’s recovery?
  • What is the threat to heritage?

CHERF will work towards informing the production of a route map of medium and longer-term actions to grow sector resilience, sustainability, and evidence the sector to be a beneficial participant in Scotland’s national recovery.

In doing so, the forum will investigate what the sector should look like, what skills the sector has or needs to get there, and how heritage can advocate its essential role in Scotland’s recovery. This will be actioned through meetings and groups associated with key strands (see table below).

Update 11th February 2021

Continuing the CHERF series of events, BEFS held a well attended webinar on The State of Heritage 2021-22 with excellent contributions from leaders across the sector discussing the financial, employment and organisational outlook for this coming year. A summary report and comment on the event from BEFS Policy & Strategy Manager Ailsa Macfarlane is available to download here.

WORKSHOPS

CHAIR: Ian Baxter

COORDINATING BODY: BEFS

PARTICIPANTS: Representatives from across Scotland’s heritage and built environment sector. External sector specialists will be invited to contribute as necessary.

TIME FRAME: Medium to long term strategies. CHERF formed in May 2020.

PRINCIPLES: Agile, flexible, communicative, committed, collaborative and open. Focus on getting the right people in the room for actions to be agreed and delivered.

OUTPUT: CHERF will work towards informing the production of a route map of medium and longer-term actions to grow sector resilience, sustainability, and evidence the sector to be a beneficial participant in Scotland’s national recovery. Meeting notes and information will be made publicly available here and disseminated through participant networks.

OUTCOMES will be aligned to and directly delivering:

  • OPiT / Culture Strategy (strengthening/transforming/empowering through culture)
  • the National Performance Framework (NPF) and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs) related outcomes.

For an overview of advice, guidance and support from across the heritage and built environment sector visit our COVID-19 Advice page.

BEFS reiterate our thanks to all speakers and attendees for their time, consideration, input and collaboration across the CHERF events.

Telling Scotland’s stories through studying the past

Policy Topics