Last Hurrah for Heritage as Deadline Approaches

Organisers of the Blackburn Heritage Festival at the Blackburn BID (Business Improvement District) are reminding Blackburn organisers that time is running out to register their participation if they are planning to stage an activity in September.  Registration closes on 1 August for the national Heritage Open Days website with local publicity by the BID going to press at the end of the month before distribution.
 
BID Manager, Harriet Roberts explained, ‘Heritage Open Days is the biggest celebration of history of the year with events and activities going on all over the UK to provide an opportunity for people to access areas of buildings not usually open to the public or to take part in free walks, talks and guided tours to discover history on their own doorstep.’

Harriet has been invited to attend the London launch of Heritage Open Days in London where she will be taking part on a 'Q and A' panel of organisers at the gathering at The Royal Institute of British Architects on Tuesday 21 July where speakers will include the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, John Whittingdale.
 
Harriet set up the Blackburn Heritage festival as a volunteer with associate colleague, Ian Holmes in 2013 with a grant of £600 from Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council for some leaflets.  This was after an appeal by Ray Smith of Blackburn History Society to get more places in Blackburn involved in Heritage Open Days weekend which takes places every year across the country.  The number of places open in Blackburn from 1 to 16 that year.
 
Ian and Harriet began working for the BID in 2014 and then developed the festival with support from Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council to include 100 activities and events across 50 venues and attracted 20 thousand additional people to the town in one weekend.  This year's Blackburn Heritage Festival will be funded by the Blackburn BID. It takes place on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September to link with the national festival and will include a vintage fairground and 'hop-on hop off' vintage buses with costumed tour guides.
 
Harriet said, 'We are thrilled to have been recognised by Heritage Open Days. The story of the growth of the Blackburn Heritage Festival is testimony to the passion people have for historic buildings in Blackburn. I am grateful to Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, the Blackburn BID and the volunteer organisers taking part in the festival for continuing to grow this event to put Blackburn on the map.'
 
To register an event go to www.heritageopendays.org.uk