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Baroness Kay Andrews OBE becomes first woman Chair of English Heritage

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9 June 2009

Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw today announced the appointment of Baroness Kay Andrews as the new Chair of English Heritage.

Baroness Andrews was formerly Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.  Her appointment followed an open competition under full Nolan procedures earlier in the year, and will run for four years from 27 July 2009.

Ben Bradshaw said:

“English Heritage plays a key role in so many of my department’s programmes, and we greatly value its expertise and experience, and the important work it does to bring our historic environment alive for everyone. 

“Kay Andrews was the unanimous choice of the independent panel that assessed all the applicants for the Chair, and takes on the chairmanship at an important time for the organisation.  Public interest in our history and heritage is really high at home, and looks set to captivate the huge numbers who will come to the UK in 2012.  There are exciting times ahead and she is wonderfully well-qualified to lead English Heritage through them.

“I must also thank Sir Barry Cunliffe who has been a most diligent interim Chairman since last September and I thank him warmly for stepping in to lead the organisation following Sandy Bruce Lockhart’s death in August.”

Baroness Andrews added:

“I am delighted to be appointed the new Chair of English Heritage.  I am conscious that I do so following last year’s tragic death of Sandy Bruce-Lockhart.  He was a great man and a wonderful champion of England’s heritage.   It will be the greatest privilege for me to take up the baton and be directly involved in the protection and promotion of the historic environment all around us and under our feet.

“Living, as I do, in the middle of Lewes – one of our most beautiful towns - I appreciate, on a daily basis, the living history we see in our streets and downland landscapes.   But we hold our unique historic environment in trust not just for those who are lucky enough to live with it but also for those who come to marvel at it from all over the world.

“But the greatest responsibility we have is to enthuse the next generation so that they understand the significance of the historic environment for them.   As a child, I remember being taken to Cardiff Castle and the curiosity and enjoyment which has grown over the years stems from that early experience. I believe very strongly that inspiring and opening doors for children to enjoy and care for our historic places is one of the most important things English Heritage can do and I look forward to working with everyone there to ensure we achieve this”.

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Notes to Editors

  1. Baroness Andrews was formerly Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.  Prior to this, she was senior research clerk in the research division of the House of Commons Library before becoming policy adviser on education, science, and social policy to the Rt Hon Neil Kinnock MP (1986 to1992).  In 1992, she became the founder Director of Education Extra, a UK-wide educational charity created to ‘put after school activities and learning within the reach of every child’.  In 2003, she was appointed Government Whip in the House of Lords with responsibility for health, work and pensions. In 1998, she was awarded an OBE for services to education.

  2. English Heritage is the government’s lead body for the historic environment in England and is responsible for protecting the best of the country’s unique legacy of historic buildings, landscapes and archaeological sites for the benefit of this and future generations.  For full details please visit the English Heritage website or contact English Heritage customer services on 0870 333 1181 or 1182.

  3. All public appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if any declared) to be made public.  Accordingly, Baroness Andrews declared that, in addition to those political activities recorded above, she canvassed for the Labour Party in the 2005 General Election; attended fund raising dinners for the Labour Party and spoken at occasional meetings - e.g. at national conferences. She contributes £1,000 a year to the Thousand Club - a fund raising arm of the Labour Party.

  4. The Chair of English Heritage is remunerated at £45,000 pa for a commitment of 90 days a year. The appointment is for a four year term.

Updated 12 June 2009

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