Joff has extensive experience working within the arts and heritage sector delivering programmes for learners of all ages and backgrounds. He is currently ACE Bridge programme manager for Norfolk and Suffolk working to connect young people with great arts, heritage and culture.

The HLF Committee for the East of England is made up of leading figures in the heritage sector across the region chosen for their wide range of experience and local knowledge. Responsible for making decisions on regional applications to the fund from £100,000 to £2million, the committee are supported by the regional HLF team for the East of England who operate from Cambridge-based offices.

Using money raised through the National Lottery HLF funds an amazing array of projects that encompass all aspects of the UK’s rich and diverse heritage. 2014 is the 20th anniversary of the National Lottery and during this period HLF has supported more than 3,500 East of England  projects awarding grants worth more than £400million.

Commenting on his appointment, Joff Whitten said: “I am tremendously excited to be joining the HLF East of England Committee. HLF is a fantastic organisation and the projects they support have made real differences to communities; both in terms of helping us preserve our rich and diverse cultural history but also by encouraging everyone to celebrate the places they live and visit. I look forward to working with HLF on their important and valuable work and hope my experience will be an asset to the region.”

Robyn Llewellyn, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund East of England, said: “We are extremely pleased to be welcoming Joff to the committee. He brings a wealth of experience to what is already a very strong team of decision makers. His wide ranging expertise and strong regional awareness will be of great benefit to both HLF and the heritage of the East of England.”

The East of England Committee covers Norfolk, Suffolk, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Essex, City of Peterborough, Luton, Thurrock and Southend-on-Sea. The grants cover projects ranging from restoration of historic buildings, improvements to museums and galleries, makeovers for town parks, purchasing works of art and treasured artefacts, helping to conserve the natural environment, and promoting community involvement in conserving local social histories. HLF is also actively involved in supporting a wide range of projects marking the centenary of the First World War. The projects are both large and small ranging from multi-million pound building refurbishments to local youngsters tracing the history of their local town and filming a DVD or producing a play.

Biography
Joff Whitten
Joff Whitten is currently the ACE Bridge programme manager for Norfolk and Suffolk. The Bridge is hosted by the Norfolk and Norwich Festival. The Bridge's mission is to connect children and young people with great arts, heritage and culture. Working with a variety of key stakeholders the Bridge programme supports networks and partnerships to best achieve Bridge goals.

Joff has extensive experience working within the arts and heritage sector delivering programmes for learners of all ages and backgrounds. Previously to his current role Joff worked as the Gallery Education Manager at The Courtauld Gallery in London, using its world renowned art history collection to encourage young people of all ages to discover, enjoy and engage with visual arts and culture.
 
Earlier in his career Joff worked at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, set into 500 acres of the Bretton Hall estate, located near to Wakefield. He has also worked for a touring orchestra that performed at various heritage sites and stately homes across the country and as such has an excellent understanding of the type of creative projects possible within a heritage location, especially those that offer opportunities for people of all backgrounds to engage with their local history, heritage and culture.

Joff is a practicing artist and musician, alongside being a trained teacher and educator with an MSc in social education theory. He enjoys the company of his cat and going for long cycles in the forest with his wife and their dog.

Notes to editors

The other HLF Committee members are: Inga Grimsey, Maggie Appleton MBE, Carole Reilly, Phil Rothwell, Philip Venning OBE and Steve Miller, who joined the committee in January and also serves as a Trustee to the HLF Board.

Steve Miller is Head of Norfolk Museums Service, one of the largest county museum services in Britain operating 10 museums across Norfolk including Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery, Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse and Time and Tide in Great Yarmouth. Norfolk Museums Service has been an Arts Council England Major Partner Museum since January 2012.

Prior to taking up the role of Head of Museums for Norfolk, Steve was the Chief Executive of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, one of the largest independent museums in the UK (2006-2013). Before Ironbridge, Steve was Director of the Norton Priory Museum Trust in Cheshire (2001-2006).

Further information

Heritage Lottery Fund: Vicky Wilford on 020 7591 6046 / 07968 129241, email: vickyw@hlf.org.uk or Phil Cooper, 07889 949173, email: phillipc@hlf.org.uk.