The HLF Committee for the South West 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 tHLF from £100,000 to £2million, the committee are supported by the regional HLF team who operate from Exeter.

Sarah Staniforth, a Cheltenham resident, joins the existing six members of the committee* made up of local people appointed through open advertisement. Their expertise widely reflects and compliments the range of heritage applications that HLF receives.

Sarah Staniforth worked for the National Trust from 1985-2014 in a number of roles including Historic Properties Director, Museums and Collections Director and Head Conservator. Her responsibilities have taken her to all parts of the South West, and she enjoys thinking about heritage in the round recognising the relationships between the natural and built heritage and local and global environments.

Commenting on her appointment Sarah said: “I have seen transformational changes brought about through HLF funded projects while I worked for the National Trust.  I am now delighted to be on the side of grant-giver rather than receiver and am looking forward to being involved with making decisions about projects in the South West that demonstrate how heritage can help to improve everyone's lives.”

Nerys Watts, Head of HLF South West, said: “Thanks to National Lottery players HLF is able to fund an amazing array of projects that encompass all aspects of the UK’s rich and diverse heritage. We are extremely pleased to welcome Sarah to the committee. She brings a wealth of experience to what is already a very strong team of decision makers. Their wide ranging expertise and strong regional awareness will be of great benefit to both HLF and the heritage of the South West.”

The South West committee covers Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, the cities of Plymouth, Bristol and Bath as well as Torbay, Poole, Bournemouth and Swindon. 2015 is the 21st anniversary of the National Lottery during which time HLF has supported more than 3,800 projects in the South West awarding grants totalling over £600m. The projects range 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.

Notes to Editors

*Simon Timms (chair), David Heathcoat-Amory, Philip Collins, Tamsin Daniel, Cherry Ann Knott and Evelyn Stacey.

Sarah Staniforth worked for the National Trust from 1985-2014 in a number of roles including Historic Properties Director, Museums and Collections Director and Head Conservator. Before that she worked in the Scientific Department at the National Gallery. She has written and lectured extensively on preventive conservation in museums and historic houses and some of this work is recorded in the National Trust Manual of Housekeeping.

Sarah is a Trustee of English Heritage, the Landmark Trust, the Hunterian Museum at the Royal College of Surgeons and the Pilgrim Trust.  She is also a member of the Westminster Abbey Fabric Commission and the Gloucester Diocesan Advisory Committee.

Sarah is particularly interested in the sustainability of museums and heritage organisations and has worked with National Trust properties to help them adopt a triple bottom line approach to their financial and environmental practices and the public benefit that they provide.