Blog 1.2 The Heritage Education Trust, The Reed Award, and Early Initiatives for Access

The November 1994 edition of Nimrod announces the launch of the Reed Award. The Reed Award was introduced by Mr. Ken Burton, then Managing Director of Reed Information Services, a major sponsor of the Heritage Education Trust and the Sandford Award in the period. This new award was specifically aimed at encouraging heritage education for children with special needs and pushing heritage educators to develop more accessible educational programmes. The criteria for the Reed Award were thoughtfully devised to ensure a high standard of entries. These included evidence of good co-operation between the property and the school in devising the submission, proof that the project was part of a continuing programme, the existence of resources specifically related to the project, the presence of open and welcoming attitudes, and clarity in identifying the need or needs at which the project was aimed.

Initially, the Reed Award seemed to receive some pushback from a few properties that were previous recipients of the Sandford Award. In January 1994, the 59 Sandford Award holders listed at that time were circulated with a questionnaire and asked to return it by 14 February of that year. The aim of the questionnaire was to help the Trust assess the degree of support for the new Reed Award among Sandford Award holders and to secure guidance on how the conditions of the new award should be framed. Of those who were surveyed and chose to reply, 24 properties indicated they would take part, 7 said they would not, and 1 was uncertain. Additionally, 17 properties agreed to circulate leaflets to publicise the new Reed Award locally through their regular mailings to schools, with the lowest single number of leaflets requested for local mailing being four.

While the statistical summary did not highlight this, a positive tone was, however, evident in the overwhelming majority of the responses received. Notably, of the seven properties that answered ‘no’ to the question, ‘Is your property likely to take part in the new Reed Award?’ all went on clarify that their responses had nothing to do with the initiative itself. Four of the seven expressed concerns about the small size of their properties, and one added, ‘However I think it is an EXCELLENT (sic) idea.’ While there is a limited number of Nimrod journals accessible after this issue, making it challenging to measure the full impact of the Reed Award that soon disappeared from mention, it is important to acknowledge the efforts made during this period. These efforts undoubtedly laid the groundwork for later initiatives for accessibility within heritage education. The introduction of the Reed Award highlights how the Sandford Award and the Heritage Education Trust have consistently pushed and inspired the development of heritage education that exists for all.

The evolution of heritage education, spurred by initiatives like the Sandford Award and the pioneering Reed Award, reflects a dedicated push towards inclusivity and accessibility. Throughout the 1990s, these efforts expanded educational offerings to cater to diverse groups, including children with special needs and non-English speaking students. By fostering partnerships and developing tailored programs, heritage sites ensured that every child had the opportunity to engage meaningfully with cultural heritage, a commitment that many Sandford Award-winning properties continue to adhere to today.