The RICHeS Programme Officially Launches
The UKRI and AHRC-funded Research Infrastructure for Conservation and Heritage Science (RICHeS) has officially launched with the announcement of 31 projects.
RICHeS is an £80 million investment into a network of facilities, collections and expertise in conservation and heritage science that will secure the UK's reputation for excellence in conservation and heritage science, further capability in the sector, and promote collaboration at a national and international level.
In July 2023, three funding calls were launched for:
- Hosting facilities as part of the heritage science infrastructure
- Hosting collections as part of the heritage science infrastructure
- The development of a heritage science data service for heritage science research.
On 1 October 2024 at the RICHeS headquarters at the Science and Technology Facilities Council's Daresbury Laboratory, all 31 funded projects were unveiled. Many NHSF members were among the funding recipients:
Collections
- Material history: hosting a cross section of National Trust properties and collections – led by Rebecca Hellen, National Trust
- Scotland's Archaeological Human Remains Collection (SAHRC) – led by Matthew Knight, National Museums Scotland
- Establishing Tate's Conservation and Heritage Science Archive (CHSA) – led by Louise Lawson, Tate
- Advancing Access to the UCL Archaeological Reference Collections (A3RC) – led by Kevin MacDonald, UCL
- Heritage Science Collections Hub: South HSCH:S – led by Gill Campbell, Historic England
- Empowering safety: hazardous materials awareness, identification and management – led by Michelle Stoddart, Science Museum (member of the Science Museum Group)
- HRP research vault for heritage science collections (REVEAL) – led by Constantina Vlachou-Mogire, Historic Royal Palaces
Facilities
- Multiscale Heritage X-ray Imaging Centre – led by Daniel O'Flynn, British Museum
- Creating a national integrated mobile and fixed lab for collections, historic buildings and sites – led by David Thickett, Historic England in collaboration with English Heritage
- Retrofit Centre for Traditional Buildings – led by David Mitchell, Historic Environment Scotland
- Accessing modern and contemporary art materials research – led by Bronwyn Ormsby, Tate
- Oxford Collaboration in Heritage Science Research and Engagement (OCHRE) – led by Heather Viles, University of Oxford
- The National Archives Centre for Heritage Science Research and Conservation Research – led by Juergen Vervoorst, National Archives
- PERFFORM: built heritage for communities and collections – led by Nicola Emmerson, Cardiff University
At the NHSF we are very excited to see how our members' projects and the other RICHeS projects progress, and to see UK heritage science increase in effectiveness, efficiency and excellence.
For more information, see the RICHeS website and the UKRI press release.