News
27 Nov 2018
by Heritage Open Days
Two children playing in a grassy field with a lighthouse, both flying kites.
"Still buzzing from the experience. Definitely can't wait for new adventures next year!" - Visitor 2018

Making a difference to local communities

  • 74% of visitors live locally
  • 91% feel that visiting helped them to have more appreciation for their local area
  • 79% feel that it helped them to understand the background of others
  • £20million added to local economies

...& the heritage sector...

  • Nearly 1 in 3 visitors had not visited a heritage site in the past year
  • 85% feel inspired to visit other heritage sites in the future
  • 86% of volunteers are more likely to volunteer with other heritage sites/ organisations 

...all whilst having fun!

  • 96% of visitors enjoyed their experience
  • 94% of volunteers fully enjoyed their experience
An animatronic dinosaur with HODs pink bunting entertaining children.

Taking a dinosaur for a walk - just another day at the festival for Weston Museum! (© Chris Lacey) 

A deep long tunnel, illuminated with group of people wearing helmets with torches.
"Fantastic morning - a real privilege to be able to explore an otherwise inaccessible place" Visitor 2018 (© Chris Lacey)

Hitting the headlines

  • Coverage on over 20 regional radio stations + 9 TV stations
  • Featured in The Times, The Daily Mail, Grazia, as well as on ITV’s This Morning
  • Over 2.8 million website views during the festival + social media content seen over 400,000 times

Celebrating Extraordinary Women 

This year's theme was 'Extraordinary Women', inspired by the anniversary of the first women in England being able to vote but looking beyond stories of suffrage to champion all women who have touched lives, and made a difference at every scale.

  • Over 500 Extraordinary Women events were held, making up almost 10% of total events
  • Over 140 women, suggested by organisers and members of the public were featured on our ‘Wall of Women’
  • This year's Unsung Stories commission - non zero one’s artwork, put her forward -  received more than 200 public nominations for living women who have positively impacted on those around them
Many different pictures of women - from portraits, blank people icons, paintings and selfies of varying ages.
Over 140 suggestions were sent in for our 'Wall of Women'.

Many thanks to all who participated, especially our wonderful local organisers. 

HODs will be back next year (13-22 September) celebrating People Power for our 25th anniversary!

Find out more

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