The AHSS at the Big Tent

Falkland Palace, 30 June to 2 July 2006

The theme of the Big Tent event was stewardship, defined very broadly as ‘taking care of the things that matter and leaving the world better than we find it’. So while looking after historic buildings was on the agenda, so too was renewable energy, fair trade, biodiversity, reducing waste, organic food and farming, environmental justice, safer streets, sustainable housing or social inclusion. These might be unusual bedfellows for the AHSS but they are highly compatible ones, and we jumped at the chance to gather views on historic buildings from attendees at the event. It also provided a good opportunity to meet with members and we enjoyed chatting to those who came by

Over 100 people came to our stand and spoke with us, taking away membership and other leaflets for the AHSS as well as for the Garden History Society, SPAB in Scotland and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. It was a good opportunity to talk to schoolchildren, families and older people, many of whom had never encountered the Society before. Most were very supportive of the Society’s aims and there is clearly good potential to increase membership by raising the profile of the Society through attending outreach events.

Folk of all ages and all backgrounds filled in our questionnaire, and the results provide some useful pointers to what best engages their interest. Respondents valued what buildings can tell us about the lives of their past inhabitants and about past building techniques over and above all other attributes of Scotland’s buildings.

Another question, that probed how people would like to learn more about Scotland’s buildings, produced some results that I think are very encouraging for the Society. While joining a group was favoured by only 13 of the 56 respondents, study visits and tours (36) the internet and books (both 28) were the most highly favoured means of finding our more. This suggests that promotion of our events (in particular visits and tours) and our publications would enable the Society to reach many more interested individuals. More work is required to enable the Society’s website to function more effectively to communicate with members and non-members alike, but clearly this is an area where there is great potential to spread the word and promote our work.

We learned a lot from talking to attendees at the Big Tent and we hope to participate in more outreach events across the country. If you know of an event coming up in your area which you think the AHSS should attend, please drop us a line or a call at the national office.

Audrey Dakin