AHI people

I have come to interpretation by combing a background in the History of Art, teaching at many levels, and my local Wildlife Trust. Writing a PhD thesis on medieval wall paintings taught me about combining different types of evidence, pictorial and textual, to tell a story and led to teaching Art History to undergraduates and adults.

I am also a Forest School leader and take children into woodlands to learn about the woods, about aspects the curriculum (we’ve even recreated the Great Fire of London), and about themselves and their relationship with the natural world. As Interpretation Manager for the Berks, Bucks and Oxon WildlifeTrust, I am responsible for a team producing static, live and digital interpretation.

I hope to use all of the above experience to make a useful contribution to the AHI committee.

I first became interested in heritage interpretation as an archaeologist, where it is known as public archaeology, because of my belief that we all have a right to learn about our past and heritage. I wanted to make sure that the results of archaeological work were available to as wide an audience as possible. For me, interpretation helps us to understand something about the differing ways people at different times perceived and inhabited their worlds.

I set up inHeritage in 2005, Bill Bevan Photography in 2006, and was the Interpretation Project Officer for the Peak District National Park Authority between 2006 and 2010. I am also a writer and have, at times, been a terrible footballer, live movie sountracker and DJ - playing as far a field as Australia, Greece, Portugal, Zambia, Zanzibar and, of course, the UK.

I joined the AHI in 2006 and am delighted to join the committee to help the Association progress professionally and to support its members. My main role is website editor.

It is 32 years since I first encountered the word ‘interpretation’. I joined SIBH (now AHI) in 1975, and am a founder member of both Dehongli Cymru and Interpret Scotland. Down the years there have been many centres, trails, panels, publications, plans and strategies. I have had the privilege of meeting and working with people who have had a real passion for interpretation, and for ‘Fellows’ passion is the key attribute. To be acknowledged by your peers for the depth of your contribution is the quiet beating heart of our profession.

After a long stint in professional psychology, I joined the CEI. I later became a consultant, before joining the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) in 2001, where I am currently Head of the Communication Section which includes interpretation. I have a strong interest in the psychology of the visitor experience and the role of visitor studies and evaluation in helping us think more clearly about what interpretation is and what it can do. Away from work, I enjoy walking and archaeology, and mourn not going caving as much as I used to since moving to North Wales!

I am a consultant, copywriter and trainer specialising in interpretation for families and children. As a former National Trust employee, I have mainly worked in the field of historic houses and countryside. More recently, I have undertaken copywriting projects for museums, as diverse as the Tank Museum in Dorset and the Suzanne Mubarak Children’s Museum in Cairo. My company is called Froghopper – yes, named after the bug that starts its life in spit, then emerges to jump higher than any other creature in the insect world!

I joined the AHI Committee in 2006 and it has been a pleasure to work with such a dedicated team. My main role is as e news editor, and I hope to continue to provide a useful news service, encourage a lively exchange of information, and find ways to support members in these challenging times.

To slightly paraphrase a famous saying, I’ve always believed that ‘history is far too important to be left to the historians.’ But, being a historian and archaeologist myself I also know that interpretation can only be as good and effective as the research which goes into it.

At English Heritage my team is responsible for more than 400 properties all over England, covering a huge variety of sites, characters, events and periods. To tease out their individual stories and make them sing to our visitors is a process which I find continually exciting, stimulating and rewarding.

I first discovered interpretation many years ago and have found that it's crept into everything I’ve done since! I’ve had varied work experiences in hospitals, film making, marketing, tourism, education, arts and service management – interpretation can be a wonderful way of building awareness and capacity in lots of environments.

I finally got round to setting up my business, Ice House, in 2006 and it's been a bit of a roller-coaster ride this last couple of years, trying to earn a living from a small heritage interpretation business - but the rewards of finding out about amazing things and communicating with people about them are tremendous.

This year I'll be serving the AHI committee and members as Company Secretary (very scary as it all looks very official) and doing some fundraising too. If you've any thoughts or ideas, do get in touch.

My love for interpretation began in 2001 when I worked as a field archaeologist. I was always the one to talk to public passers-by about 'what I have found'. After three years of digging, I completed an MA in Art Gallery and Museum Studies. Since then, I have worked in various interpretive roles including Access to Archaeology Project Officer at the Lake District National Park Authority and Exhibition and Display Officer at Wigan Leisure & Culture Trust. I now work as an interpretation consultant for my company Minerva Heritage.

I am keen to promote the role of interpreters and relish opportunities to meet with other professionals in the field. I am thrilled to be able to join forces with the other AHI committee trustees to support the profession and AHI members.

In 1994, after twenty years working in finance, I decided it was time for a change. I spent a fascinating academic year at the Ironbridge Institute, which introduced me to the world of heritage and interpretation. A number of part time roles followed, including being Treasurer of SIBH, later to become AHI. In 1998 the financial demands of family meant that I joined the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, back in a finance role, where I remained until recently. I retired as CWGC Director of Finance at the end of May 2011.

However, in the meantime I continued to be involved with AHI in the background, and following the decision to use CCML to handle the administration, I was asked if I would again be Treasurer. So I am again on the Committee, hopefully helping the other Committee Members to navigate AHI through the current recessionary times.

I first discovered just how powerful successful interpretation can be during a childhood visit to the Caen Memorial in France - a museum focused on war but dedicated to peace. It wasn't a comfortable experience, but an inspiring one. I moved swiftly on to a love of medieval abbeys and cathedrals (obviously the museum's pacifist behavioural objectives did the trick!) and then to travel. When I finally settled down there was no option but to study tourism and heritage interpretation.

I’ve been fortunate to work in some incredible locations including some of the UK’s Cathedrals, on the Jurassic Coast working in sustainable tourism and interpretation before moving to the Brecon Beacons National Park. Here, I look after education, information and interpretation for the Park (or fun and enjoyment as I prefer to call it). It’s a job all about inspiring people to love and explore the landscape and its cultural heritage which is perfect.

The AHI has supported me throughout my career, and I've gained much from the various events and networking opportunities, something which led me to volunteer for the role of conference director.

I have spent 21 hugely enjoyable years working in the interpretation industry. My induction in interpretation was while working as the first education officer at the Chelsea Physic Garden, researching medicinal herbs and setting up the education service. Educators at Kew Gardens, Edinburgh Botanic Gardens, Oxford Botanic Gardens and Chelsea Physic Garden got together and formed a network of Botanic Garden Educators (now BGEN) and were lucky to go on a course on interpretation in gardens run by James Carter. Since then I’ve never looked back! I moved on to work at the Natural History Museum and then the National Trust where I gained my PhD on "the role of persuasive communications in changing attitudes and behaviour to nature conservation."

I then moved back to gardens as Head of Education for the Royal Horticultural Society where I masterminded the Campaign for School Gardening with over 12,000 schools signed up. I am now Programme Manager for Learning Skills and Community Engagement at Renaissance South East and chair of AHI.

I can trace my interpretation inspiration back to a friendly Pennsylvania Fish and Game ranger who conveyed his enthusiasm about skunks and porcupines when I was ten and temporarily living in the USA. I succeeded in becoming a ranger myself in the early 1990s in Yorkshire, leading themed walks and doing my first leaflets and panels.

I joined Forestry Commission Wales in 2000, starting as a recreation ranger but quickly moving on to developing new visitor centres, and I became Interpretation Manager in 2002. My role has since expanded to include quality of visitor experience, graphic design, and branding.

Smallholding, walking, cooking, being a dad, and playing tennis keep me out of trouble when I'm not at work.

After having been on the Dehongli Cymru/Interpret Wales Steering Group for many years I was thrilled to become an AHI committee member in autumn 2010.