Architectural Heritage Fund
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 | |
| Abbreviation | AHF |
|---|---|
| Legal status | Charity |
| Headquarters | 3 Spital Yard, London, E1 6AQ |
Region served | United Kingdom |
Chief Executive | Matthew Mckeague |
Chair of Trustees | Ros Kerslake |
| Website | https://ahfund.org.uk/ |
The Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) is a registered charity (No. 266780) founded in 1976 to promote the conservation and re-use of historic buildings across the United Kingdom. The AHF provides communities with advice, grants and loans to help them find enterprising and sustainable ways to revitalise the old buildings they love, particularly in economically disadvantaged areas. For over 40 years, it has been the leading social investor in creating new futures for historic buildings.
To apply for an AHF grant, organisations must be a not-for-private-profit organisation or one of the lowest tiers of the local government.[1]
The AHF provides loan finance to formally constituted incorporated charities, community businesses or social enterprises whose members have limited liability.[2]
Buildings supported must be of historic or architectural importance – they may be listed, in a conservation area, or of special significance to the community.
As of 2020, the AHF had awarded loans with a total value of £125m to over 890 projects across the United Kingdom and disbursed more than 750 individual grants with a total value of over £10M.
Legal status
The fund is incorporated as a company limited by guarantee without a share capital and registered at Companies House number 01150304.
Example projects
Some of the projects the AHF has supported include:
- Jubilee Pool, Penzance, Cornwall, England
- Riddel's Warehouse, Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
- Circus Eruption, Swansea, Wales
- Midsteeple Quarter, Dumfries, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland
- 170-175 High Street West, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England
- The Woolstore, Caledon, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland
- Haverhub, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales
- Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh, Scotland
List of all case studies:
Further reading
- Weir, Hilary. How to Rescue a Ruin - by setting up a local buildings preservation trust. 1990.[3] ISBN 0-9515468-0-5
- Waterson, Merlin; Morrison, Ian. Rescue and Reuse: Communities, Heritage and Architecture. 2019.[4] ISBN 978-1859467787
- The Guardian. From a Debenhams to a creative hub: closed stores get new lease in community life.[5]
- The Guardian. With tourism booming, Great Yarmouth dreams of turning the tide.[6]
- The Times. Former banks are given new lease of life.[7]
- UK Fundraising. Architectural Heritage Foundation launches £7m loan & social investment fund.[8]
- BBC News Northern Ireland. Regeneration: The NI villages bringing new life to old buildings.[9]