Heritage Crafts

{{Short description|Charitable organisation in the UK}}

Heritage Crafts is a registered United Kingdom charity{{EW charity|1159208|The Heritage Crafts Association}} (registered as The Heritage Crafts Association) set up to support and promote traditional crafts. It has been operating under the name Heritage Crafts since October 2021.{{cite web |url=https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/ |title=Heritage Crafts }}

The charity was launched at the Victoria & Albert Museum in March 2010,{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/mar/22/heritage-crafts-at-risk|title=Heritage crafts at risk|website=TheGuardian.com|date=22 March 2010}} with a membership programme for supporters.{{Cite web |url=http://www.craftscotland.org/Default.aspx.LocID-cftnewkcp.RefLocID-cft04e001001.Lang-EN.htm |title=The Heritage Crafts Association Friends' Scheme launch |access-date=2011-01-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725055158/http://www.craftscotland.org/Default.aspx.LocID-cftnewkcp.RefLocID-cft04e001001.Lang-EN.htm |archive-date=2011-07-25 |url-status=dead }} Its founders included Robin Wood MBE (professional wood turner and co-founder of Spoonfest with Barn the Spoon), Patricia Lovett MBE (professional scribe, calligrapher and illuminator) and current executive director Daniel Carpenter.{{cite web|title=Who we are|url=http://heritagecrafts.org.uk/who-we-are/|website=The Heritage Crafts Association|date=23 January 2016|accessdate=7 March 2018}}

Heritage Crafts initiated a 30-minute adjournment debate on the state of traditional crafts in the House of Commons in June 2009.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2009-06-25c.1036.0|title = Traditional Crafts}}{{Cite web |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090625/debtext/90625-0019.htm |title= Hansard |website= Hansard |access-date= 8 May 2023}}

In May 2017, in association with The Radcliffe Trust, the Association published the Red List of Endangered Crafts, which was repeated again in 2019, 2021 and 2023, when it was funded by The Pilgrim Trust.{{Cite web

|title=The Red List of Endangered Crafts

|publisher=Heritage Crafts Association

|url=http://heritagecrafts.org.uk/redlist/list-of-crafts/

}} This publication was also covered on Woman's Hour.{{Cite episode

|title=Endangered Crafts

|series=Woman's Hour

|network=BBC Radio 4

|date=4 May 2017

|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08njv62#play

}}

In 2020, the charity's patron, King Charles III (then Prince of Wales), launched The President's Award for Endangered Crafts, which was won in 2020 by Ernest Wright scissor makers,{{cite web| url = https://www.thestar.co.uk/business/sheffield-scissor-firm-top-chops-craft-awards-3000298| title = Sheffield scissor firm is top of the chops at craft awards| publisher = The Star| date = 12 October 2020}} in 2021 by watchmaker Dr Rebecca Struthers{{cite web| url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/brands/struthers-watchmakers-taking-swiss-watch-giants-staffordshire/| title = The husband-and-wife team taking on Swiss watch giants from their Staffordshire workshop |publisher = The Telegraph| date = 22 March 2023}} and in 2022 by pargeter Johanna Welsh.{{cite web| url = https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/23298588.suffolk-pargeter-wins-royal-approval-centuries-old-craft/| title = Suffolk pargeter wins Royal approval for centuries-old craft |publisher = East Anglian Daily Times| date = 5 February 2023}}