A pioneering project in Nottingham, Heritage Buddies, has been linking people to local history and heritage as a new avenue for wellbeing through social prescribing. The pilot, managed by Nottingham Community and Voluntary Service (NCVS) and running from April 2022 to December 2023, aimed to explore how existing volunteers could guide individuals in need towards heritage-based activities to boost their mental and social health.
Inspired by the Nature Buddies model and the "whole-community approach to social prescribing" from the National Academy for Social Prescribing, Heritage Buddies partnered with local heritage sites and community organisations to bring this idea to life. “You have to communicate with each heritage organisation who all have different structures, different ways of working,” explained a Heritage Buddies staff member. “We worked around this by being as flexible as possible, letting the project be very much led by individual organisations.”
Two key strands emerged within the program: a “site-specific” Heritage Buddy role embedded within heritage sites, and a “heritage-informed” Buddy role within community support organisations. These dual approaches allowed the project to adapt to different needs, with volunteers at places like Nottingham Castle, Newstead Abbey, and the National Justice Museum providing unique heritage experiences, while community groups like Refugee Roots and the Chinese Welfare Association focused on broader, accessible connections to local history.
Heritage Buddies didn’t just benefit the participants. The volunteers themselves gained confidence and wellbeing, with many reporting a newfound understanding of the positive impact heritage can have on mental health. By the end of the pilot, 32 trained Buddies were actively supporting people across Nottingham’s diverse communities. “I think we should not shy away from looking at more accessible, light-touch heritage access points, like walks around cemeteries or allotments,” a staff member noted, highlighting the potential of everyday heritage spaces in fostering long-term engagement.
As the program wraps up, interest from local groups in continuing the Heritage Buddies model is strong. Four heritage organisations plan to keep the program alive, with NCVS producing a toolkit that distils the lessons learned for future initiatives. Among the insights gained: the importance of flexibility, the value of building trust with local communities, and the unique role heritage can play in fostering identity and belonging.
Heritage Buddies has left a lasting impact, showing that history and heritage can be powerful tools for health and connection. Through the relationships and insights it fostered, the project has paved the way for a sustainable and inclusive approach to social prescribing within Nottingham’s rich historical landscape.
