On Luddites the 200^th anniversary of the attack on Rawfords Mill is on the 11^th April – sledgehammers welcome.

Unlike Bob Jones I am not Luddite – a Rebecca perhaps – but I do not have a smart phone or any other such device and don’t intend to have one. I don’t need to tell people I am on the train – I know that.

 

The original publicity for the workshop appeared to be a debate about public engagement but that is not what we got. If I had seen the programm earlier I almost certainly would not have gone. I am not convinced by the argument that the silent majority will get a voice through social media – this was certainly implied. The noisy certainly succeeded in the workshop.

 

Everyone does not have a computer.

 

1 In the short term yes in the longer term hopefully no.

 

2 The fact that there are 30 million UK users of Facebook and 26 million UK users of Twitter means that there are 30 million UK users of Facebook and 26 million UK users of Twitter nothing more; nothing less. They might have a use but it is limited and the workshop did not demonstrate any expanded use. As I said before Flicker will be of immense use in compiling, for example local lists

 

3 If you are doing a Conservation Area assessment then postal information (thank you GIS) and meetings with the people involved, even (horror horror) cold calls, a blog might help, however most blogs are for fanatics and self publicists.

 

4 Surely Know Your Place a traditional website (traditional and website in the same sentence) where instead of emailing the site you can add things to a map, Yes social media may have a place but then so does quantum computing

 

I still feel the day could have been handled better replacing the useless afternoon session.

 

In reply to your discussion point – perhaps

 

Incidentally why are we left with pieces of paper from the day?

 

David Evans

Historic Environment Record Officer

(Postal Address)

Strategic Planning Policy & Specialist Advice

Department of Environment and Community Services

PO Box 2081

The Council Offices, Castle Street

Thornbury

South Gloucestershire

BS35 9BP

Phone: 01454 863649

fax:       01454 864473

 

I thought the workshop in Birmingham was very successful. I'd be interested to know what you were hoping to get out of the event?

There was plenty of references to the variety of tools at our disposal for public engagement from tea and cake to facebook.

At no time will social media replace the need for face to face discussions, nor was this proposed at the event.

 

The point of the workshop was to cover some other options that people might not have thought about and in this regard some points were quite important I think given the economy, localism etc.

 

1 If we want to continue in our role as custodians of the historic environment and to contribute to the creation of better quality places we need new approaches that help us truly deliver more with less.

2 The fact that there are 30 million UK users of Facebook and 26 million UK users of Twitter means that we would be fools not to use these as one of our communication channels.

3 Leaflets on doormats on my street are only relevant to the residents of my street. However, if that message is also published on social media the information or the approach has the potential to generate wider interest. It doesn't mean it will happen, but to ignore the potential would be a missed opportunity. I am more likely to read and respond to a blog entry than a published case study.

4 If we as historic environment professionals are to remain relevant we need to form new partnerships and collaborations. Use of social media will enable this to happen. Although Know Your Place is not truly social media, it is crowd sourced HER data. Since launching the site last year our HER has not only reached a wider audience, but we now have partnership projects with the Universities (Bristol and UWE neither of which ever used to speak to me), I have given talks to umpteen organisations such as our local Civic Society, we have had three exhibitions and the website is mentioned by developers, planners and most importantly local members. I would argue that the use of social media might actually result in more face to face discussions.

 

One comment in my group at the workshop was that just to get heritage on the table when it comes to regeneration, policy or place making would be a result. Given the profile that the Bristol HER now has, might it not be possible to achieve the same across the UK through the use of social media? Discuss.