FBHVC and Heritage

A few photos from the Heritage Day weekend shown below

Three Counties Vintage and Classic Car Club at Corfe Castle.

Crash Box & Classic Car Club, Killerton House near Exeter

FBHVC and Heritage

The Federation recognises the contribution that road transport has made to our national heritage and believes that the historic vehicle movement has an important role in making this transport heritage accessible to the public. The annual Drive It Day has the dual purpose of demonstrating both the wealth of fascinating machines of all types and ages that are kept in this country and highlighting the large numbers of people engaged in this interest.

Historic vehicles, whether they are motor cars, motor cycles, steam, agricultural, commercial or ex-military, form an important part of our engineering heritage. The Federation is keen to link historic vehicles with the well-established heritage world that concentrates so much on historic houses and gardens. This arrangement has been very successful in other countries, particularly France, where it is seen to be of benefit in promoting both the vehicle movement and heritage properties. An historic vehicle display is a means to enhance the property for a particular occasion.

FBHVC has a director with specific responsibility for heritage matters and, together with the recently appointed event co-ordinator, will be actively working to encourage the continental practice of staging displays of appropriate historic vehicles at as many of these venues as practical, particularly to augment any special events or Open Days.

Heritage Open Days are days on which properties up and down the country that are normally closed to the public, or those which normally charge an admission fee, are open to the public free of charge. Some are very small, others much larger. The scheme, co-ordinated by English Heritage is intended to celebrate the wealth of our architectural and cultural heritage. These open days take place generally over a long weekend in September each year, the 2011 dates being Saturday and Sunday 10 -11 September, but some sites will also be open on the preceding Thursday and Friday. More details can be found at www.heritageopendays.org.uk

We are delighted to report that, following our approach to the National Trust, a number of property managers have also offered their locations for the display of historic vehicles. www.nationaltrust.org.uk

FBHVC Heritage will be liaising with both of these bodies, their venues and our membership organisations with a view to maximising the mutual benefit and enjoyment of days out with historic vehicles at some of this country’s interesting and perhaps lesser known locations.
FBHVC joined Heritage Link, now known as Heritage Alliance in 2008 with mutual benefits. HA represents a wide grouping of heritage interests in UK. FBHVC numbers increase HA’s influence, while HA’s work provides FBHVC with a source of valuable information on government thinking in relation to heritage, an area that is outside the scope of FBHVC’s normal monitoring efforts. www.heritagelink.org.uk/

For the same reason the Federation has also joined Europa Nostra, which describes itself as ‘the voice of cultural heritage in Europe’. This has brought us to the attention of their other non-engineering members and given them an awareness of the importance of the historic vehicle movement. It helps for the movement to be recognised as an essential part of heritage worldwide working to incorporate the heritage of vehicles in a much broader perspective. Details on http://www.europanostra.org/

The Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens stages a number of programmes across Europe where shows of historic vehicles (such as taking part in exhibitions linked with European Heritage Days) are emphasising the variety and importance of vehicle heritage. FBHVC strongly supports the recognition of FIVA as part of the UNESCO Heritage movement.