Tag: Department for Culture and Media

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 10 December 2025.

Government plans will offer young people somewhere to go, something meaningful to do, and someone who cares about their wellbeing in moves to strengthen their connections in real life.

• Ambitious 10-year plan to give 500,000 more young people access to a trusted adult outside their home and equip them with skills to boost their resilience and stay safe online
• National Youth Strategy to deliver up to 250 new or refurbished youth centres, 50 Young Futures Hubs, and new support for youth workers, backed by over £500 million of investment

Young people across England will benefit from over £500 million of government investment as the first National Youth Strategy in 15 years is published today, setting out an ambitious delivery plan to rebuild youth services over the next decade. 

‘Youth Matters’ has been co-produced with more than 14,000 young people across England through a landmark ‘State of the Nation’ survey. It represents a fundamental shift in how the government will support young people over the next decade – turning the tide from isolation online, to real life connections. 

Local government spending on youth services fell by 73% between 2010/11 and 2022/23, with more than 1,000 youth centres closing and over 4,500 youth worker roles being lost. The Prime Minister has spoken of young people being “collateral damage” over the past decade and how this must be turned around, with the government investing in the potential of young people – offering them the chance for real life connections to support their talent and potential. 

A centrepiece of the National Youth Strategy centres around additional investment to transform youth services. The government is committing over £500 million of new funding, which will:

• Build or refurbish up to 250 youth facilities over the next four years, as well as providing equipment for activities to around 2500 youth organisations, through a new £350 million ‘Better Youth Spaces’ programme. It will provide safe and welcoming spaces, offering young people somewhere to go, something meaningful to do, and someone who cares about their wellbeing.
• Launch a network of 50 Young Futures Hubs by March 2029 as part of a local transformation programme of  £70 million, providing access to youth workers and other professionals, supporting their wellbeing and career development and preventing them from harm.
• The first eight hubs to be operational by March 2026 are in Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, County Durham, Nottingham, Bristol, Tower Hamlets, and Brighton and Hove.
• Support organisations in underserved areas to deliver high-quality youth work and activities through a ‘Richer Young Lives Fund’ worth over £60 million.
• Boost young people’s wellbeing, personal development, and essential life skills through a new £22.5 million programme of support around the school day in up to 400 schools.
• Recruit and train youth workers, volunteers and other trusted adults with £15 million of investment. 
• Strengthen youth services through £5 million to improve local partnerships, better information sharing, and digital infrastructure, ensuring young people receive high-quality, safe, and effective support in their communities.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said:

“As a dad and as Prime Minister, I believe it is our generation’s greatest responsibility to turn the tide on the lost decade of young kids left as collateral damage. It is our moral mission. 

“Today, my government sets out a clear, ambitious and deliverable plan – investing in the next generation so that every child has the chance to see their talents take them as far as their ability can.” 

“That is also why we will ensure that if you choose an apprenticeship, you will have the same respect and opportunity as everyone else, as we get two-thirds of young people in higher-level learning or apprenticeships.”

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:

“The challenges facing young people today are urgent and demand a major change in direction. For too long, youth policy has been an afterthought. This generation deserves better.

“Young people are the most digitally connected but also the most isolated in generations with many wanting more meaningful real life connections. Young people have been crystal clear in speaking up in our consultation: they need support for their mental health, spaces to meet with people in their communities and real opportunities to thrive. We will give them what they want. Today’s National Youth Strategy puts young people at the heart of decision-making and begins to rebuild the youth services that were decimated over the past decade.

“From Young Futures Hubs in local communities to hundreds of millions of pounds invested in youth facilities to transforming the services that support them – we will give young people somewhere to go, something meaningful to do, and someone who cares about their wellbeing. They have spoken – now we’re delivering for them.”

Over the next decade this strategy will also reverse the decline in local government spending with plans for: 

• Half a million more young people to be given access to a trusted adult outside their home, helping equip them with essential skills, such as resilience or how to manage their online safety, to help them transition to adulthood and adapt to a digital world. 
• The government aims to halve the gap in who gets to do meaningful activities between richer and poorer families. This covers after school activities, as well as those in the evenings, weekends and holidays
• It delivers on key government missions within the Plan for Change: spreading opportunities, making streets safer and taking pressure off the NHS.

What young people said

The measures respond directly to the landmark ‘State of the Nation’ survey commissioned by the Culture Secretary, and published alongside the strategy today. It sets out the reality of what it is like to grow up in England in 2025, painting a vivid picture of their experiences growing up in a world shaped by the Covid-19 pandemic, the cost of living crisis, an always-on digital world, and ongoing global uncertainty.

It reveals stark concerns from young people about a lack of mental health support, growing social isolation and an absence of youth services in their communities. 

While young people today are the most digitally connected generation, the report highlights that they face unprecedented levels of isolation, among the highest globally. They want more opportunities to connect in person safe spaces to go to, better mental health support, guidance for their education and careers, greater access to enriching activities and opportunities, and tools to engage positively online and offline. 

Building on recent investment

The National Youth Strategy marks the start of a decade of sustained investment in young people, building on:

• The Culture Secretary’s ‘Every Child Can’ commitment, backed by £132.5 million from the Dormant Assets scheme in June. 
• The Department for Work and Pensions’ £820 million funding package announced this week to support young people across Great Britain into employment and training, creating almost 300,000 more skills and training opportunities for young people on Universal Credit, and a £725 million package of reforms to the apprenticeship system to help tackle youth unemployment and drive economic growth, with thousands more young people expected to benefit over the next three years.
• In September the Prime Minister set bold new targets for apprenticeships of two-thirds of young people participating in higher-level learning – academic, technical or apprenticeships – by age 25, up from 50%.
• The Department for Culture, Media and Sport recently announced over £400 million will be invested in new and upgraded local community sport facilities over the next four years, plus Sport England’s £250 million investment in youth sport and physical activity.

ENDS

Additional quotes: 

Leigh Middleton OBE, CEO of the National Youth Agency: “The National Youth Strategy puts young people at the centre of change, reflecting what they have said they need: safe spaces, trusted adults, and real opportunities to thrive. Youth work is essential in delivering these plans, and the Strategy makes that clear. We look forward to working with the Government to ensure this ambition is matched with action, delivering equity and lasting improvements for every young person.” 

Alex Holmes OBE, The Diana Award: “For a quarter of a century The Diana Award has shown what happens when you back young people with trust, resources and a platform. It’s been inspiring to see this National Youth Strategy built with young people, not just for them. The next 10 years must be about turning their ideas into action and giving young people the tools and confidence to hold us, as adults and institutions, to the promises we’ve made.”

Jonathan Hopkins, Centre for Young Lives (member of the DCMS Expert Advisory Group): “This is a strategy by young people, for young people that we all benefit from. It is a generational shift in how young people are seen and heard. Backed by commitments like Young Futures to turn lives around, it will deliver a more confident and close knit society.” 

Dan Lawes, CEO of My Life My Say: “I’ve seen firsthand that the greatest successes of the National Youth Strategy come from one simple principle: putting young people at the centre. Its strength lies in the fact that youth voices didn’t just contribute to its composition — they shaped its direction, its priorities and its purpose. By listening to young people every step of the way, we’ve created a strategy that is not only credible and representative, but one that I hope will deliver real, lasting change.”

Paul Lindley, entrepreneur, campaigner, author: “This Youth Strategy puts young people exactly where they belong — at the heart of decisions that shape their lives. By rebuilding the local places, services and relationships that help them feel seen, supported and able to belong, it tackles the postcode lottery of opportunity and invests in a generation whose potential is extraordinary.”

Sophie Pender, Founder, The 93% Club: “The National Youth Strategy represents hope: targeted investment in the working class communities too often overlooked. It strengthens our mission to show the state schoolers, the kids on the council estates, the ones whose youth has been shaped by limited resources, that they matter too.” 

Kadra Abdinasir, Associate Director of Policy, Centre for Mental Health: “The National Youth Strategy is an important cross-government opportunity to strengthen young people’s mental health. Trusted adults, safe community spaces and early support are all key to preventing mental health problems escalating. By expanding these opportunities nationwide, the strategy can help ensure every young person feels supported, connected and able to thrive.” 

Zafeera Karim​, Member of Youth Parliament, said: “From a teacher, I learned, ​’If someone says you are the future, say no. I am the present; I have things to do now.​’ Those words resonate because young people are already acting, supporting one another, and taking on responsibilities that often go unseen. This National Youth Strategy matters because it has the potential to listen to these realities, address structural barriers, center voices too often excluded from decision-making, and provide practical support that engages with the work already happening. My hope is that this strategy will recognise what young people and their communities are already doing today and strengthen this work with sincerity at its origin and soundness in its fulfillment to create responsible, lasting change.​”

Notes to editors:

1. The full National Youth Strategy and the State of the Nation report are available at GOV.UK.
2. Youth summaries of both the main strategy and report are available alongside associated research.
3. The ‘State of the Nation’ survey engaged 14,134 young people and was conducted in  partnership with Savanta, My Life My Say, the #iwill Movement and Youth Collaborators
4. The consultation included focus groups, discussions and workshops with Ministers, officials and youth sector organisations.
5. A Youth Advisory Group of 14 young people from across England was convened to help shape the strategy.
6. According to the latest statistics from the OECD, 15-year-olds in the UK spend more time on their digital devices than the average OECD country. 
7. In a study of 40 countries, 11, 13 and 15-year-olds in England ranked among the highest in reporting that they feel lonely most of the time or always (HBSC, 2022).
8. According to the Office for National Statistics, there are about 10.6 million young people aged 10-24 in England.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 14 November 2025.

An export bar has been placed on Henri-Joseph François, Baron De Triqueti’s sculpture of Florence and Alice Campbell (1857).

• Valued at £280,000, the sculpture includes a depiction of a woman embroiled in a Victorian scandal
• The export bar will allow time for a UK gallery or institution to acquire the sculpture for the nation

An export bar has been placed on a rare sculpture by Henri-Joseph François, Baron De Triqueti, allowing time for a UK gallery or institution to acquire it. 

The sculpture is a unique double portrait and is of particular value because the location of so many of Triqueti’s works are unknown. The artwork stands nearly two metres tall, with the portrait carved in marble, set atop a rosewood and marble inset plinth.

Henri de Triqueti was an influential Victorian sculptor, who appears to have been inspired by Florentine and Renaissance portrait sculpture. It is hoped that the acquisition of the work by a UK institution may allow further study, unlocking more insights into the artist’s methods and practices. Triqueti’s work also presents an enticing opportunity for the further study of Victorian women. 

The sculpture’s focus are young sisters, Florence and Alice Campbell. It was commissioned by the girls’ father, Robert Tertius Campbell, an Australian businessman who is credited with introducing innovative agricultural techniques to his Oxfordshire estate, Buscot Park. 

Florence Campbell later found notoriety herself, being implicated in the unexplained death of her husband – a scandal which has inspired everything from an Agatha Christie novel to true crime podcasts today.

Culture Minister, Baroness Twycross said:

We’re fortunate that this striking sculpture has survived in such excellent condition. This level of marblework demonstrates an incredible degree of craftsmanship and presents a beautiful depiction of these young girls.

I hope that we can find a UK buyer so that it can continue to delight visitors and provide opportunities for future generations to learn more about the story behind this piece and its sculptor.

Stuart Lochhead, Committee Member:

Baron Triqueti navigated various worlds, enjoying the patronage of King Louis-Philippe of France and Queen Victoria. He moved in high society and exhibited at the Paris Salon and in London. Deeply versed in Renaissance masters, his style would shape a generation of sculptors in Britain. However, this rare and beautiful double-portrait relief demonstrates how much remains to be uncovered about this talented artist’s practice and patronage networks. Much can be gleaned also from the relief’s commission by Robert Tertius Campbell, an Australian tycoon who settled in England and introduced innovative agricultural methods. The loss of such an exceptional and unusual portrait from the UK would be most unfortunate.

The Minister’s decision follows the advice of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest (RCEWA).

The Committee made its recommendation on the basis that the relief met the second and third Waverley criteria for its outstanding aesthetic importance and its outstanding significance to the study of Triqueti’s sources, work practices, patronage networks, and the commissioning of medallion portraits by English families. It was also of outstanding significance to the study of the role of Victorian women and to development of estate management ideas. 

The decision on the export licence application for the relief will be deferred for a period ending on 13 February 2026 inclusive. At the end of the first deferral period owners will have a consideration period of 15 Business Days to consider any offer(s) to purchase the relief at the recommended price of £280,000 (plus VAT). The second deferral period will commence following the signing of an Option Agreement and will last for three months.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 13 November 2025.

The National Covid Memorial Wall will be preserved to remember the lives lost during the pandemic.

• COVID-19 Day of Reflection will take place annually each March
• New COVID-19 commemorative green spaces delivered in partnership with NHS Charities Together and Forestry England

The government has today published its response to the UK Commission on Covid Commemoration’s report.

The Commission, headed by Baroness Morgan of Cotes, was created under the previous administration to make recommendations on how the United Kingdom can commemorate the loss of life and honour the sacrifice and public service of key workers during the pandemic.

The government has committed to take forward a number of the recommendations in the report, including: 

• Preservation of the National Covid Memorial Wall: Created by the bereaved, for the bereaved, the government will work with The Friends of the Wall and local partners, to preserve the National Covid Memorial Wall as a memorial to the lives lost in the UK to COVID-19.
• A UK wide COVID-19 Day of Reflection: The Day of Reflection will continue to take place annually in March as an opportunity to come together to remember the lives lost and the sacrifices made. It will also pay tribute to the work of health and social care staff, frontline workers, researchers and all those who volunteered and showed acts of kindness during this unprecedented time.
• Creating new spaces for reflection: In partnership with NHS Charities Together and Forestry England, new COVID-19 memorials will be created across the country that will reflect the importance of green spaces to the nation during the pandemic.
• Fellowship scheme on future natural hazards: A new fellowship programme has been launched focusing on natural hazards and resilience as part of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Policy Fellowship programme.
• Commemoration web pages: New gov.uk web pages have also been published bringing together information about COVID-19 commemorative activity, including oral histories that share memories and first-hand experiences of the pandemic. They will also include information on memorials that the public can visit, and about the Day of Reflection.

Culture Minister Baroness Twycross said: 

The pandemic had a huge impact on every aspect of our lives. It is right that this period in our shared history is appropriately remembered. I would like to thank Baroness Morgan, all of the Commissioners, and the bereaved family groups who contributed to the work of the UK Commission on Covid Commemoration. 

It is important that we honour the lives lost and remember the sacrifice and courage of key workers who contributed so much to keep the public safe and keep our public services running during this time, often at huge personal cost.

Each of the more than 240,000 hand painted hearts on the National Covid Memorial Wall is a poignant and powerful reminder of the scale of loss of life to the pandemic. Many families did not have the opportunity to say goodbye to a loved one. Today, we commit to ensuring that those who died are not forgotten.

Baroness Morgan of Cotes said:

I would like to thank Ministers and DCMS officials for their considered and thoughtful response to the recommendations of the UK Commission on Covid Commemoration. It was a privilege to chair the Commission and I remain mindful that while people want the space and time to reflect on their individual and collective loss, they also wanted us to look ahead in our recommendations and to try to build resilience in preparation for a future pandemic or other hazardous event. 

As we said in our report, the period when bereaved families could not have the usual physical and social contact will never be forgotten. But equally the efforts and sacrifices of frontline workers, the volunteering and community spirit we saw and the amazing achievement of UK science in developing the vaccines should also not be forgotten. It is right that, as a country, we take the time to remember the COVID-19 pandemic, to address what happened and then to focus on preparedness for the future. The Government response will facilitate this and I am delighted that we have reached this point.

You can read the full government response here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-government-response-to-the-report-by-the-uk-commission-on-covid-commemoration

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 13 November 2025.

Boys and young men in Wigan and Wakefield to receive support to tackle loneliness and isolation through new Government and Rugby League Cares initiative.

• Rugby League greats including Keith Senior and Adrian Morley will lead sessions challenging harmful masculinity narratives and promoting mental health
• Sessions to teach life skills and emphasise that toxic online cultures are no match for positive, in-person experiences

Boys and young men in Wakefield and Wigan will benefit from a new sense of community, purpose and wellbeing as the Government teams up with independent charity Rugby League Cares to tackle male loneliness. This is part of the Government’s plans to break down barriers to opportunity as part of our Plan for Change.

Rugby League legends Keith Senior and Adrian Morley are among a group of former players leading pilot programmes across the two regions. They will kickstart honest conversations about male mental health and help young men build confidence and resilience, so they are better equipped to cope when life gets tough. 

Young men are more than twice as likely to take their own lives as young women, according to the Office for National Statistics. Since the pandemic, there has been a sharp rise in the number of young men not in employment, education or training, leaving many without regular opportunities to forge friendships and meaningful connections.

Now, the Government is harnessing sport’s unique power to give people the feeling of belonging and ensure fewer boys and young men are left vulnerable to isolation. 

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: 

Too many young men today are struggling with loneliness and isolation. We know the devastating consequences this can have, both for their mental health and for our communities. When young people can’t find a sense of belonging where they live, they are vulnerable to finding it in the wrong places.

Rugby League has always been more than just a sport in towns like Wigan and Wakefield. It is the heartbeat of these communities. By bringing together the legends of the game with the next generation, we are creating spaces where young men can open up, build genuine connections and develop the resilience they need.

Everyone deserves to feel they’re part of something bigger than themselves. Through this work with Rugby League Cares, we are making sure more young men get that chance and can reach their full potential.

The Culture Secretary will make the announcement on Thursday during a visit to a Rugby League Cares programme in Wigan. The Government investment of more than £330,000 will fund two Rugby League Cares pilot programmes, reaching 1,300 boys and young men by March 2026. 

The first programme, Offload, is designed to give men aged 16 to 24 who are at risk of isolation a safe environment to open up without pressure or judgement, while developing the tools they need to look after themselves and contribute positively to their communities. 

The second, the Movember Ahead of the Game programme, will use rugby to deliver sport-focused mental health training to younger boys aged 11-18, as well as parents, carers and youth workers, engaging those at risk early through the game they love and the heroes they admire. 

RLC Head of Wellbeing Programmes, former England and GB international Keith Senior said: 

The difference these programmes make is incredible. They’re delivered by people who are embedded within the villages, towns and cities where the sport is played and who know all about the challenges boys and young men face growing up in these communities.

Being able to call on our own experiences of tackling issues like loneliness, social isolation and having little sense of belonging as we grew up is invaluable in helping us to relate to, and engage with the people we are reaching out to.

The values I learned as a professional athlete equipped me with many of the same coping mechanisms and strategies that we all need to thrive and lead fulfilling lives, and I am looking forward to sharing my experiences with boys and young men in Wakefield and Wigan.

Notes to editors 

Programme details

• Both programmes aim to increase awareness of loneliness, isolation and mental health impact, as well as improving wellbeing, confidence and aspirations of participants. 
• Each will be led by former professional players who are trained in mental health support, including Bob Beswick, Paul Broadbent, Teddy Chapelhow, James Chapelhow, Ian Hardman, Robbie Hunter-Paul, Dan Keane, Kevin Larroyer, Craig Lingard, Johnny Lawless, Shaun Lunt, Adrian Morley, Keith Senior, Jordan Turner and Adam Walne. *Programmes will run across four sites in the Wigan and Wakefield local authority areas, each linked to a Rugby League club: Castleford, Featherstone, Wakefield and Wigan. 

Offload:

• For boys and young men aged 16-24 who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) and at higher risk of isolation and loneliness. 
• The programme consists of six two-hour sessions. 
• Sessions will include team-building challenges, physical activity and teach mental fitness skills, while providing a supportive, no-pressure space to talk.

Ahead of the Game:

• Consists of four workshops: two for boys and young men aged 11-18, one for parents and carers, and one for youth workers. 
• The workshops for 11-18-year-old’s will teach participants how to start conversations about mental health, how to support themselves and friends, and where to seek help when needed. 
• The workshops for adults will help participants develop the skills and knowledge they need to support the mental health and wellbeing of young people, as well as recognise warning signs around loneliness and isolation.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 3 November 2025.

The Prime Minister has reappointed Carol Pyrah, Julian Glover and Taryn Nixon as Trustees of the National Heritage Memorial Fund for terms of 4 years.

Carol Pyrah, Chair of the North Committee

Carol is an experienced heritage professional with a background in both charities and the public sector.

Since December 2024, she has been Chief Operating Officer at Ripon Cathedral. Prior to this, she was Chief Executive of Urban Green Newcastle, an independent charity set up to manage the city’s 33 parks and 60 allotment sites, and Executive Director of Historic Coventry Trust, finding innovative ways to sustain historic places and to inspire, involve and connect people with the city’s history.

An archaeologist by training, Carol had a senior career at English Heritage and Historic England, where she was Assistant Director of Planning and a member of the Executive team. She has a track record in place-based regeneration projects and is passionate about the role of local places to foster civic pride and community cohesion.

Carol has been a Commissioner of the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England and a Trustee for the Churches Conservation Trust.

She has lived in the Yorkshire Dales for over 25 years.

Julian Glover, Chair of the Midlands and East Committee

Julian is an author and journalist with extensive experience of working with the Government.

He led the Landscapes Review for the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) – which created better ways of running England’s protected areas – and has been a special advisor for both Number 10 and the Department of Transport. He also advises a range of organisations, especially on transport and sustainability.

Julian has been Associate Editor of the London Evening Standard and a columnist and reporter for the Guardian. He is the author of Man of Iron: Thomas Telford and the Building of Britain, a biography of one of the UK’s most prolific engineers.

He lives in Derbyshire, where he is a board member for the Buxton International Festival.

Taryn Nixon, Chair of the London and South Committee

Taryn Nixon OBE MCIfA FSA is an archaeologist and independent heritage management adviser. 

She has a background of leadership in the historic environment sector. From 1997 to 2016, she was the Chief Executive of Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA). She is a former Chair of her professional body, the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists and has served on a number of boards and committees including for Historic England, the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, the Society of Antiquaries, and the founding Board of National Trails UK. A champion of values-based archaeology, she has published on the contribution archaeology and heritage make to economic growth, regeneration and social cohesion, as well as construction industry guidance on managing archaeology within planning and development. She was awarded an OBE for services to archaeology and heritage in the King’s Birthday Honours in 2025. 

Taryn was first appointed as a Trustee of the National Heritage Memorial Fund and National Lottery Heritage Fund in May 2022, and chairs the Committee for England, London and South. She lives with her family on the edge of Dartmoor National Park in Devon.

Remuneration and Governance Code

These Trustees of the National Heritage Memorial Fund are remunerated at £20,749 per annum. These appointments have been made in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. 

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 3 November 2025.

Dame Julia Unwin is the Government’s preferred candidate for the Charity Commission for England and Wales Chair, the Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy announced today.

Dame Julia Unwin

Dame Julia Unwin has had a long career largely in the voluntary sector, and has also served on the Boards of a number of regulatory and government bodies, including five years as a Charity Commissioner in the late 1990s. She was a member of the Board of the Housing Corporation for 9 years. She served as Chief Executive of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation from 2007-2016. She has had experience as a consultant, adviser, mentor and speaker in the voluntary and broader public sector.

Dame Julia chaired the Civil Society Futures Inquiry which reported in 2018, and was awarded a DBE in 2019 for her services to civil society.  As well as chairing the Board of Governors of York St John University, she is also the Inaugural Chair of Smart Data Foundry, a subsidiary of Edinburgh University engaged with using private sector data for public good.

Dame Julia will now appear before MPs on the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee for pre-appointment scrutiny on 25 November. 

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: 

“Dame Julia brings a wide range of experience and expertise to the role having worked across both civil society and regulation. It makes her an outstanding candidate to be the chair of the Charity Commission.

“This will be a vital, public role to ensure that the Charity Commission’s independent regulation delivers high levels of public trust and confidence in charities.”

Under the terms of the Charities Act 2011, the appointment of the Charity Commission for England and Wales Chair is made by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. 

Ministers were assisted in their decision making by an Advisory Assessment Panel which included a departmental official and a Senior Independent Panel Member approved by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. 

Mark Simms has been extended as interim Chair of the Charity Commission from 24 October 2025 to 24 January 2026 allowing for the ongoing process to complete.

Notes to editors 

• The Chair of the Charity Commission is remunerated at £62,500 per annum for a time commitment of two and half days per week. 
• This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. 
• Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Dame Julia Unwin has not declared any significant political activity.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 28 October 2025.

The Secretary of State has reappointed William Bush and Deborah Shaw as National Council Members for Arts Council England.

William Bush

Bill is Deputy Chair of English Touring Opera and a Trustee of Civic Future. He has recently stood down as Chair of the Alliance for Intellectual Property and as Board member of the Football Foundation. 

During Bill’s 20 years at the Premier League as Executive Director and latterly Senior Adviser, he led areas including intellectual property, public policy, relations with government and the EU, relations with fans, communications and the community programme. Before joining the Premier League, Bill worked as a Special Adviser to the Prime Minister and to Tessa Jowell at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and was Head of Research for BBC News 1991-1999. Early in his career, as a local government officer he ran the Office of the Leader of the Greater London Council (Ken Livingstone) from 1981-1986. 

Deborah Shaw 

Deborah is Chief Executive of the Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury (Theatre of the Year, Stage Awards 2022). As CEO, she has led on the creation of a new vision and business model bringing together the best of the subsidised and commercial sectors. Her recent focus has been on setting up Marlowe Theatre Productions to make and tour large-scale theatre and the development of the 800 year old Poor Priests’ Hospital into a creative learning centre and heritage destination.    

Deborah has worked in regional, national and international theatre for over 30 years, including Associate Director at Watford Palace and Artistic Director at Chester Gateway theatres. She was Associate Director at the Royal Shakespeare Company for 8 years, including Director of the World Shakespeare Festival for London2012.
At Historic Royal Palaces, she commissioned artworks including the Sky/South Bank Award-winning Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red (‘the Poppies’) at the Tower of London; The Lost Palace at the Banqueting House (European Heritage in Motion Best Achievement Award) and East Wall, with Hofesh Shechter Company, East London Dance and LIFT, one of the Guardian’s top 10 dance productions of the 21st century.

She read History at Cambridge and has an honorary doctorate from Oxford Brookes for services to theatre. She chairs Creative Kent, co-chairs The Touring Partnership, is a Kent Ambassador and a founder-member of the Iraqi Theatre Company in Baghdad.

Remuneration and Governance Code

William Bush and Deborah Shaw’s four-year second terms commenced on 15 May 2025.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 16 October 2025.

Government announces £9 million grant, enabling National Trust to secure future of museums within UNESCO World Heritage Site that attract 330,000 visitors annually.

• Move is latest part of government’s Plan for Change to help boost the local economy, safeguard jobs and create opportunity in the Shropshire area

The birthplace of the Industrial Revolution is to be saved and kept open for future generations, following a £9 million government grant announced today.

The funding will enable the transfer of the Ironbridge Gorge museums to the National Trust, securing the future of this internationally significant heritage site and ensuring continued access to Britain’s industrial heritage for hundreds of thousands of annual visitors.  

The Ironbridge Gorge was designated as one of Britain’s first UNESCO World Heritage Sites, recognising its pivotal role as the epicentre of 18th century world industrialisation. The site encompasses 10 museums and 35 listed heritage buildings and Scheduled Monuments, and showcases the engineering prowess of our ancestors. It attracts 330,000 visitors annually from the West Midlands, across the UK and beyond.

Attractions include Blists Hill Victorian Town, the Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron, and the Old Furnace. The museums on site serve as a valuable educational resource for schoolchildren whilst offering families an engaging historical experience. The tourism generated also supports local businesses including pubs, restaurants, hotels and shops, providing employment throughout the area. 

The transfer of the sites to the National Trust will mean that the museums on site benefit from the strength of the National Trust’s brand and its large membership base. Combined with government investment, this transition aims to enhance the museums’ success and draw even greater numbers of visitors to discover Shropshire’s contribution to the Industrial Revolution.

This intervention is the latest step of the government’s Plan for Change, ensuring that the site continues to boost the local economy through increased tourism and employment, as well as opening up valuable opportunities for the local community to connect with their heritage.  

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: 

As the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, it is absolutely vital that the museums in the Ironbridge Gorge are protected as a key heritage asset in this country and a significant contributor to jobs and the economy in the Shropshire area. The Gorge is rich with the history of ingenious Britons who designed and constructed so many iconic pieces of engineering – from steam engines to iron boats. 

I have every confidence that this government support will help the National Trust take this area from strength to strength. It will mean it can be enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of visitors for generations, whilst providing children with opportunities to connect with their local heritage as we embark on our plan of national renewal.

This £9 million grant represents a contribution towards the total sum required by the National Trust to ensure the museum’s long-term security and maintain its status as a unique visitor attraction. 

Hilary McGrady, Director General of the National Trust, said:

The Ironbridge Gorge is widely regarded as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, which paved the way for the scientific and technological innovation that defines our world today. The site is an example of British ingenuity, a source of immense national and community pride and a distinct and much-loved icon of our shared heritage. I cannot think of something more at home in the National Trust’s care – an institution built to protect and preserve the things our nation loves on behalf of everyone, everywhere.

It’s a privilege to be able to work with DCMS and with the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, which has looked after the site and its collection with care and dedication for many decades, on this next chapter in the Ironbridge Gorge’s amazing history. Finally, I’d like to say thank you to Arts Council England, Historic England, and National Lottery Heritage Fund for their support in helping secure a sustainable long-term future for the buildings, monuments and collection within Ironbridge Gorge.

Mark Pemberton, Chairman to the Board of Trustees of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust said: 

We are incredibly pleased to have secured the long-term future of the Museum by its transfer to the National Trust. The £9 million investment by DCMS is recognition of the global significance and national importance of Ironbridge.

Ironbridge was important as the birthplace of industry and now as a major tourist destination it plays a part in the success of the local economy.

Duncan Wilson, Chief Executive of Historic England, said: 

On behalf of Historic England I am delighted that the National Trust is stepping up, with support from DCMS, to take on Ironbridge, the cradle of the industrial revolution with many remarkable survivals from the late eighteenth century onwards. It is such an important part of this country’s heritage, and contributes significantly to the local and regional economy. We are very grateful to the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust for all the work and care they have put into keeping the site safe for the nation over the years, and look forward to helping play our part in helping it to thrive in the future.

Liz Johnson, Midlands Area Director, Arts Council England said: 

The Ironbridge Gorge Museums holds a special place in our nation’s history – a place where innovation and creativity changed the world.

The National Trust’s acquisition, made possible with investment from DCMS, is a great step in securing its future.  Arts Council England has worked collaboratively with DCMS, National Trust, IGMT, NLHF and Historic England to support this transition process, which will offer future generations the opportunity to visit, learn and be inspired by the museums’ rich history and world-class collections, for many years to come.

This announcement follows a series of government interventions to support the heritage and museum sectors through the Arts Everywhere Fund, which includes the £15 million Heritage at Risk Capital Fund supporting 37 at-risk heritage sites, and the £20 million Museum Renewal Fund supporting 75 cherished local museums to remain open to the public and continue providing learning opportunities for children nationwide. 

Notes to editors: 

The National Trust

The National Trust is an independent conservation charity founded in 1895 by three people: Octavia Hill, Sir Robert Hunter and Hardwicke Rawnsley, who saw the importance of the nation’s heritage and open spaces and wanted to preserve them for everyone to enjoy. Today, across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, we continue to look after places so people and nature can thrive.

We care for more than 250,000 hectares of countryside, 890 miles of coastline, 1 million collection items and 500 historic properties, gardens and nature reserves. In 2023/24 we received 25 million visitors to our pay for entry sites. The National Trust is for everyone – we were founded for the benefit of the whole nation, and our 5.4 million members, funders and donors, and tens of thousands of volunteers support our work to care for nature, beauty, history for everyone, for ever.

Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust 

The Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust is an education and heritage conservation charity that cares for 10 museums and 35 listed buildings and Scheduled Monuments in the Ironbridge Gorge UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is home to one of the most significant industrial heritage collections in the UK. Its Nationally Designated collection includes more than 400,000 objects, representing a rich and unique record of Britain’s industrial past.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 9 October 2025.

Baroness Twycross gave the keynote speech at the charity, Libraries Connected, celebration event at Manchester Central Library to mark the 175th anniversary of the first ever Public Libraries Act.

Earlier this week, I was privileged to be at the reopening of the library in Muswell Hill.

The refurbishment is part of a £4.9 million investment in their library estate by the London Borough of Haringey.

One person, who used the library as a child, described the reopening as a ‘homecoming’ and there was a genuine excitement about the much loved building being open for business again.

As someone who always has at least one book on the go, for whom a weekend or holiday well spent is measured in books read, being Libraries’ Minister is an absolute delight and privilege.

Some of my own earliest memories are of being taken to the library. My mum walking us to West Norwood Library in London.

The amazing feeling of being allowed to choose a whole five books to take home.

Those five books each a passport to five different worlds, each waiting to be unlocked.

When I was finally old enough – I would get the bus into town on a Saturday morning and go to the library then to Woolworths for pick and mix.

Woolworths has long gone, but the library is still there, serving the next generation and probably the one after that. 

I remember our school librarian helping me pick out books—guiding me towards books I was unfamiliar with, a new adventure between the pages of a story.

So I am sure, like me, you are delighted that the Chancellor last week confirmed this government’s £10 million commitment to have a library in every primary school by the end of this parliament.

I was fortunate to have books at home, to be encouraged to read and to be read to. I remember my father reading the ‘chapter books’.

The sheer anticipation as he turned the page to unleash the terror within 101 Dalmatians, the gentle wisdom of Charlotte’s Web, or the mayhem of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

The act of sharing a story instilled in me not just a love of words – a love of literature – but the fundamental understanding that stories connect us.

You already know that this marks me out as one of the lucky ones. One of the children whose imagination and attainment was encouraged and lifted by being read to, and by reading for pleasure.

You know this because you are the guardians of our libraries.

And I would like to start by thanking you for everything you do – and everything you will do – to make sure that the next 175 years of public libraries are as relevant and as valuable as the first 175 years.

What marked those very first public libraries out was how they opened up knowledge, information, and creativity to those who could not afford either a subscription to a library, or to buy books themselves.

At their heart – and in their original form – our libraries are engines of social mobility – a radical opening up of access to information.

Founded on the notion that everyone should have equal access to knowledge.

In an age of digital connectedness, where information and ‘facts’ are disputed this trust and this universality is key.

Libraries are a unique public service open to everyone.

From toddlers attending their first rhyme time session to pensioners accessing digital services or simply enjoying an afternoon with the daily newspaper.

The library’s civic function has never been more vital.

You are bridging the attainment gap, one child, one book, one successful job application written on your computers at a time.

Librarians are up there as being among the most trusted of all professions. This is a trust earned through professionalism, and a dedication to the truth.

In an age of mis- and dis-information, the principle of free access to information enshrined in the Public Libraries Act 1850 remains a core principle now. We are witnessing a moment in history where the ability to distinguish truth from lie is critically essential.

The public library is arguably the purest expression of democracy in action—the idea that knowledge should be freely available to all citizens, regardless of their background or ability to pay.

The perception of the library as a strictly silent, solemn place belongs to the past.

One of my first visits to a library as Libraries’ Minister was to Rugby. A library which proudly states on its merchandise ‘we don’t shush, we roar’.

This simple slogan encapsulates the spirit of the library as a magnificent community hub.

A welcoming place where residents can speak to their bank, play the piano, use a 3D printer, grab a coffee and where students have a safe space to study. 

This is the library of the 21st century: a comprehensive public service delivered under one roof and a safe space – signposting people to other services.

Rugby library is one in which – like so many other libraries – reading to children, and reading for pleasure is at the heart of what they do.

But one which also acts as an inclusive space that in the month I visited was proudly celebrating Pride Month. 

175 years on from the 1850 Act, libraries have adapted to a changing society and evolving user needs.

From the provision of e-books and e-audio to enhanced children’s spaces and early years activities, community partnerships, employability and business support and cultural experiences, libraries continue to deliver a meaningful and impactful service for local people.

Indeed, the sheer breadth of services you now provide is astonishing.

Whether it is:

• Health services, such as those I saw in Harlesden.
• Or DWP services, such as those I saw in Dagenham
• Boosting growth and entrepreneurship through business support advice provided through the national network of Business and Intellectual Property Centres like the one I saw in Leeds, alongside its boisterous children’s play area. 

Everything libraries deliver, is delivered alongside and inspired by the principle of encouraging literacy, open access to knowledge and opening up opportunities to all.

Libraries are strong partners in delivering the government’s Plan for Change.

We want to work with library services to inform, engage, and connect the public.

From supporting health and wellbeing to building businesses and from building stronger, more resilient communities to showcasing high-quality arts and cultural experiences.

Our Secretary of State, Lisa Nandy, speaks passionately about libraries as part of the local cultural and creative landscape in communities as part of her vision for Arts Everywhere.

Libraries can often be the first place a young person might get exposure to the arts and music.

Libraries already do lots of work in this area through community events and provision of specialist facilities.

But we can do more and go further.

Especially in reaching children and young people who have less opportunity for music enrichment and for whom the library – local and familiar – is a much more accessible space.

Lisa is very keen to find ways to further support libraries to make this happen. 

One of my key ambitions as libraries minister is to see strong partnerships built across the library sector to strengthen and enhance the value of all libraries.

I am pleased that what I have heard about the Libraries Alliance suggests that it will seek to pursue this aim.

Libraries across all sectors – public, schools, academic, prisons – share a vision and common ambition to provide free access to information and support.

You already know this but the numbers are worth repeating. A third of the adult population visited a library in the past year.

Libraries have 6 million members and a total of 143 million physical visits a year.

There is no doubt that libraries form part of the essential services to communities. Yet, we still need to do more to open up library services to engage underrepresented groups.

For my part, I will continue to promote the critical contribution public libraries can and do make to so many important Government strategic objectives to my ministerial colleagues across the whole of government.

But to do this, I need your help – by providing me with robust data on library usage and impact – quantitative as well as qualitative –  that I can use to help me to make your case.

Next year is, as you will know, the Year of Reading.

This offers the opportunity for us to focus on groups – particularly boys aged 10-16 – who are least likely to read for pleasure.

The Year of Reading has been embraced by libraries across the country.

I know all of you here will do whatever you can to use it to democratise reading, in the truest sense.

To unlock the joy of reading and the opportunities it presents across society.

We recognise the irreplaceable value of the service you provide and the pressure you are under.

Creating and supporting the amazing libraries serving communities across the length and breadth of the country costs money.

We know that local government finances have faced huge challenges over recent years.

This has led to closures and cuts in library services in some areas.

A huge amount of ingenuity has been used to support the statutory library services.

This government is determined to get local government finances back on a stable and sustainable footing.

I also know that there are some concerns about what our plans for devolution mean for libraries in affected areas.

The goal of devolution is to bring decision-making closer to local communities. We think this is the right goal.

However, we will work with you to maintain the principle of a comprehensive and efficient library service for everyone.

I was delighted that we secured funding for a new round of the Libraries Improvement Fund (LIF) administered by the Arts Council.

The successful bids for the £5.5 million pot of funding will be announced next March, and I look forward to seeing the transformative impact they will have.

We have already seen incredible results from this fund.

Projects such as the transformation of the first floor of Wythenshawe library. Their use of  Libraries Improvement Funding to create a multi-functional culture, creative, digital media and community hub has shown the impact libraries can have in improving local cultural infrastructure with government support.

This is the model of the future: integrated, vibrant, and multi-purpose.

And I was delighted to see how the London Borough of Brent had developed two of its libraries through Libraries Improvement Funding, to enable more residents to access services in new and innovative ways.

And how Warwickshire Libraries used their Libraries Improvement Funding to extend their sensory offer by bringing Discovery Den, the first Sensory Mobile Public Library to the UK. These examples demonstrate the ingenuity and vision that exists across our service.

They show us that with targeted investment, the public library can and will continue to adapt to the diverse, complex needs of the 21st century population.

From the first Public Libraries Act 175 years ago to the dynamic community hubs you manage today, the mission remains the same: to open up knowledge, opportunity, and imagination to every single citizen, regardless of their circumstances.

You are not only custodians of books; you are custodians of trust, of truth, and of our shared potential. You are the guardians of a system that turns a simple choice of five books into a lifetime of opportunity.

Thank you for your tireless work, your unwavering professionalism, and your profound belief in the power of a book, a safe space, and a community that cares. Let us ensure that together, we don’t just preserve our libraries, but we allow them to roar.