Tag: Department for Culture and Media

The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 14 August 2026.

More than 150 rural 4G mast upgrades are now live, boosting mobile coverage across remote UK areas and helping walkers, visitors and communities stay connected.

• More than 150 government-funded 4G mast upgrades are now live across the UK through the Shared Rural Network, bringing 4G coverage from EE, Virgin Media O2, and Vodafone and ThreeUK to some of Britain’s hardest-to-reach rural areas.   
• Britain’s walkers, hikers and holidaymakers can stay connected, check weather and route information, and contact emergency services more easily when needed.   
• National parks, including the Yorkshire Dales and Eryri (Snowdonia), receive biggest boost in mobile coverage from the Shared Rural Network.  

Walkers, hikers and holidaymakers can stay connected when it counts in Britain’s countryside, as more than 150 4G mast upgrades go live through the UK government’s Shared Rural Network programme.   

For many people, the point of heading outdoors is to escape their screens. But 4G means people can enjoy the countryside with the peace of mind that support, services and loved ones are still within reach if they need them – from checking the weather before a mountain walk to finding a route, sharing a location or calling for help in an emergency.   

The UK government is working with mobile network operators through the Shared Rural Network (SRN) programme to bring reliable 4G mobile internet to rural areas where commercial rollout is harder and more expensive.   

The upgrades – all delivered through existing infrastructure to protect scenic spots – mean additional 4G is now available across more than 5,684 square kilometres combined across the UK and includes three of the UK’s most iconic hiking landscapes: the Lake District, Snowdonia and Exmoor.

From the Scottish Islands and Highlands to Northumberland, Cumbria, Dyfed-Powys and North Wales, the rollout is supporting everything from running payments and bookings for local firms to keeping in touch with customers, accessing online public services and working more flexibly from home or on the move.  

Some of Britain’s most iconic national parks are among the biggest winners from the Shared Rural Network. Compared to other parks, the Yorkshire Dales and Eryri (Snowdonia) have seen the biggest boosts in mobile coverage rising by around seven percentage points in each, according to new government figures, helping visitors stay connected across some of Britain’s most remote and hard-to-reach landscapes.  

Minister of State for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Ian Murray, said:   

You should be able to switch off in the countryside without being cut off from the help and services you need.   

These 150 masts are helping change that – giving walkers, visitors and rural communities better access to signal when they are checking a route, contacting family, running a business or calling for help.”   

Millions of people visit Britain’s national parks each year to walk, cycle, camp, climb and enjoy nature. Better rural 4G means visitors can put their phones away, while still being able to access support or message home if they need to.    

New analysis shows 42 Shared Rural Network sites have now been activated across the UK’s national parks:  

• 25 sites in England, including seven in the Lake District and six in the Yorkshire Dales.   
• 16 sites in Wales, including 12 in Eryri/Snowdonia.   
• 1 site in Scotland, in Loch Lomond and The Trossachs.  

The SRN programme has achieved its objective of extending 4G coverage to 95% of the UK landmass, a year ahead of schedule.    

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 10 August 2026.

The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has reappointed Annie Hampson and Katie Town as Trustees of the Theatres Trust Board for six months from 13 September 2026.

Annie Hampson OBE

Annie was formerly the Chief Planning Officer at the City of London and has had a variety of senior Local Government roles over a period of 40 years. She was awarded an OBE in 2018 for services to Planning in London. She is currently the Chair of the Diocese of London Advisory Committee which covers 460 Churches and in addition advises on a number of development and strategic Committees and architectural selection panels. She is also a Judge for the International Property Awards.

Katie Town

Katie Town is Chief Executive of Theatre Royal Wakefield, a Grade II listed Frank Matcham theatre in West Yorkshire. Since joining the organisation in 2015, she has led a period of significant creative and organisational transformation, including the delivery of a major capital development and new theatre extension. Katie previously worked as General Manager of the National Theatre’s Learning Department. Originally a barrister, she pursued a career in the arts, with roles at Royal Opera House and then in a range of arts organisations, including Candoco Dance Company.

Alongside her executive leadership role, Katie is Chair of Arts Catalyst, a contemporary arts organisation supporting artists and communities through socially engaged practice. She is also a Co-Founder of the Local Theatre Touring Alliance, a national network advocating for the future of local theatre and touring across the UK.

Remuneration and Governance Code

The Trustees of the Theatres Trust are not remunerated. 

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.

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.

Annie Hampson and Katie Town have declared no such political activity.

Notes to Editors

DCMS has around 400 regulated Public Appointment roles across 42 Public Bodies including Arts Council England, Theatres Trust, the National Gallery, UK Sport and the Gambling Commission. We encourage applications from talented individuals from all backgrounds and across the whole of the United Kingdom. To find out more about Public Appointments or to apply visit the HM Government Public Appointments Website.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 7 August 2026.

The Secretary of State has appointed Sunder Katwala and Michelle Mitchell OBE as Board Members of The National Lottery Community Fund, for a four-year term commencing on 5 August 2026 to 4 August 2030.

Sunder Katwala

Sunder Katwala is the Director of British Future, an independent, non-partisan thinktank and charity. The organisation engages with questions of identity, immigration and integration, seeking to build confidence and common ground in a changing Britain. Since May 2026, Sunder has been a Commissioner of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, and is a member of the Independent Commission on Community and Cohesion. 

He has built a varied career in publishing, journalism, and think tanks, including leading the Fabian Society from 2003 to 2011, working as an Observer journalist, directing research at the Foreign Policy Centre, and a Commissioning Editor at Macmillan.

Sunder is a published author, regular contributor to national print, broadcast and online media, including as a columnist for the British Asian newspaper Eastern Eye. 

Michelle Mitchell OBE

Michelle Mitchell is Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK, where she leads the organisation’s work to accelerate progress in preventing, diagnosing and treating cancer through world-class research and innovation.

Over a career spanning some of the UK’s leading charities, Michelle has led major organisational transformation programmes, strengthening impact, sustainability and public benefit at scale. She brings extensive experience of strategic leadership, governance, stakeholder engagement and stewardship of resources in organisations dedicated to improving lives and supporting communities.

Michelle was awarded an OBE in 2015 for services to the charity sector and is an Honorary Fellow of Homerton College, University of Cambridge.

Remuneration and Governance Code

Members of The National Lottery Community Fund are remunerated at £7,848 per annum.

The press release issued by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport on 6 August 2026.

Julie Gaskell and Simon Patterson have been appointed as Trustees to the National Gallery Board. These appointments were made by the previous Prime Minister.

Julie Gaskell has been appointed for a four year term from 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2030. Simon Patterson has been appointed for a four year term from 1 January 2027 to 31 December 2030.

Julie Gaskell 

Julie Gaskell is a sponsorship strategist with extensive senior experience across the public, private and cultural sectors. She advises rights holders, charities and cultural organisations on partnership development, strategic sponsorship and stakeholder engagement.

As Head of Partnerships at Wild in Art, Julie contributes to mass appeal public art initiatives. Julie has held senior leadership roles with United Utilities, Widnes Viking RLFC and Stobart Group, where she led corporate communications, sponsorship, stakeholder engagement and organisational strategy.

Throughout her career, she has contributed to initiatives including the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, Liverpool’s 2008 European Capital of Culture, the International Festival for Business (2014 and 2016) and, more recently, We Invented the Weekend 2026 in Salford.

Simon Patterson 

Simon Patterson is Chair of the Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales, where he has served as a Trustee for 10 years, helping to design, build, fundraise and scale Their Royal Highnesses’ major social and environmental programmes, including The Earthshot Prize, The Centre for Early Childhood, Heads Together (mental health), and Homewards (homelessness). Simon is a Senior Partner of Silver Lake, the technology investment firm, where he has worked on many of the firm’s landmark investments over 20 years, including the successful transformation of Dell, collaborating closely with Michael Dell and serving as a board member for 10 years.

He has also led Silver Lake investments in sports, including New Zealand Rugby and SailGP, and is personally a co-owner of MCC’s London Spirit cricket team in the Hundred tournament.

He is a Senior Advisor at Chatham House and a Fellow of King’s College Cambridge. Prior roles include Non-Executive Director of Tesco plc and Trustee of the Natural History Museum, where he helped build and fundraise for the museum’s large-scale AI and digital programmes, and its ambitious garden redevelopment.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 7 July 2026.

Local news outlets can now apply for grants of up to £125,000 to support their long-term financial sustainability.

• Local News Fund is part of the government’s Local Media Action Plan – a strategy backing the essential role of local media in our towns and communities 
• Second year of the Fund will also be used to tackle ‘news deserts’, by helping to revive a local news presence in communities that currently lack one.

Local news outlets can now bid for a share of up to £12 million in government funding over the next two years, which will ensure communities can continue to benefit from trusted, high-quality local journalism.

Part of ‘Amplify: The Local Media Action Plan’, the Fund will provide £6 million in 2026/27 and up to a further £6 million in 2027/28, which will help ensure the long-term provision of high-quality local news by enabling organisations to continue innovating towards a digital and sustainable future.

The Plan demonstrates the government’s commitment to the future of local journalism, ensuring it can continue to enrich our national conversation, strengthen communities and social cohesion, rebuild social trust, and support local growth.

The majority of the 2026/27 Fund will be awarded to local news outlets in print, online, or independent local TV and radio stations, through a competitive bidding process, with £125,000 the maximum available to a single organisation. The funding can be used to invest in the tools and services – such as apps or innovative use of multimedia channels – needed for sustainable innovation which can help local media tap into new or younger audiences and generate new sources of revenue.

The remainder of the Fund will be allocated through a separate bidding process which also opens today, reserved for organisations which are developing the infrastructure that can benefit the industry as a whole, with bids allowed up to £275,000. 

Evidence shows that up to 37 local authority districts now have no print, online, TV or radio outlet dedicated specifically to that area – leaving as many as 4.4 million citizens in local ‘news deserts’, which disproportionately occur in the most deprived urban areas.

That’s why in the second year of the Fund, £1 million will be dedicated to tackling these local news deserts in collaboration with key community stakeholders, to revive or establish a local news presence in areas of need. This will help address news inequality, as local news closures disproportionately affect deprived urban districts, while new enterprises are concentrated in more affluent communities.

Subject to availability, up to a further £5 million in 2027/28 will provide continued support for the financial sustainability and innovation of the sector. 

To qualify for local news outlet funding, prospective bidders must be able to demonstrate a track record in the provision of local news to audiences in England or Wales. 

Media Minister Ian Murray MP said: 

Local media is a cornerstone of our civic life and when it declines, communities lose access to accurate information, scrutiny of decision-makers and a vital local voice. That’s why we’re launching the Local News Fund – with up to £12 million available over the next two years, it marks an important step towards securing the future of local media across the UK. 

I encourage local news organisations, publishers and innovators to come forward with ambitious proposals that will help to strengthen local media for the long term, ensuring communities continue to benefit from high-quality, trusted local reporting.

Polly Curtis, Co-Chair of the Local News Fund Steering Board, said:

Strong local news creates stronger communities. This £6 million fund is an investment in civic life, democracy and the trusted journalism that helps bring people together. 

We encourage everyone who is working in local news to put forward their most innovative ideas to help build shared resilience for the future for local journalism.

Jeremy Clifford, Co-Chair of the Local News Fund Steering Board, said:

The local news industry has a track record of innovating and responding to the many challenges it has faced down the years. However, often those innovations fail to get off the ground because they cannot be funded. 

We strongly believe this fund can help to ignite that innovative thinking and be the catalyst for delivering some exciting and imaginative experiments.

Laura Davison, NUJ General Secretary, said:  

The NUJ welcomes the launch of the Local News Fund. For many years the union has campaigned for government grants to preserve and bolster local journalism subject to appropriate safeguards. 

The Fund is recognition that the industry cannot be left to the vagaries of the market and that our members working in local news play a pivotal role in upholding social cohesion and democracy.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 3 July 2026.

A temporary export bar has been placed on two prehistoric handaxes representing some of the oldest human settlements in Britain.

• The handaxes are believed to be around 500,000 years old 
• The bar will allow time for UK museums or institutions to acquire the handaxes for the nation

Culture Minister Baroness Twycross has placed export bars on two flint handaxes that offer insights into the lives of Britain’s earliest settlers, allowing time for a UK buyer to be found.

Both flint handaxes were discovered on the Happisburgh shoreline in Norfolk. Their discoveries followed the unexpected consequences of storms in the East of England, which cleared away clay on the beach shore and exposed ancient land surfaces underneath.

Created using a stone or antler hammer to knock off flakes from both sides of a larger piece of flint, these handaxes have strong, skilfully shaped edges suitable for cutting and scraping. They were used without handles.

One of the handaxes has an asymmetrical appearance, with small patches of orange-brown staining from the sediments in which it was deposited. This handaxe is 13cm long and weighs 465 grams.

The other handaxe is distinguishable by its mottled light brown and grey colouration. One side of the flint also retains a small patch of chalky outer cortex. This piece is just over 10cm long and weighs 308 grams.

Found on the Happisburgh shoreline, the handaxes belong with a series of finds connected to some of the first human occupation of northern Europe. They provide internationally significant insights into the type of technologies that first enabled humans to survive in northern environments.

Britain’s environment was different from today when hunter-gatherers made these handaxes around 500,000 years ago. What became the River Thames then ran a northeastern course through Norfolk, entering the North Sea near the find site at Happisburgh. Subsequently, a cold period caused ice sheets to cover the North Sea, East Anglia and the Midlands, churning up and moving the ground beneath. As the climate warmed again, the ice sheets melted, dumping dirt and rock across the landscape covering the Happisburgh area. Recent rising sea levels and storms exposed the hunter-gatherers’ campsites sealed underneath.

Culture Minister, Baroness Twycross said:

These handaxes present a window into the lives of some of our oldest ancestors. The Britain they inhabited was very different from our own and items like these provide a valuable insight into a world that is extremely difficult to research.

I hope these handaxes can find a UK buyer who can keep them accessible to the public, so that we can all share in the revelations they bring about some of Britain’s very first settlers.

RCEWA committee member, Tim Pestell said: 

Happisburgh, on the East Norfolk coast, can be said to represent the first page in British history. These wonderfully tactile flint handaxes, found on Happisburgh’s shoreline, help provide internationally-significant evidence of the earliest human occupation in northern Europe, some 500-600,000 years ago. Follow-up research excavations and citizen science have revealed archaeological and geological evidence to contextualise these stray finds, and even recorded stretches of footprints preserved in ancient sediments, made by ancestor species of modern humans. It is hard to overstate the importance of finds from Happisburgh to scientific knowledge and to our nation’s history. I therefore earnestly hope that these handaxes will be preserved in a museum collection where they can be accessible to both the general public on display and to the research community, to continue unlocking their secrets.

These objects are some of the oldest to be under export deferral in the last decade. This marks the seventh temporary export bar issued since the start of the year by the Government. This follows export bars placed on items such as a bust of John Gordon of Invergordon, Shock Dog by Anne Seymour Damer, and an archive of the Scots Mining Company.

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 both the handaxes met the first and third Waverley criteria for their outstanding connection with our history and national life and its outstanding, global significance to the archaeological, geological and palaeontological study of the most ancient human population of Britain.

The decision on the export licence application for the handaxes will be deferred for a period ending on 2 September 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 either handaxe at the recommended price of £15,000 (plus VAT of £3,000, which could be reclaimed by an eligible institution). The second deferral period will commence following the signing of an Option Agreement and will last for three months.

Offers from public bodies for less than the recommended price through the private treaty sale arrangements, where appropriate, may also be considered by the Minister. Such purchases frequently offer substantial financial benefit to a public institution wishing to acquire the item.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 3 July 2026.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy visited the Museum of Liverpool yesterday to see a digital display of postcards from towns hoping to become the first UK Town of Culture, as judges whittle down hundreds of applications to a final shortlist. 

Following the launch of the inaugural UK Town of Culture competition last year, the government has confirmed that it received 398 bids representing over 400 hopeful towns from across the UK. 

In order to celebrate the local pride expressed in the submissions so far, every bidding town was invited to submit a postcard to champion their bid. These have been showcased by National Museums Liverpool in a digital display in the Museum of Liverpool yesterday, (Thursday 2 July), to celebrate the diversity of each and every town that has participated in the competition. 

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and chair of the independent panel judging the bids, Sir Phil Redmond, visited the museum to see the display ahead of the shortlist for the competition, which will be announced in the coming weeks.

It marks a return to the city which secured the title of European Capital of Culture in 2008 and was the catalyst for the introduction of the UK’s own City of Culture competition.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: 

For far too long, towns across the UK have felt left out of our national story.

Today we celebrate the local pride that has always existed in towns around the country within this amazing display of postcards from bidding towns. 

Through UK Town of Culture, I wanted to shine a light on our amazing towns all across the UK and the huge contribution they make to our national life. That contribution is clear to see today and I hope each and every town is incredibly proud of the work they have done to champion their community in the competition.

Chair of the independent panel, Sir Phil Redmond said: 

The number of towns that have entered the competition is incredible. It is a distinct moment in its own right, when people overwhelmingly wanted to demonstrate the sense of pride they have in their own communities. 

It is why we invited every one of them to send a postcard, a snapshot, of where they are, who they are, and how taken together, each contributes to our shared national story. 

The postcards, along with their initial bids will form part of our national archive so future generations can look back and appreciate this significant cultural moment of history.

The UK Town of Culture competition is part of the Government’s ambition to restore pride in every part of Britain. The competition – together with the UK City of Culture competition – will shine a light on local visions and voices from across the UK, which will encourage local investment, create a lasting sense of pride, and open doors to the arts for everyone. 

After the display, the postcards will remain within the National Museums Liverpool’s national collection in recognition of the importance that this moment represents for the UK.

Laura Pye, Director of National Museums Liverpool, said:

It is a great honour to welcome the Secretary of State to Museum of Liverpool, a venue built to celebrate a city’s history, culture and people, past and present.

The Museum of Liverpool is itself a lasting legacy of Liverpool’s year as European Capital of Culture. It stands as a powerful reminder that investment in culture creates benefits that endure long after the spotlight has moved on – not only in our buildings and public spaces, but in the confidence, pride and opportunities it creates for communities.

We wish the hopeful towns every success and look forward to seeing how their ambitious cultural visions continue to inspire local communities and visitors alike.

The winner of the UK Town of Culture competition will go on to host a season of culture in 2028, which will help them to deliver a long-lasting legacy of cultural participation and local pride as has been seen in previous winners of the UK City of Culture competition; Derry-Londonderry, Hull, Coventry and Bradford. 

The government’s ambition behind the competition is for towns to reap similar benefits from the experience of bidding in the competition and encouraging local residents to get involved in cultural events to celebrate their town.  

Competing for the title, irrespective of whether or not a place wins, can have a hugely positive impact on the local community. 

Last year, as UK City of Culture 2025, Bradford led a showstopping cultural programme of 5,000 events – over 75% of which were free – that pulled in an audience of three million, involved over 800 organisations, and resulted in capital investment for more than 30 local cultural organisations. Bradford’s year in the spotlight also led to increased opportunities for local people to get involved with events, with over 100,000 residents taking part in key projects throughout the year. 

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 2 July 2026.

UK and Greek tourism ministers meet in London to sign tourism cooperation agreement.

• New commitment to promote investment opportunities, entrepreneurship and vocational training and cooperate on innovation and sustainability
• Focus on special interest tourism, including Film, Culture, Gastronomy and Rural Tourism, working together to diversify both countries’ offerings and ensure holidaymakers can make the most of their trips

British holidaymakers travelling to Greece will benefit from a new Memorandum of Understanding, which has now been signed between the UK and Greece. The new agreement will strengthen cooperation from both countries on tourism, committing to work together on promotion, investment, innovation and sustainability across their respective sectors.

Both countries will seek to boost entrepreneurship in the tourism sector, and will promote cooperation, exchange of information and practical experience in digitalisation and innovation in travel and tourism technologies, as well as in the field of tourism education and vocational training.

Around five million Brits choose to holiday in Greece each year, while the number of Greeks travelling to visit the UK has grown year-on-year since the Coronavirus Pandemic.

This milestone builds on the strong tourism relationship between the two countries, marking the first time a cooperation agreement in the field of tourism has been signed between the two countries.

Running for an initial five-year period, the MoU covers eight main areas of cooperation, including institutional collaboration, tourism promotion, sustainability, investment, digitalisation and vocational training, ensuring that British holidaymakers are able to enjoy and make the most of Greece’s tourism offer.

It will see greater cooperation between Greece and the UK in the areas of investment opportunities and the holding of fairs, exhibitions, seminars and other tourism promotion events in both countries.

There is a commitment for an exchange of information and know-how relating to tourism policy and legislation, visitors’ satisfaction within each country, research and developments in the global tourism market and new tourism products and services. 

There is also an emphasis on special interest tourism – film, culture, luxury shopping, gastronomy and wine as well as rural, mountain and hiking tourism. 

Best practice around sustainable tourism – aimed at minimising the environmental impact of tourists in the respective countries – will also be shared.

The MoU highlights the government’s commitment to strengthening the UK’s relationship with EU member states while also growing the UK’s own visitor economy. Plans for this will be set out in an upcoming Visitor Economy Growth Strategy.

Tourism Minister Stephanie Peacock said:

Both Greece and the UK share a rich history, stunning landscapes and amazing coastlines which are enjoyed by millions of visitors each year. 

This agreement will strengthen our cooperation and support sustainable growth across both our tourism sectors. By working together, we can help those who work around the clock to provide a great experience to the millions that travel between our countries every year.

Greek holidaymakers have always been welcome in the UK and we look forward to welcoming many more in the years ahead.

Greek Minister of Tourism Olga Kefalogianni said:

The United Kingdom remains Greece’s leading tourism market. Visitor flows continue to grow – a testament to the deep friendship between our two countries. 

Today’s Memorandum of Understanding marks an important step in deepening our strategic partnership in tourism. It establishes a modern framework for cooperation that goes beyond promotion to encompass sustainability, innovation, investment, tourism education, and shared expertise. 

This is an investment in the future of both our tourism sectors that opens new opportunities for businesses, destinations, and travellers alike.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 2 July 2026.

The Secretary of State has appointed Rebecca Crook and Judith Donovan for four-year terms commencing 26 September 2026, and Helen Williams for a four-year term from 1 October 2026.

Rebecca Crook and Judith Donovan have been appointed for four year terms, commencing on 28 September 2026 to 27 September 2030. Helen Williams has been appointed for a four year term, commencing on 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2030.

Rebecca Crook

Rebecca Crook is UK CEO of MSQ DX, a global digital experience company with £70m+ annual revenue and over 500 people delivering digital products, experiences and AI solutions for major brands. She has 25 years of experience, having helped scale and sell three digital businesses for a combined value in excess of £140m.

Alongside her commercial career, Rebecca has spent over 15 years as a trustee and advisor in the heritage, museums, and cultural sector, driven by a passion for protecting historic places, collections and buildings for future generations. She is currently Chair of the Enterprise Committee at Royal Pavilion & Museums Trust. She co-founded and chaired Saltdean Lido CIC, raising over £8m to restore the site and writing the successful application to upgrade its listing to Grade II*. The lido is now operating as a tourist destination and community hub, with a restaurant, café, event spaces, swimming pool, gym and library. Previous board roles include The National Trust Strategic Advisory Board and London Transport Museum.

Rebecca is co-chair of BIMA’s CEO & Leadership Council and a Women in Technology mentor and features in the Management Today Women in Leadership Power List 2026, BIMA 100 and Campaign 40 over 40.

Judith Donovan

Judith Donovan CBE was one of the first female entrepreneurs in Yorkshire, founding her own marketing agency in 1982, which she grew to over 50 staff, and a turnover of £12.5 million, before selling to her managers in 2000.

Since then she has pursued a Non–Executive and Trustee career, primarily in the Public and Third sectors. She currently is Trustee of Science Museum Group, Member of National Railway Museum Advisory Board, Chair of Employment Advisory Board at HMP Askham Grange & New Hall and Chair of Ripon Cathedral Council and Vice Chair Ripon Cathedral Rural Forum. Judith is also Chair of Keep Me Posted Campaign, Trustee of the Woolmens Company charity & The Tobacco Benevolent Society, Member of General Committee Reform Club and Member of Business Council the Jobs Foundation

Previously she has been Chair of Eden Project Ltd, Trustee National Army Museum, Chair National Army Museum Trading Ltd, Chair Advisory Board National Science and Media Museum & Science Innovation Park, Vice Chair of Postwatch, a Millennium Commissioner, a Director of HSE, BIG Lottery Fund and also Chair of the Yorkshire Tourist Board, Chair of Bradford TEC, President of Bradford Chamber of Commerce, a Trustee of Northern Ballet and the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust and also a DEFRA appointed member on both the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority and the British Wool Marketing Board.

Helen Williams

Helen Williams is Chief Strategy & Policy Officer at the National Wealth Fund, the government backed investment bank based in Leeds, where she leads the organisation’s strategy, policy, comms and shareholder relations functions. A member of the founding executive leadership team, Helen played a key role in establishing the institution and shaping its investment strategy in support of economic growth and clean energy projects across the UK. She sits on the Investment, Risk and Credit Committees.

Helen has more than two decades of experience in central government, having held a range of senior leadership positions across Whitehall, including the Cabinet Office, HM Treasury and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Her government career focused on strategy, public policy, governance and the sponsorship of major public bodies.

During her time at DCMS, Helen led policy relating to museums, heritage and the arts, including oversight of national cultural institutions and relationships with arm’s-length bodies. She is an experienced non-executive director including serving as Vice-Chair of the Horniman Museum and Gardens. In 2022 Helen was a member of Gold Command responsible for the strategic coordination of the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

Remuneration and Governance Code

Trustees of the Royal Armouries are not remunerated.