Civic Societies represent us all. They are groups of local people, who, like the Civic Trust are passionate about the places in which we all live, work and relax.
Civic Society members work to improve their environment, through campaigning, education, fund raising and direct action. They undertake a wide range of activities, from renovating buildings, working with planning departments and proposing local improvements.
Over 700 Civic Societies are members of the Civic Trust, and their commitment and practical support for our programmes is vital. Over 100 Civic Societies were involved in Heritage Open Days in 2007, opening buildings, offering guided tours and giving historical talks. 47 Civic Society members volunteer as local assessors for the Civic Trust Awards, whilst 67 Civic Societies run local design awards schemes to encourage and promote good design and architecture in their own communities.
The voice of the Civic Society movement is strong, and informs the policies and activies of the Civic Trust. In turn, we represent the views of our members in our campaigning work with Government and policy making organisations.
As we look to the future, the driving force of the Civic Trust was, is and must always be, the expertise and passion of local Civic Society members, who work so hard to preserve and celebrate what is best in their environment, and to help shape the urban townscapes of the future. The Trust must, and will, strive to ensure that it provides the information training and co-ordination that its grassroots require, while clearly representing their collective voice at a national level. The expression “the Civic Society movement” will have even more resonance in the next century than it did in the last.
The Civic Trust provides a central helpdesk. for Civic Societies. We support nine Regional Associations who in turn offer practical support to local Civic Societies, for example, through organising networking events and annual conferences.
To find your local Civic Society, click here.
