For Businesses - AoHE trade network membership

The Association of Heritage Engineers - Why should you join us ?  A fair question.

I set up the AoHE for a number of reasons, the foremost was that I had a son starting a heritage engineering apprenticeship, his grandfather Peter Tothill, an amazing engineer and the senior production engineer on the original Mini. He sadly died before he had passed on his skills to his grandson. Conversations ensued and it became clear very quickly that this was a problem across the board in heritage skills with skilled crafts people  quite literally dying with their talent.

So began a supportive relationship with the Heritage Skills Academy where my son was being trained.

I put together an advisory board with a broad spectrum of interests including Vehicles, Steam, Marine and Aviation, that board has grown and now includes 3 MP’s, cross party, one of whom sits on the transport select committee.

Talking with politicians and civil servants it became clear that what heritage engineering skills required was a modern relevance, which as it happened, we had all the time. What we are involved in is one of the most sustainable skill sets in existence but we need to get that message out there in a meaningful way.

The AoHE has developed a strategy to assist in that endeavour . Earlier this year I invited a number of people, which continues to grow , to join the AoHE Sustainable skills network, as ambassadors to heritage skills. They include craftspeople from across the entire range of heritage skills - from watchmaking to wheelwrights , from TV to Spitfires.

The most effective way for all of us to move forwards positively to to be relevant, inclusive, accessible and inspirational. 

That way we create a much broader base of support, a National trust for heritage skills if you will and one that becomes a ‘national treasure’ and with that the protection and insulation that it offers into the future.

The AoHE is a not for profit company,  this year we successfully applied for Lottery heritage funding to support volunteer expenses at events the AoHE attended. These included Co-hosting the first Coventry Concours as a part of Coventry Motofest 2021. We support an every growing group of member companies, for example, giving opportunities to be a part of the AoHE ‘heritage hub’ areas at shows ( 7 member companies used the discount we negotiated to be a part of the HH at the London Classic Car show.)

 

  • - We have a well recognised ‘collective mark’ Logo which member companies can display
  • - Attend a number of larger shows, offering a ‘base’ to member companies to meet customers and clients
  • - Promote our member companies and institutions
  • - Offer where possible, discounted display space as a part of the AoHE ‘heritage hubs’ at shows
  • - Have a high profile social media presence across many platforms with the support of out SSN ambassadors
  • - Have direct contact with politicians and civil servants
  • - AoHE are a European Ambassador for the USA’s ‘Piston Foundation’ 
  • - Piston Foundation have taken the Sustainable Skills Network concept to the USA
  • - Work closely with the Heritage Skills Academy group
  • - Have members including the Bugatti Trust, VSCC, Brooklands and the Shuttleworth Trust
  • - Co-host the Coventry Concours as a part of Coventry MotoFest  ( The largest attended motoring event in the UK )
  • - Are members of the Heritage Alliance - the representation body for ‘heritage’ in the UK
  • - Aspire to have an annual gathering of specialist business members to discuss the issues that matter to those businesses
  • - Offer a genuine networking opportunity that is to the benefit of all 
  • - Work towards creating a ‘National Trust of Heritage Skills’
  • - Free use of the AoHE 'AutoJumble Marketplace'

 

If you would like to be a part of a community with the aim of pulling together the simply amazing array of talent and business in the UK and helping to secure its place in the future then do please consider becoming and AoHE member, individual, institution, trade or partner. 

Please contact : Dominic Taylor-Lane at Associationofheritageengineers@gmail.com or on 07967 503905