The Heritage Crafts Association's president
His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales
The Heritage Crafts Association's patrons
Sir Mark Jones KBE – Director of the Victoria and Albert Museum
Mark Jones became Director of the Victoria and Albert Museum in May 2001. Before this he worked for the National Museums of Scotland, the British Museum and the National Museum of Singapore. As well as being a patron of the HCA, Mark is Chairman of the National Museum Directors' Conference, a trustee of the National Trust, the Gilbert Collection, and the Pilgrim Trust, a member of the Court and Council of the Royal College of Art, Vice President of the British Art Medal Society and the Kensington & Chelsea Decorative & Fine Arts Society, and a patron of the Embroiderer's Guild. He was awarded the KBE in the 2010 New Year's Honours.
Alex Langlands – archaeologist and star of 'The Victorian Farm' and 'Tales from the Green Valley'
'The Victorian Farm', which aired in January 2009, followed Alex and team for a full calender year exploring rural life in the Victorian era. Alex is currently filming the follow up 'Edwardian Farm' and the has already been rick building, tanning, barrel making, lobster-pot making, hedging and forging a Devon-style bill hook. Currently studying for a PhD, Alex has worked on archaeological sites throughout Europe, has a keen interest in rural crafts and runs a number of archaeology and local history courses.
Roy Brigden – Keeper of the Museum of English Rural Life
Roy Brigden has been Keeper of the Museum of English Rural Life since 1979 and Deputy Director of the Rural History Centre at Reading University since 1995. He is a history graduate and with a PhD on agriculture between the two World Wars. He has written widely on aspects of agriculture and heritage.
Professor Ted Collins – Emeritus Professor at the University of Reading
Professor Collins is a leading rural and agricultural historian, and the former Director of the Museum of Rural History at the University of Reading. He is the editor of the hugely influential report Crafts in the English Countryside: towards a future, published by The Countryside Agency in 2005.
