Heritage Crafts announces six new Trustees
1st May 2025 | ANNOUNCEMENTS | OUR STORIES
These appointments have been made as a result of our National Lottery Heritage Fund project to increase the charity’s capacity to support craft skills as a vital part of the UK’s heritage, made possible by money raised by National Lottery players. The new Trustees have been co-opted to the Board for election at the next AGM in December.
- Nicola Duncan-Finn has a strong intergenerational family connection to crafts and has actively championed the value and importance of traditional skills professionally for over 25 years. She is dedicated to creating sustainable, people-centred and values-led approaches to managing cultural heritage and holds extensive experience in both strategic leadership and driving impactful change front-line. She is proud to have contributed to conserving and maintaining some of England’s most significant heritage sites and historic areas, including ecclesiastical ruins, windmills, castles, country houses, vernacular buildings, and protected landscapes. As former Head of Heritage Skills at English Heritage, Nicola played a key role in fostering holistic national partnerships and engagement, leading to the publication of the first Historic Environment Skills and Careers Action Plan for England in 2024.
- Emma Jhita is CEO at the Institute of Conservation (Icon) and leads the team in championing conservation and engaging wider audiences with heritage through the unique perspectives conservation can provide. Icon’s membership represents diverse conservation specialisms and skills with expertise from across the UK and internationally. Originally from a fine art background, Emma runs life-drawing classes in West Berkshire in partnership with her husband and continues to enjoy pottery classes whenever she has the opportunity. Emma has previously led income generation for Historic England, the Jewish Museum London, The Postal Museum, and was the first ever CEO at Didcot Railway Centre.
- Catherine Lillie is a Teaching Enhancement Advisor at the University of Hull, leading a range of academic development courses and initiatives. She is also an independent assessor for the Academic Professional Apprenticeship and co-leads the national GTA Developers Network. She has a keen interest in supporting professional learning and development and is currently completing a part-time PhD in education. She has been a bobbin lacemaker since she was a child and is passionate about keeping the craft and its skills alive. She is a member of the Wolds Lacemakers, the Lace Guild and OIDFA.
- Daahir Mohamed is a skilled plasterer and heritage conservationist, fusing traditional techniques with bold innovation. Raised in Mogadishu, Somalia, his early hands-on experience with clay and lime sparked a passion for sustainable craft rooted in culture. After moving to the UK, he worked with a number of local organisations supporting refugees and asylum seekers, he then launched Amar Eco Plaster and honed his skills through the prestigious SPAB Fellowship. Daahir’s work champions the power of craft to bridge cultures and histories. A fierce advocate for inclusivity, he designs training programmes for refugees and asylum seekers, opening pathways into heritage conservation and building vibrant, connected communities through shared craft traditions.
- Michael Osbaldeston is the Special Adviser and Skills Ambassador at City & Guilds and has spent over 40 years in technical education. He established the Princess Royal Training Awards, recognising employers who invest in their people and can evidence the impact. He is a Trustee of the City & Guilds of London Art School and the ARCH, a pan European heritage charity and advises GRIT studios in Manchester and VIY, an organisation supporting young people though construction projects. He sits on the Livery Companies Skills Council in the City of London and is a passionate supporter of heritage and craft skills.
- Dr Simon Sadinsky is an Executive Director at the King’s Foundation, overseeing the organisation’s education, health and other charitable activities. In addition to his role at The King’s Foundation, he serves on the Governing Board of the Global Centre on Healthcare and Urbanisation at Kellogg College, University of Oxford, is a Research Fellow at the University of Grenoble, and a Professor of Practice at the University of Wales. Prior to joining the King’s Foundation, Simon worked within the community development sector in the UK, US and internationally. He holds a PhD in Urban Studies from the University of Glasgow an MSc in Population and Development from the London School of Economics, an MA Urban Policy from the University of Illinois-Chicago, and a BA Political Science from Colorado College.
Heritage Crafts Director Daniel Carpenter said:
“The profile of Heritage Crafts has been rising steadily over the last few years, thanks to the work of our dedicated staff and Trustees, projects such as the Red List of Endangered Crafts, and the successful campaign for ratification of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. We are absolutely thrilled to welcome our new Trustees, whose knowledge and expertise will help us build upon these successes and set our strategic direction for the next three years and beyond.”