Ian Morrison

Ian Morrison was appointed Chief Executive of the AHF in March 2015 and has sought to expand the charity’s advice, grants and loan services to help meet the growing demand of enterprising communities that wish to repair and re-use historic buildings they value for public benefit. Ian was previously the Head of Historic Environment at the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), where he held the lead UK policy role for the historic environment since 2008 and introduced HLF’s Heritage Enterprise and Grants for Places of Worship grant programmes. Prior to joining HLF, Ian worked for Historic England for 15 years, specialising in the regeneration of historic former industrial sites in the far South West. He is a serving member of the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England and Historic England’s Expert Advisory Group.

Andy Richardson

Andy is the Architectural Heritage Fund’s Investment Manager, having joined the charity in 2012. He heads up the Investment Team and is responsible for loan facilities and a community share portfolio totalling in excess of £12m, supporting heritage-influenced projects across the UK to a broad range of charitable trusts, not-for-profit organisations, social enterprises, and community businesses.

Having worked within the Social Investment sector for over five years, and with a further nine years in Retail, Commercial and Corporate Banking, Andy brings a wealth of appropriate experience to the AHF and its Borrowers. Further, he has been employed in a campaigning role for a major national charity and as a Regional Grants Manager for a Non-Departmental Public Body, delivering and monitoring over £9m of funding to grass-roots charities in Yorkshire and the Humber. 

Away from the AHF he enjoys reading Russian novels, going on walking holidays, and trying not to upset himself with the ongoing travails of Grimsby Town FC.

Gavin Richards

Gavin Richards is the AHF Operations Manager, with additional responsibility for projects in Yorkshire, the North East of England, and Northern Ireland.

Based in Sheffield, Gavin joined the AHF in 2007 supporting building preservation trusts and other voluntary sector groups to find sustainable new uses for historic buildings at risk. Since 2012 he has managed the AHF’s team of freelance Support Officers, and is also responsible for the AHF’s grants programmes. 

Gavin has a long-standing interest in both the heritage and voluntary sector and is passionate about the contribution historic buildings can make to urban regeneration. After a period spent working abroad following graduation he worked at the Directory of Social Change, where he researched and co-wrote the best-selling Guide to the Major Trusts. His experience in the heritage sector began at the Heritage Lottery Fund in 2001, starting in London before relocating to Yorkshire to join the new regional team. He went on to manage a Townscape Heritage scheme in the North West of England before joining the AHF. He studied Economic & Social History at Leicester University and has postgraduate qualifications in Urban Regeneration and Charity Resource Management, both completed at Sheffield Hallam University.

Ian Rice

Ian Rice is the AHF Policy & Loans Officer. 

Ian has worked for the Architectural Heritage Fund in a variety of roles since 2001. His current position requires liaison with all clients within the AHF loan portfolio, as well as with potential applicants seeking working-capital finance for community-led restoration projects. He previously worked in the construction industry for a number of years, and subsequently in central government. He has contributed a number of articles to amenity societies in the past, and is a member of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC).

Gordon Barr

Gordon Barr is the AHF Support Officer for Scotland, with additional responsibilities for IT. 

Before joining the AHF in 2014, he was the Heritage Development Manager for the multi-award-winning Maryhill Burgh Halls project, working on researching and promoting the history of the area, and develop training, learning and educational opportunities with schools, colleges and other community groups.

Gordon has a academic background, as well as over fourteen years experience managing and contributing to projects related to the social and architectural heritage of cinema and theatre buildings in Scotland, including working on a number of projects in collaboration with Historic Environment Scotland's Listing Team. In 2011 he was shortlisted for the Scottish Civic Trust's inaugural 'Civic Champion' award. He is a Trustee of Maryhill Burgh Halls Trust, and is a member of the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland, as well as a committee member of the Cinema Theatre Association.

Josephine Brown

Josephine Brown is the Support Officer for the South West of England. Prior to joining the AHF she worked as a heritage consultant, including a period as the in-house advisor to a conservation-accredited architectural practice, before establishing her own consultancy. Her background includes architectural history and the management of change in the historic environment. Since joining the AHF in 2012 Josephine has provided support to a wide range of third sector organisations to deliver heritage at risk projects across the South West region. She has recently completed a three-year voluntary post as Secretary of the Association of Preservation Trusts South West group. 
She has a degree in Art & Architectural History (St Andrews, 2002) and an MSc in Architectural Conservation (Edinburgh, 2004). She is a full member of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation and an Associate member of the Institute of Fundraising. 

Tessa Hilder

Tessa Hilder is the Support Officer for London, the South-East and East of England.

An AHF Support Officer since 2012, Tessa draws on over 25 years' experience in community and heritage funding, as funder and fundraiser.  Her first funding role, at Historic England, was managing delivery of grants to heritage buildings at risk in London, moving on to the Heritage Lottery Fund in 1996, where she was Head of the South East England Team.   Since 2006 she has worked as an independent consultant, primarily working for voluntary sector infrastructure programmes to mentor volunteer-led groups to develop their skills and capacity to raise funds and deliver projects.  Specialising in community-owned buildings of all kinds, she has helped groups to build, restore and improve these to meet local need and ensure their sustainable future.  Tessa is a member of the Institute of Historic Buildings Conservation and the Institute of Fundraising.

Lucie Oakley

Lucie Oakley is the Support Officer covering the Midlands and North West of England

Lucie’s background in management roles in a variety of businesses and her experience of running small companies informs her work in the heritage sector. Since developing her interest in the historic environment on a formal basis, she has worked as an architectural historian and in a building preservation trust. She has been an AHF Support Officer since 2012 and is an associate member of the IHBC. She volunteers with the building preservation trust movement as secretary of the Midlands branch of the Heritage Trust Network, where she is part of an active committee organising regional events, enabling peer-to-peer networking and opportunities to learn from each other, developing capacity and skills.