Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past Wirral History Wirral History and Heritage Assoc

Just had a look at the WHHA website, what a sad experience. 6K? If a new webmaster is needed then it looks like someone has seen a 6k opportunity and then done a runner, just my opinion as to what it looks like. The WikiWirral crowd does a better job of promoting the Wirral than that sad effort. Promised details to be published by end of December 2010, they are still not there so obviously the dead hand of the council is involved there somewhere. Some dynamic leadership is needed with WHHA I think to get it up and running properly, someone who is not just interested in a nice little earner.

I contacted the WHHA website approx 8mnths ago giving the secretary a list of links to websites which were of local interest including mine for St. Mary's Church, to give her credit she put the links up. Been back since this posting started and the links are gone.

Given that for most of us the first impression you get these days are from the organisations webpage the WHHA is very poor quality, and I cannot believe 6K was used soley to produce that.You can do better than that using free sites.

Look at the Oxton Society webpage to name a good local heritage site.
http://78.110.174.6/~oxtons/index.php
(I'm not a member)

You can see from people's reactions, Bunnygirl, that local history & heritage is very important to Wirral residents. Take a look at some of the recent history threads on Wikiwirral and you will see that people are greatly saddened, and indeed angry, that so much of our heritage is disappearing. These things matter because they not only represent our shared past but are an integral part of our very identity.

There is a great deal of frustration with WBC's handling of heritage matters, and if the WHHA is be accepted in any way as representing Wirral's best interests then there is a clear need for greater transparency. It's plain to see that people are fed up that their voices are not being heard, and you can understand their unwillingness to accept representation from a group that few have ever even heard of.

Whether you are a member of this committee or not, you obviously know a lot about the organisation and its members. We can only accept your word that those members are indeed 'highly skilled and intelligent heritage professions', because the public perception of things is clearly very different.

Totally agree, geekus. A perfect summary of the situation. It would be interesting to hear WHHA's views on the current marketing of Bird's House and St. John's Church in Wallasey.

I think bunnygirl is probally the Chairman of WHHA as she appears to know more than most or more correctly ANYONE ON WIRRAL about this secretive organsation/Wirral BC agency.

Dear Kelpy, you obviously haven't read my earlier posts - its not a secretive organisation/WBC agency and no I am NOT the Chairperson & correction to Oxton Hill, don't always assume secretary's are a 'her'.

I'm sorry if people are giving you a hard time, bunnygirl, it's not the best of welcomes to the world of Wikiwirral is it? You're perfectly entitled to put across a case for defending the WHHA, but at the end of the day "action speaks louder than words".

I can only repeat what has already been said about the WHHA's public profile. It really is important that people can see (and believe in) the WHHA's objectives. If I were one of those heritage professions you say are on the committee, I would be outraged with the current state of affairs. I mean, who would want to risk their reputations by being associated with an organisation that appears to be so unprofessional.

Wirral deserves better, don't you think?

As it was I that contacted them I should know if the name on the email was a male or female and it was FEMALE and that makes it a "her" does it not?

If it's not a secretive organisation can you tell us where to get a list of its officers or Committe members please?

From Wirral BC I assume

For me, the term "professional" means that you are paid to do your job. I'd expect a Heritage professional to be employed by English Heritage or the like.

Have just discovered a copy of the glossy (and, to be honest, excellent!) brochure issued by WHHA for the Heritage Open Day event last September. At that time the Chair was Len Ellison and Vice Chair was Simon Petris. A bit worrying is that all postal contact (for info or to apply for membership) is c/o Williamson Art Gallery, which as far as I know is still run by the Council.

Found this link to a old WHHA flyer, has some names & numbers

http://www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/doclib/484_28fmkq331g_WHHA%20HOD%20Final%20Brochure%20PDF.pdf

To maybe balance the posts a bit after my negative reaction earlier...... I see Simon Petris's name mentioned. I must say that I spoke to him a couple of times a few years ago and found him to be an honest and hard working guy for the community.

I was then a member of the Friends of Tranmere Tunnels. They battled hard and long to try and persuade WBC to say something else other than "N0 - bugger off" when the re-opening of the shelters was mooted.

As we know, nothing came of those early efforts, but it wasn't for the want of trying by Simon and others in the group. When I saw Simon's name name associated with the WHHA, I thought I may get a small slice of Humble Pie for tea tonight !!

Well said, Pinzgauer.

Personally, I have no doubt whatsoever about the integrity of Wirral's many local history groups and conservation societies. What I'm not so clear about is what the WHHA's role is specifically supposed to be. Are they meant to act as a unifying organisation, helping unite all the seperate local groups under one 'umberella' so to speak, thus making them more effective in promoting heritage issues? If so, upon who's authority are they doing this? Did Wirral's other local societies ask for this; are the WHHA self appointed spokesmen for Wirral heritage; or was WBC involved?

At the moment, there appear to be a lot more questions than answers. But wouldn't you think that if the WHHA was set up to represent ALL of Wirral's local heritage groups, then each of these groups would be allowed a representative on the WHHA's committee?

There certainly doesn't appear to be a method of finding out who or what they are, speaking as a relative stranger to the area.