A village in lockdown: Understanding the impact of Covid-19 on Port Sunlight

Port Sunlight Village Trust (PSVT) has received a Covid-19 Emergency Response Fund grant from Historic England to understand and document the impact of Covid-19 on Port Sunlight and to identify ways to mitigate the threats and maximise the opportunities for the village’s heritage and its community. 

Port Sunlight is an historic site, residential community, and tourist destination and PSVT is custodian of it. Whilst the project has been designed to support the recovery of the village and PSVT specifically, it is hoped that the process, findings, and recommendations will be useful for custodians of other heritage sites facing similar challenges.

The main focus of the project is a programme of stakeholder research and engagement that includes the village’s residential community – of tenants, owner-occupiers and landlords – as well as businesses, clubs and societies. PSVT now wishes to commission this important piece of work, which must conclude no later than 1st March 2021. The following tasks are required:

  1. Design and administer a survey for village residents, landlords, businesses, clubs and societies with a variety of means to respond that are appropriate to our community and ensuring the best possible return rate.
  2. Compile the survey results, analyse and report on the findings, comparing the results with existing intelligence held by PSVT and the local planning authority.
  3. Using the survey findings, design and deliver a programme of stakeholder engagement activity using creative ways to deepen our understanding of the short, medium and longer-term impacts for people, heritage and business, and work with the community to identify shared solutions to threats and ways of harnessing the opportunities.
  4. Host a seminar of heritage sector professionals to workshop findings and recommendations.
  5. Produce a final project report reflecting your findings and key recommendations in relation to this commission.

The deadline for proposals is 10am on Thursday 24th September 2020. Click here to view the full brief.