emergency Planning & response
London bombing, 7 July 2005, Waterloo station, Ellywa, via Wikimedia Commons
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This Working Group brings together the experience and perspectives of BSUK members from across the culture and heritage sector, academia, private practice, and the Ministry of Defence, to offer a connected, cross-sector overview and ‘think tank’ capability in Emergency Planning and Response.
The Group’s primary objective is to consider and enable the provision and accessibility of guidance and advice relevant to the full spectrum of conflict – from protest and riot, to terrorism, and armed conflict as legally defined by International Humanitarian Law and covered by the 1954 Hague Convention. Our initial ambition is to map existing information and resources across the UK heritage sector and conduct a gap analysis, to understand where the need for further guidance and training is greatest, and how best to work in collaboration and partnership to help address those gaps. Areas of particular interest include the implementation of the Hague Convention and its two Protocols; counter-terrorism awareness training and emerging legislation, notably Martyn’s Law; and growing climate-related risks such as severe weather events and wildfire. |
MEMBERS
Katrina Thomson - CHAIRBio
Katrina Thomson is a senior manager with the National Trust for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, specialising in cultural heritage curatorship and conservation management. The National Trust is Europe’s largest conservation charity, and the world’s largest single-holder of historic houses open to the public. Katrina has over 25 years’ applied experience in heritage protection and interpretation across an extensive range of historic sites. Based in the Trust’s SW region, her current portfolio embraces some of the most significant mansion estates in Trust care, as well as the World Heritage properties of Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites in Wiltshire, and the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape. Previous roles include Head of Collections, Libraries and Archives, and Deputy Head Curator for the National Trust for Scotland, and Curator of Prints and Drawings at the Scottish National Gallery in Edinburgh. She has worked on multiple capital projects and exhibitions, including the award-winning conservation and reinterpretation of the iconic battlefield of Culloden, near Inverness. Katrina is a Fellow of the UK Clore Leadership Programme and has held voluntary positions on the Scottish Committee of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, with the international NGO Cultural Heritage without Borders (Albania), and the British Army’s Cultural Property Protection Uni |
Helen Vincentbio
Representing CILIP (Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals) and the library sector on UK Blue Shield. Helen Vincent is an expert on documentary heritage. Beside her role as Head of Rare Books, Maps and Music Collections at the National Library of Scotland, she is currently Chair, Advisory Committee on Cultural Heritage (CCH), IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations), 2023-25. As 2015-23 committee member and former Chair of IFLA’s Rare Books and Special Collections Section and member of CCH 2021-23, she has been involved in developing international guidelines for digital reunification projects and for working with rare books and special collections. She served on CILIP Rare Books and Special Collections Special Interest Group committee 2012-22. Helen represents the National Library of Scotland on the Scotland’s Nationals for Culture and Climate group. |
Valentina SabuccoBIO
Valentina Sabucco is the Manager Security and Protection Advice at Arts Council England, where she is responsible of assessing the suitability of venues and storage facilities, in the UK and abroad, to securely display and store items from UK national collections and loans under Government Indemnity Scheme. Before working for Arts Council England, Valentina worked for national and international organisations such as UNESCO, Blue Shield International, WSP, and Trident Manor, covering various roles ranging from researching content and implementation of the UNESCO 1954 Hague Convention to promote awareness of best security practices. She has supported risk assessments and security reviews of cultural venues and delivered certified training programmes on the protection of collections, premises, staff, and visitors. Her academic background is in heritage studies (she has a bachelor's Honours degree in Classics and a Master's in Heritage Studies). Valentina is also a certified ASIS Associate Protection Professional and is a member of the following bodies: ICOM International Committee of Museum Security, ASIS Cultural Properties Community, and ICOMOS Italy. She is also the co-founder of the UNESCO Global Youth Community, where she leads an international cultural heritage youth network, and a member of its Steering Committee. |
Emma CunliffeBio
Dr Emma Cunliffe is a Senior Research Associate within the UNESCO Chair in Cultural Property Protection and Peace at Newcastle University, and a member of the Secretariat of Blue Shield International. She is a Fellow of the Newcastle University Policy Academy, and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. Emma has been actively involved with BSUK since its (re)founding in 2012. She served as Secretary for much of that time until stepping down in 2023, staying on as a Member. She has over a decade of experience in researching heritage protection and destruction and international law, particularly the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, lobbying for ratification and better implementation of international law and carrying out projects with partners on the ground. She carries out military training in CPP around the world. In the UK, she has been an active contributor to policy and lobbying regarding UK implementation of the 1954 Hague Convention, and to military training. |
Bijan RouhaniBio
Dr. Bijan Rouhani is a Senior Researcher and Project Manager at the Endangered Archaeology in the Middle East and North Africa (EAMENA) project, housed within the School of Archaeology at the University of Oxford. Since June 2022, he has held the role of Chairperson for the Cultural Emergency Response (CER) Board. Previously, he represented the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) on the Board of Blue Shield International from 2016 to 2023. Furthermore, Bijan holds the position of Vice-President of the International Scientific Committee on Risk Preparedness of ICOMOS (ICORP) and is an active Member of the Nahrein Network Management Committee at UCL. Additionally, he contributes his expertise as a member of the UK Blue Shield and its Emergency Planning and Response Group. Bijan’s expertise encompasses the management and conservation of built heritage. He specialises in assessing and documenting risks and damages arising from natural and human-induced disasters, climate change, and armed conflict. His work includes the development of risk preparedness plans for endangered cultural heritage sites, along with strategies for post-disaster recovery and reconstruction. |
David RobertsBio
David Roberts has always had an interest within the fields of architecture including its significance and development during different phases of history that provides a rich heritage around the world. Currently runs an architectural practice in Somerset dealing with traditional and historic buildings. This has resulted in his interest with Blue Shield UK being also from a military background. Dave is a member of SPAB and the Traditional Architecture Group within RIBA. Involved in architecture since 1987. Further studies continued at the University of Cambridge in Historic Building Conservation, and the University of Oxford in Architectural History, Condition Surveys of Historic Buildings, and Heritage Values and the Assessment of Significance. At present, further Postgraduate courses are being carried out at Oxford in Architectural History. Including architecture, Dave has served in the Royal Navy both full time and part time operating in sea, air, and land environments within the Commando Helicopter Force from 1989 to current where he is now a reservist. Operated in Northern Norway, North Atlantic, Mediterranean, Caribbean, Balkans during the 1990s, and the deserts of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Jordan |
Brittni BradfordBio
Brittni Bradford is currently a PhD researcher in cultural property protection at Newcastle University (Department of Media, Culture, and Heritage) with an MA in Museum and Artefacts Studies from Durham University and a BA in Anthropology (Archaeology) from the University of South Florida. Her background includes experience in museum collections management and related emergency planning in Florida (USA) and additional experience performing remote and field archaeological assessment(s), having worked with organisations such as Saving Antiquities For Everyone (SAFE) and the Florida Public Archaeology Network (FPAN). Her expertise include the use of digital geospatial (GIS) mapping for heritage protection, such as: proactive domestic implementation of the 1954 Hague Convention & Protocols, emergency planning/preparation, and risk or damage assessment related to armed conflict and climate change scenarios. She is currently an active Member of the Emergency Planning & Response, Armed Conflict, and Climate Change working groups. |
Antonio AsproneBio
Antonio Asprone is an archaeologist, he has gained over twenty years of experience in the Mediterranean and European context, between Italy and the United Kingdom. Senior archaeologist at the University of Cambridge and UK Government archaeological officer. Consultant for Ministries and local authorities, public and private bodies, expert in impact assessments, advice, planning, management of cultural heritage in emergencies and conflicts, in response to crises and illicit trafficking. Lecturer in Archeology & Heritage at School of Higher Education in Judicial Archeology and Crimes against Cultural Heritage. President of the Italian Society for the Protection of Cultural Heritage (SIPBC Salerno). Cultural Manager National Trust for Italy (FAI). Researcher at Maniscalco Center Heritage at Risk, in charge of Archaeology and Cultural Property Protection in Crisis Response. Specialist in classics, roman, urban, landscape, christian, rescue and community archaeology. Expert in complex stratigraphies, data analysis, planning, conservation, management of cultural heritage, museums, monuments and archaeological sites. He has conducted archaeological research and excavations in the heart of Ancient Rome and has dealt with archaeological work and protection of the cultural heritage in relation to the post-seismic reconstruction in Central Italy. Relying on more than 20 years of international experience he is professional in all-round cultural heritage: curator, conservator, consultant and manager of museums, collections, exhibitions, conferences, projects, archaeological parks and UNESCO sites. Keen advocates of equality, diversity and inclusion. |
Coordinator (Vacant)
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