On top of celebrating the UK’s sporting heritage, our team would also like to use National Sporting Heritage Day to consider the theme of Collections at Risk – how the safety and security of sporting collections can so often come under threat, and how we can help remove them from risk.
In the surrounding weeks we’ll be drawing on the Sporting Heritage Toolkit resources to help define, and identify the causes of at-risk collections, and we’ve planned a programme of events and activities (listed below) to help anyone who is looking for support, with opportunities to share and celebrate all the amazing collections which have already been removed from risk!
You can get involved with the theme on social media too by telling us all about your #CollectionsAtRisk stories on #NSHD2025
FREE Online collections surgery
Monday 8th September
Slots available between 10am – 4pm via Zoom (first come basis)
Got a collections query but not sure who to ask? Book in a 30 minute slot with Sporting Heritage’s Fran Stovold to discuss any collection related issues. An experienced collections specialist, Fran will be able to offer advice, recommend resources and practical solutions.
Webinar – How can we identify and support collections at risk?
24th September 2025 10.30am – 12.30pm
Jim Clark Museum photo collection
Join Dr Justine Reilly and our panel of speakers drawn from across the sporting heritage sector as they discuss how we can identify when a collection is at risk and the actions, networks and resources available to support you and safeguard your collections.
The first part of this webinar will be a discussion panel, then following a short break, we will return to open up the floor for a group discussion about working with collections that are at risk. Attendees can ask questions of our panelists and share their experiences of the risks which they face as custodians of sporting heritage.
Sporting Heritage Collections At Risk Study Day – Scotland
26th September 2025, 10am – 3.30pm, Heart of Midlothian Museum
Maroon Mile Exhibition, Heart of Midlothian Museum
We’re excited to be back in Scotland to hold our next in person study day! With a focus on collections at risk, the event will be full of case studies, ideas, and support to help you develop your collections and remove them from risk.
International Sporting Collections
30th September 2025, 12pm – 2pm (BST)
Olympic Torch Display, Slovak Olympic and Sports Museum / Sporting Heritage CIC
Join us for case studies and discussion around international perspectives and how we can work together to remove collections from risk. This year’s Sporting Heritage Day aims to shine a light on the risks posed to sporting heritage, collections and memorabilia.
For this webinar, we will be joined by members of an international project, funded by the International Committee of Museums (ICOM), which is exploring how we can work more collaboratively to celebrate, protect and share stories and heritage from the sporting past.
There will be a series of short case studies and presentations outlining different activity taking place internationally, and opportunities for discussion and a Q & A session.
