Rescue - The British Archaeological Trust

What Rescue - The British Archaeological Trust does

Rescue – The British Archaeological Trust is an independent, non-political charitable trust founded in 1971 and headquartered in Hertford, United Kingdom. The organisation's stated mission is to support archaeology and the historic environment in Britain and abroad through advocacy, campaigning, and policy engagement. It explicitly does not receive any government or state support and is entirely funded by member contributions, donations, and publication sales. Rescue operates as the recognised independent voice for British archaeology, campaigning on issues such as heritage protection, planning reform, and international heritage threats.

Rescue's core offerings centre on a membership programme that provides supporters with triannual print issues of Rescue News, conference and meeting notices, and discounts on publications. The organisation sells a range of publications through its online shop, including Rescue News (print and digital), Rescue eNews, the campaigning guide Fighting Back, the edited volume Foundations for the Future, and other heritage-related titles. In 2026 it launched two new offerings: the John Wells Award for services to heritage protection (first presented to JNAPC in February 2026) and an online version of 'First Aid for Finds' developed with the Institute of Conservation Archaeology Group.

The organisation runs community-led go-to-market activity through its website, email newsletter, Bluesky social media presence, and annual general meetings held at rotating UK venues. Rescue engages in policy work through coalition partnerships with the National Trust, RSPB, Wildlife Trust, CIfA, Stonehenge Alliance, and others, responding to government consultations and opposing planning reforms. Governance rests with an elected Council; the May 2025 AGM transitioned leadership to Dan Phillips as Chair, Tony Howe as Vice-Chair, and Rebecca Hawkes-Reynolds as Treasurer.

Name

Rescue - The British Archaeological Trust

Legal name

Rescue - The British Archaeological Trust

Website

https://rescue-archaeology.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Rescue – The British Archaeological Trust is an independent, member-funded UK charitable trust founded in 1971 that advocates for archaeology and heritage protection through campaigns, publications, and policy engagement. It serves individual supporters and the broader heritage community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Hertford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership contributions: Rescue operates as a charitable trust entirely reliant on member contributions. Members pay annual fees to support the organization's work as advocates for the historic environment. Members receive Rescue News three times a year, details of meetings and conferences, and discounted prices on publications.
2. Publication sales: The organization sells publications through their online shop, including digital and hard copy versions of their newsletter (Rescue News), books like 'Foundations for the Future', 'Fighting Back', and other publications. They also sell merchandise.
3. Donations: The organization accepts donations through their website to support their campaigning work for heritage protection.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Rescue is an independent, non-political charitable trust that campaigns for the protection of archaeology and the historic environment in Britain and abroad. It offers a membership program, sells print and digital publications (Rescue News, Rescue eNews, Foundations for the Future, Fighting Back, other books), accepts donations, and runs advocacy campaigns and an annual heritage award (the John Wells Award).

Product overview

Rescue – The British Archaeological Trust is an independent non-political charitable trust dedicated to supporting archaeology and the historic environment in Britain and abroad. The organization operates as a membership-based advocacy organization rather than a product company. Its offerings include membership with benefits (Rescue News publication, meeting/conference details, discounted publications), digital and print publications (Rescue News, Rescue eNews, Foundations for the Future, Fighting Back, other books), and advocacy campaigns on heritage issues.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership Annual membership in Rescue - The British Archaeological Trust. Members receive Rescue News three times a year, details of meetings and conferences, and discounted prices on publications, supporting the organization's advocacy work for archaeology and the historic environment.
• Rescue News The newspaper of Rescue, available in both digital and hard copy versions, representing the organization and covering its news, campaigns, and policy positions.
• Rescue eNews Digital email newsletter providing updates on campaigns and heritage issues to members and supporters.
• Foundations for the Future A publication edited by Paul Everill and Pamela Irving that assesses archaeological topics, sold through Rescue's online shop.
• Fighting Back A campaigning guide published by Rescue to assist members and supporters in heritage advocacy efforts.
• Other Books Additional books and archaeological/heritage-related publications available through Rescue's online shop.
• First Aid for Finds: the online version An online resource for archaeological finds assistance, developed in collaboration with the Institute of Conservation Archaeology Group.
• The John Wells Award An award for services to heritage protection, launched by Rescue to recognize individuals or organizations contributing to heritage protection.

Quantifiable outcome

• 17,700+ signatures on petition against heritage protection reductions

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Stonehenge AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Stonehenge heritage protection campaigns. Suzanne Keene from the Stonehenge Alliance was elected to Rescue's Council. Joint advocacy work opposing the A303 Stonehenge tunnel scheme.
• Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on the Archaeology and Planning Case Studies project, funded by Historic England. Joint advocacy on planning policy affecting archaeology. Rescue works with CIfA on professional standards and policy responses.
• Dig VenturesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured as a case study in Rescue's 2020 AGM open meeting on digitization in archaeology. Represents digital engagement and research innovation in the archaeological sector.
• MicropastsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCrowdsourced archaeology platform presented as a case study of digital engagement and research. Featured at Rescue's 2020 AGM on digitization.
• UCL Institute of ArchaeologyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue for Rescue's 2020 AGM which was held virtually via Zoom. Academic partnership for knowledge sharing and events.
• Colchester Archaeological TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNick Wickenden, chair of Colchester Archaeological Trust's Council of Management, led a tour at the 2025 AGM in Colchester.
• National TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-signatory on statements opposing planning reforms that threaten heritage. Rescue stands in support and solidarity with National Trust on heritage protection campaigns.
• RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-signatory on heritage and environment protection statements. Joint advocacy with Rescue on planning reform impacts on natural and cultural heritage.
• Wildlife TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in coalition opposing government planning reforms. Rescue stands in solidarity with Wildlife Trust on environmental protection.
• Institute of Conservation Archaeology GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the 'First Aid for Finds' online version project announced in June 2026.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Historic England: UK government's statutory adviser on the historic environment; overlaps with Rescue's advocacy domain but operates at much larger scale with public funding, including as a funder of joint Rescue/CIfA projects.
• English Heritage: UK charity managing historic monuments and sites; overlaps with Rescue's heritage protection mission at significantly larger scale with a broader operational portfolio.
• Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA): Professional body for archaeologists in the UK; comparable as it partners with Rescue on policy and planning work and addresses overlapping heritage protection and advocacy issues.
• National Trust: Largest UK conservation charity managing heritage sites and campaigning on planning reform; a direct coalition partner with Rescue and a broad incumbent covering overlapping heritage advocacy.

Others

• ICOMOS UK: UK national committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites; adjacent to Rescue as an international heritage advocacy body focused on cultural heritage protection and policy advice.

Emerging players

• Stonehenge Alliance: Single-issue campaign group opposing the A303 Stonehenge tunnel; comparable to Rescue as a UK heritage campaign collective, but narrower in scope and primarily focused on a specific development threat.

Direct peers

• Heritage Alliance: Coalition of UK heritage NGOs advocating for heritage policy and funding; directly comparable to Rescue as a UK heritage advocacy umbrella organisation addressing parallel issues.
• SAVE Britain's Heritage: UK heritage advocacy nonprofit campaigning against the destruction of historic buildings and sites; directly comparable to Rescue as a small, member-supported advocacy body operating in British heritage policy.
• Civic Voice: UK civic society charity championing well-designed places and heritage; comparable to Rescue as a small advocacy nonprofit engaging on planning reform and local heritage protection.
• Council for British Archaeology: UK-wide archaeology advocacy and education charity; closely comparable to Rescue as an archaeology-focused nonprofit engaging in policy advocacy, publications and member engagement.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/user

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rescue - The British Archaeological Trust