Impact case study database

Expert Advisory Roles:

Humphreys’ research on notions of justice, equality, autonomy, interests, flourishing and animal cognition has been widely disseminated at national and international conferences since the start of her academic career. Such dissemination, together with the publication of her research, particularly the research on dignity and papers on justice (the latter which have found that what we say about justice and morality need to be brought into line) led to an invitation to be a Working Party Expert Advisor for the Nuffield Council on Bioethics in relation to their consultation for Genome Editing and Farmed Animals: Fact Finding Meeting on Genome Editing to Produce Disease Resistance Animals, 23 Jul. 2019. Humphreys contributed her findings to the Council’s multi-disciplinary panel of experts.

Not long after this contribution, as a specialist in environment and animal ethics, Humphreys was invited to work as an expert advisor for the Welsh Assembly Government’s Wild Animals in Circuses Bill; a Bill which proposed / proposes to ban the use of wild animals in circuses in Wales. The Bill follows legislation introduced in England by Act of Parliament (Wild Animals in Circuses Act 2019), passing an Act that would ban the use of Wild Animals in Circuses from 2020. This Act follows Scotland’s ban in 2018 (Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses (Scotland) Act 2018). The Welsh Bill was subsequently brought forward largely in response to overwhelming public support and decades of committed campaigning by animal charities and their members, including Humphreys herself who has a long-established relationship with Animal Defenders International (ADI), which has been at the forefront of successful campaigning for bans on a global level (for example, countries in South America have taken the lead in banning the use of wild animals in circuses). Humphreys’ activity has included lobbying MPs, relevant organisations and stakeholders for the Bill.

Establishing the basis for legislation:

The Welsh Government (j) invited Humphreys to provide expert advice in relation in the Bill, citing her research on ethics and dignity (iv). As the Senedd Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses Research Briefing (e) details, this expertise was required as both the UK and Welsh Governments had commissioned reviews into wild animals in travelling circuses, with differing scopes and outcomes. The ‘Radford Report’ (2007) was carried out by the Circus Working Group (a mix of industry and animal welfare representatives). It was established to inform the UK Government of any scientific evidence relating to a potential ban under the then-Animal Welfare Bill (now 2006 Act). The report considered evidence relating specifically to the transportation and housing needs of non-domesticated species. Although the authors identified that the present situation acted against the animals’ interests, they found insufficient evidence that animals kept in travelling circuses were better or worse off than those in static environments. Following the Radford Report’s conclusions that there was insufficient evidence to introduce a ban on animal welfare grounds, the UK Government decided to pursue a ban on ethical grounds, a position which was also adopted by the Welsh Government.

The Explanatory Memorandum (EM) for this Bill (d) emphasises that the Welsh Government has chosen to introduce primary legislation to ban the use of wild animals in circuses on ethical grounds. The EM states: ‘The use of wild animals in travelling circuses raises concerns around animal dignity. It is increasingly difficult to justify keeping wild animals in travelling circuses and requiring them to perform tricks. […] There is a strong body of opinion that the welfare needs of wild animals in travelling circuses cannot be met. Whilst there may not be conclusive evidence that welfare is compromised to a greater extent in travelling circuses than in any other ‘artificial’ environment, the Welsh public and third sector organisations have overwhelmingly lobbied for this practice to be banned’ (d, page. 13). In response, during the summer of 2019 Humphreys provided written evidence in the form of a written report analysing the Terms of Reference underpinning the Bill, which were essential in securing the ethical grounds on which it was to be based (as opposed to welfare grounds). The Committee Ministers then consulted this evidence in order to inform and review their understanding of the Bill as it progressed through the primary legislative process during the introduction of the Bill (8 July 2019), Stage 1: Committee considerations of general principles (July Dec 2019), Stage 1: Debate in Plenary on general principles (Jan 2020); Stage 2: Committee consideration of amendments (Feb 2020); Stage 3: Plenary consideration of amendments (March 2020); Stage 4: Passing of the Bill in Plenary (July 2020). Royal Assent. Adoption of the Act (September 2020). The expert evidence, was based on the conclusions of Humphreys’ research (f,g), which concludes:

• that animals have interests in not suffering, in flourishing, and wellbeing; and that animals have their own good; a good which makes them creatures to which the concept of dignity may be applied such that it makes sense to say that some harms constitute a violation of their dignity;

• that such interests are weighty and significant and often more-weighty than other interests at stake in cases of conflict;

• that these interests are more significant than – at the very least – the peripheral interests of humans (in pursuing particular forms of entertainment or gaining pleasure from particular forms of entertainment, for example);

• that (c) is a matter of justice, not just a matter of morality;

• that what we say about justice and morality need to be brought into line

This written evidence was then used by the Commission to inform the questions and comments that they had regarding not just the wording of the Bill but its enactment, purpose, and long-term consequences. Subsequently, in Sept. 2019, along with two other experts in the field (Prof. Ron Beadle, Professor of Organisation and Business Ethics, Northumbria University, Michael Radford, Reader in Animal Welfare Law at the University of Aberdeen), Humphreys presented oral evidence to the Commission by responding to the questions and comments that had been written up in response to her (and the other experts’) written evidence (h, i). During this part of the process, she discussed those who stand to be affected by the Bill, including the public, travelling communities, those who work in the entertainment industry, cage manufacturers, business owners, and last but not least wild animals and animals more generally. Humphreys’ input here was informed by her empirically led research in animal ethics, including, for example, plausible conceptions of a worthwhile life in terms of species-specific capacities and research on an ontological conception of dignity (i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi).

Legal Impacts:

The Act came into force on 7 September 2020 and will continue to have an impact for as long as it remains a piece of legislation. Aligning with similar legislation in England (The Wild Animals in Circuses Act 2019), and Scotland (Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses (Scotland) Act 2018) it significantly adds to the UK’s measures to strengthen its position as a world leader on animal protection, and brings further acknowledgement, and national acceptance, that the exploitation of animals is wrong and needs to cease. In this regard, Welsh law, along with that of England and Scotland, is now aligned with thirty-three countries globally (including eighteen EU member states) that already have nationwide bans on the use or import/export of some or all wild animals in circuses. The RSPCA’s and ADI’s written submission to the Committee (g) state that these impacts are as follows:

• The itinerant, transient nature of circuses means the complex needs of wild animals cannot be adequately met in such an environment which includes confinement, constant transportation, forced training and being placed within abnormal social groups. Further welfare problems are exacerbated by forced performances to strict timetables and the performance of unnatural acts and tricks. The RSPCA are clear that the animal welfare benefits of a ban on this practice are clear and have long rendered Welsh Government action necessary.

• The use of wild animals in travelling circuses is out-dated and firmly out of step both with public opinion, and how animals should be treated in a modern compassionate society. The Welsh Government’s public consultation on the issue in 2018 showed 97% support a ban and 97% agree it would have a positive impact on attitudes of children and young people towards animals. In addition, a 2018 opinion poll on the use of wild animals in circuses in Europe showed that 81% of adult respondents in Wales agreed that such acts should not be allowed. UK polls over many years have also consistently shown overwhelming support for a UK-wide wild animal ban. Utilising legislation to deliver an outright and absolute ban on this practice sends a powerful and an important statement as to how the welfare of animals is regarded in modern Wales.

• While the numbers of wild animals used in the circus environment in Wales is currently low, the absence of a ban offers no protection to those animals, nor mitigates against the possible growth of an industry which is so damaging to wild animal welfare. The passing of the legislation into Law will severely restrict the ability of current and future circuses to display wild animals bringing Wales into alignment with legislation in England, Scotland and globally, strengthening the international impetus to ban a practice which sees animals exploited on a global basis.

The Strata Florida Project commenced in 2006, building on research undertaken at UWTSD by the Project director, Prof. Austin, which identified that there was the potential for the development of a high-quality and multi-period narrative which could underpin major impact through heritage development (see Consultants’ reports) . The long-term research and business plan set the objectives of establishing a new entity, the Strata Florida Centre, which since 2016 has delivered impacts in four interdependent programmes of work : 1) heritage conservation, not only for the historic archelogy of the Abbey and its historic environment, but also primarily, for the purchase and conservation of Mynachlog Fawr, comprising an at-risk group of redundant historic buildings, including a gentry house (grade II*) which began life in the later 12th century as the Abbey’s refectory and four outbuildings (grade II) immediately adjacent to the historic monument itself. The historic buildings, now purchased and undergoing a programme of preservation / restoration are developing facilities and resources for: 2) economic regeneration, 3) heritage interpretation and development, and 4) community engagement. While these outcomes been developed over the whole life of the related projects, the impacts detailed below related to those which have occurred since August 2013, subsequent to which saw the launch of the heritage project with a clear and sustainable strategic programme.

Mynachlog Fawr and the Strata Florida Trust.

In 2006, in order to acquire and conserve Mynachlog Fawr, Prof. Austin established, under his chairmanship, the Strata Florida Trust as a charitable company (number: 1117469) legally independent of the University, although its Board of Trustees has strongly reflected the close working relationship between the two who have worked closely to deliver the work programmes. This work has focused on using the underpinning research to establish the national historic importance of the site with national and international heritage agencies, government bodies and charities, thereby establishing the case for investment in the site. In this respect the Strata Florida Trust has, since 2014 , established partnerships and/or the support of the following research funders, heritage bodies and administrative authorities: AHRC (2018), Cadw (the Welsh Government's historic environment service), the World Monument Fund (2016), Ceredigion County Council / Welsh Government (2018), the Princes Foundation (2018), National Heritage Lottery Fund (2020), Cambrian Heritage Regeneration Trust / Ashley Family Foundation (2015), the Allchurches Trust (2019) and private benefactors (2016). The support of these bodies has secured over £2m in capital and revenue funding enabling the Trust to acquire Mynachlog Fawr in 2016 and commence conservation of the buildings. Support has included private benefactor £308,000 for acquisition of the buildings (2016), £160,000 from the Rural Communities Development Fund (Ceredigion County Council) and matched funding for restoration and conversion of the Beudy (2018), at total of £178,000 from the World Monuments Fund and Heritage Lottery Fund for the Ty Pair conservation and conversion (2020), £70,000 from the Laura Ashley Family Foundation / Cambrian Heritage Regeneration Trust for purchase, conservation and Trust cost (2015, 2020), £155,000 from the Princes Foundation for additional support for Beudy Project, a third Options Appraisal report and Business Plan, conservation Management Plan add Condition and Buildings Surveys (2018-19). Further support of £75,000 has been secured from the European Union and Ceredigion County Council LEADER programme for a Community Engagement Officer, and from the Allchurches Trust (£177,000) for 3-years funding for an Archaeology Summer School. Other donations of £20,000 were secured for events in 2017.

Heritage conservation.

While the overarching heritage and economic imperatives for this support and funding are for the furtherment of research, teaching, training, cultural performance and regional development through tourism, the immediate and urgent objective was to save the buildings, in particular the grade II* gentry house as part of the historic monument itself, from further deterioration (surveys undertaken during 2008 and 2012, funded with £64,000 from Architectural Heritage Fund; Ceredigion County Council; Welsh Government and the Princes Regeneration Trust had identified that all the buildings were severely at risk). Work with consultants was therefore undertaken during 2018-19 to create a programme of conservation, including both Fabric and Condition Surveys and a Conservation Management Plan. While all the buildings have now been stabilised and protected from immediate further decay, restoration of one of the buildings (Y Beudy) was completed in 2019 for use as an office, meeting, exhibition and research space. Further support, funding and business planning was secured for the further development of the site during 2020 as set out below, with work on the second Grade II listed building (Tŷ Pair) commencing in Sept 2020 with the grants from the World Monuments Fund (the first project they have ever supported in Wales) and Heritage Lottery Fund. The Trust will be conserving and repairing the building to create a free-to-enter space telling the story of the farm through the “Mynachlog Fawr in 30 objects” exhibition. Featuring a variety of objects and documents from the farmhouse and farm buildings, it will provide the opportunity for visitors of all ages to discover and engage with the social history of the house and community. While the full launch of the Strata Florida centre is not planned prior to 2023 (and has been delayed by the Covid 19 pandemic), the centre will form the base for Heritage Skills Training and other related training delivered with a range of external groups from primary to post-graduate level. However, the business planning and support required to see the launch of the centre has been established as of 2020, with strategic partnerships in place for the heritage interpretation and development with the National Library of Wales, the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments in Wales and the Prince’s Foundation, and full working relations with Cadw, the National Museum of Wales, Ceredigion County Council, the Strata Florida Community Council and a number of community organisations and individuals. To this end, the three remaining buildings will be restored and put to use over the next two to three years as museum, residential and public events venue.

Economic Regeneration

As noted, the work to date has secured the future of five historically important buildings and enhanced the spiritual meaning of Strata Florida as a sacred location, it has also raised the local, regional and Welsh national, as well as international, awareness of the importance and potential of Strata Florida’s iconic place in the nation’s history and culture. This has been further endorsed by the whole project being adopted as a site of world importance by the World Monuments Fund while Cadw has now recognised the site as one of the ten most important historic monuments in Wales. While these are important in their own right, the creation of the centre where this will be celebrated and converted into sustainable economic activity has, since 2016, had important economic benefits for Ceredigion, which ranks as one of the most deprived areas in the UK, and indeed Europe. As detailed in Eurostat figures, West Wales has been classified as a struggling region defined as areas with a GDP per head of the population worth 75% or less of the EU average. Since 2014, the Strata Florida Trust has used the research to engage with public agencies involved in the regional development of tourism and infrastructure, and is included in the Mid Wales Regional Plan for Targeted Regeneration (in consideration).

Likewise the Centre’s business plan identifies 11 areas of income generation feeding into the local and regional economy including extensive use, as policy, of local providers, including conservation builders, local professional craftsmen with heritage skills, tourism and hospitality businesses shops, transport firms and other business outlets and implementation of commercial activities including an annual archaeological field school (AFS), and the appointment in 2019 of three members of staff. While the majority of the investment and economic impact since 2016 has been based on the heritage conservation, commercial and heritage activities have commenced with the AFS (3 seasons initially, with £177,000 from the Allchurches Trust and commercial income, but intended as an on-going programme). This is based on training and qualification for a next generation of field archaeologists needed for major infrastructure projects like HS2 in Britain for which there is a short-fall. Analysis by Cebr, undertaken for Historic England ( The heritage sector in England and its impact on the economy A report for Historic England, October 2018), which is based on ONS’ national accounting framework, suggest that for every £1 of GVA generated by the heritage sector, an additional £1.21 of GVA is supported in the wider economy through indirect and induced multiplier impacts of the sector. Indirect impacts are generated in the supply chains supporting the heritage sector, whilst induced impacts are generated when the direct and indirect (supply chain) employees spend their earnings on domestic goods and services. Using this model, the £2m direct investment into Ceredigion has contributed an estimated GVA of £4.42m to regional development.

Community Engagement

A central strategy of the Trust’s work, upon which much finance, support has been based, is the importance of work with the local community, through outreach work, partnerships with local schools and support for local heritage sites and assets. In this respect, heritage-led regeneration initiatives undertaken have used the heritage assets to help stimulate wider environmental, economic and community regeneration. The AFS for example also works closely with Operation Nightingale, Breaking Ground Heritage and others on making it accessible for military rehabilitation, disability and disadvantage clients, providing an important contribution to well-being. To ensure these benefits are maximised, the project has appointed a Community Officer (2019-21, in the first instance) and has undertaken extensive and ongoing engagement with local and regional communities through open days, events, personal and other interaction, such as the creation of a Community Liaison Group. The project has also worked closely with local primary schoolchildren and their teachers through ‘the Abbey School’, raising their awareness of their own history and heritage, promoted awareness of the new narratives and the site’s heritage value through over 100 lectures and major public events on site, including the creative arts (about two-thirds in the current REF period). It has produced public access material including web-site, hard print, guided tours and other activities, all helping to build interest and engagement in the overall objectives, and made regular appearance in national media (including Times and Guardian and several television programmes and news items).