Teresa Anderson MBE celebrated as heritage game changer

21 Oct 2024

Jodrell Bank Centre for Engagement’s Director honoured for her impact on cultural engagement

The achievements of Jodrell Bank Centre for Engagement’s Director, Teresa Anderson MBE have been celebrated with a giant piece of natural art in the grounds of Whitby Abbey.

The National Lottery has marked its 30th birthday with the 5,400 square metre land-art piece, ‘The Heritage Tree’, enveloping English Heritage’s Whitby Abbey in Yorkshire.

Unveiled by actor and broadcaster, Sir Tony Robinson, the artwork celebrates the extraordinary achievements of seven Heritage ‘Game Changers’ – including Teresa, who worked on the case for Jodrell Bank, one of the world’s foremost radio astronomy observatories, being recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site, achieved in 2019.

Teresa’s work has been recognised with numerous awards, including being appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her services to astrophysics.

‘The Heritage Tree’ is the largest and most complex piece to date for its creator, globally renowned artist David Popa, known for creating huge artworks made from natural materials. The breathtaking installation used the abbey’s vast landscape and natural pigments painted on the ground to show Teresa and the other Game Changer’s hands holding the roots of a tree.

Jodrell Bank Centre for Engagement is co-located within Jodrell Bank Observatory, one of the world’s foremost radio astronomy observatories. Teresa champions cultural engagement with science and science heritage and says that the story of science tells us something about who we are as a people. She describes Jodrell Bank as the next step in humanity’s relation to the sky, which dates back millennia, starting with Neolithic tombs that align with the sun, to the moon landing which captured the imagination of the world. She has encouraged people to think about their relation to the universe, with Jodrell Bank providing a space for contemplation, in the same way that people might sit in front of an artwork.

Teresa worked with Professor Tim O’Brien on the case for Jodrell Bank being recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site, which was achieved in 2019. The First Light Pavilion at Jodrell Bank was built with the help of £12.5 million of National Lottery funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Sir Tony Robinson said: “Given the hugely important work of all seven, I am deeply honoured to support The National Lottery’s celebration of these extraordinary people. Across the spectrum of our heritage and conservation, the impact of the causes and projects championed by these Game Changers is evident – and the role The National Lottery has played in making this possible has been vital. I’m proud to help celebrate their 30th birthday in such a meaningful way.”