York Civic Trust has elected Delma Tomlin as its chair of trustees – marking a significant milestone as the organisation’s first female chair in its 80-year history.
A respected figure in the cultural and heritage sectors, Delma Tomlin is the director of the National Centre for Early Music (NCEM) in York.
Originally a musician, she came to York in 1982 as the administrator of the York Festival & Mystery Plays before becoming the secretary of the Festival Trust, which oversees the Early Music Festival.
Delma takes on the role at an important time for York, as several key plans shaping the city’s future come to fruition. These include:
- The submission of York Central Developers’ first planning application, covering the site’s housing, commercial, and public spaces.
- The City of York Council’s adoption of a new Local Development Plan, along with a Movement and Place Plan and a City Centre Spatial Plan.
- The Mayoral Combined Authority will agree on a Local Growth Plan for York and North Yorkshire, setting economic priorities for the region.
- York looks to renew its culture strategy working closely with North Yorkshire
The York Civic Trust aims to play an influential role in these developments, ensuring that heritage and community interests remain at the heart of the city’s progress.
Delma’s three-year tenure will coincide with the Civic Trust’s 80th birthday in 2026.
The Civic Trust are planning a programme of events and initiatives that will mark this significant moment in both the organisations and the city’s history.
Delma said: “I am truly delighted to be elected the chair of the York Civic Trust. Our vision is for York to be a thriving internationally recognised historic city where high-quality sustainable development is the norm, and where our heritage plays a vital and valued role in addressing the challenges we face.
“I have benefited enormously from living in this wonderful city and have had the great joy of working in many of our historic buildings staging music festivals, York Mystery Plays and helping to restore St Margaret’s Walmgate.
“My role as chair is to ensure that we continue to celebrate and protect our unique heritage whilst ensuring that we look to the future with confidence.”
Delma was made an MBE for services to the arts in Yorkshire & Humberside in 2007, and an Honorary Freeman of the City of York in 2020.
She also became the first female governor of the Company of Merchant Adventurers in 2022.