Although there is still a degree of uncertainty about how Covid-19 will continue to impact us, I’m delighted to announce that we will be able to start holding larger events again on the Heath this year after a two-year break.

The English National Cross Country will be back on February 26 and I’m looking forward to seeing the waves of runners, of all ages, set off up the hill from the Lido to complete the iconic and challenging course.

This year we are also privileged to be the recipients of the World Athletics Heritage Plaque. This a location based award celebrating the Heath as the home of English cross country.

The cross country is an excellent spectator event too so please do mark the date in your diary.

The following day we have the beautiful shire horses from Operation Centaur on the Heath to help restore the cross-country course. You will be able to meet the horses at the Hive on Sunday, February 27 at 10.30am.

Ham & High: Anne Fairweather says the Health has provided a lifeline for some people during lockdown.Anne Fairweather says the Health has provided a lifeline for some people during lockdown. (Image: Archant)

Over Easter our historic fair will be on East Heath for a longer period of 10 days but will not return at the end of May has they have done in previous years.

Following the fun-fair the Affordable Art Fair are returning and will be at East Heath from May 4-8.

I’m also delighted that the globally renowned athletics event Night of the 10,000m Personal Bests is set to return to the Parliament Hill Fields athletics track on May 14.

These races will provide essential qualifying opportunities for athletes aiming to get to the World Championships in the USA and the summer Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and this evening event is always a great spectacle.

Over the summer we also have three of the legacy events returning from last year’s 150th Anniversary celebrations of the 1871 Hampstead Heath act which protected the Heath as an open space.

These are the Kite festival at Parliament Hill and the Natural Aspects concert on the Parliament Hill bandstand in partnership with the Heath & Hampstead Society and also the Heath’s film festival which was held for the first time in 2021.

We’ll have more details on these in the coming months.

Finally, I’d also like to welcome Stefania Horne as the City of London Corporation’s new superintendent of Hampstead Heath.

Stefania has a background in conservation and ecology but also has a broad experience and knowledge in the open spaces, leisure and culture sector. I’m sure Stefania will be a great asset to the passionate and hard-working Heath team.

Anne Fairweather is chair of the City of London Corporation’s Hampstead Heath Management Committee.