Peter Ainsworth was the Member of Parliament for East Surrey from 1992 to 2010. He served in the Shadow Cabinet shadowing the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from 1999 - 2002 and under David Cameron as Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from 2005 - 2009.
Following his retirement from politics, Ainsworth was appointed Chair of the Big Lottery Fund and, later, Chairman of the Churches Conservation Trust and of the Heritage Alliance.
Luke March, Chairman of the National Churches Trust said:
"Peter Ainsworth had a huge knowledge and passion for heritage and his work was greatly valued throughout the sector. Through his Chairmanship of the Big Lottery Fund, and more recently of the Churches Conservation Trust and the Heritage Alliance, he did much to champion the cause of church buildings for which we will always be grateful. His energy and his enthusiasm for heritage will be greatly missed by us all."
