EMACHS has grown out of the Midlands Amenity Societies Association, (MASA) which was founded in 1987 to represent Midlands amenity societies registered with the Civic Trust. In 2001 it divided into East and West MASA in line with Civic Trust aspirations to create a regional association for each of the nine local government regions of England. In April 2009 the Civic Trust went into administration and Civic Societies registered formerly had to decide whether or not to become members of other national representative bodies or to “go it alone”. However in both the East and West Midlands there was a strong feeling that Regional Associations of civic and heritage groups had been established a long time, had a successful track record and had a future, both in assisting societies and representing them at a national level.

EMACHS was born and immediately joined all three leading national bodies in its own right.

Since its original inception in March 2001 the Association has continued to issue its newsletter, (EMACHS Magazine) reports, accounts and any additional information to all member societies on a quarterly basis. We particularly encourage the foundation of new societies and improved contact between members, including the establishment of web sites and modern methods of communication.

The Association is no longer bound by membership consisting of societies linked any one national body. Membership is now open to all civic societies, conservation area societies, local history societies and historic buildings trusts. We have also extended our area of benefit to embrace district councils, borough councils and unity authorities that ‘border’ the East Midlands Planning Region.