Richard Francken is Information Manager at iHub Onderwijs & Familiezorg, Chairman of the DDA (Dutch Association for Metal Detection), and a board member of Stichting ArcheoHotspots. Driven by his involvement with both the heritage sector and the metal detecting community, he is committed to constructive collaboration between volunteers, researchers, and heritage institutions.

He supports this research because he emphasizes the importance of a broad societal appreciation for metal detecting. For Richard, metal detecting is not primarily about finding valuable objects, but about discovering, documenting, and sharing information about our past. The efforts of detectorists contribute to knowledge exchange, heritage preservation, and strengthening citizen engagement with archaeology and history.