Putting the work of Building Preservation Trusts in perspective

A couple of things to tell you about which are being led by our colleagues at the UK Association of Preservation Trusts; first the launch of their HLF-funded All Our Stories project called In Perspective, the other their forthcoming conference. Both give great insight into the work of Building Preservation Trusts all over the country.

In Perspective

In Perspective brings together a number of interviews with different people involved in the Building Preservation Trust movement, giving a flavour of the type of work Trust members do. BCT was involved in this project and we were asked to look at the role of community engagement in a building preservation project.

We enlisted the help of volunteers to make our short film. Huge thank you to our young film makers Katherine Hannaford and Armond Kurti (featured) and to Barbara Nomikos who features in this interview about volunteering for the Coffin Works Project. I am actually really proud that of all the projects featured on the site so far we are the only ones who worked with volunteers to make the film and a great job they did too!

Or use this link to view: http://youtu.be/U4af9cmA-BM

Visit their site for more interviews HERE.

2013 UKAPT National Conference  Leeds, 15 &16 November 2013

This Conference will equip delegates with inspirational ideas and resources to develop new partnerships in tackling Heritage at Risk. On Friday, at St George’s Centre, the first of four sessions provides a broadbrush overview of how the public sector across the UK is re-organising itself to work with communities. The second session homes in on partnership opportunities using ‘live’ projects as case studies. In the third session we’ll hear what private developers can bring to the table, whilst the final session provides a ‘coalface’ opportunity to work through some local examples in the company of specialist advisers.

The second day at The Civic Hall focuses on the opportunities in the City for addressing Heritage at Risk. The first session outlines the challenges for local organisations, and in particular the opportunities offered through the Listed Building Pilot Survey, funded by English Heritage, to explore the inclusion of Grade II buildings on its Heritage at Risk Register. In the second session, English Heritage and the Local Planning Authority will outline their strategies and the powers available to them to tackle threatened buildings. The final session explores whether including Heritage at Risk in area regeneration schemes, setting up a successful city-wide BPT, or utilising the considerable leverage of the private sector could provide partnered solutions. The Friday programme is being hosted by English Heritage: Simon Thurley has called for ‘Heritage Makers’ to step forward to assist English Heritage, which has re-organised itself to provide more support to community organisations, to meet the ambitious targets for reducing Heritage at Risk.

APT is also very conscious of the fact that the roots of many BPTs lie with the civic movement. Civic societies can act as the ‘eyes and ears’ of a community, whilst BPTs can operate as project delivery arms to address problem buildings. Over time these links have weakened, or in some cases been lost altogether. APT is therefore delighted to be able to partner on the Saturday with Leeds Civic Trust, who plays a major role in researching, identifying and campaigning on behalf of Heritage at Risk in the City; this is a perfect expression of a possible new approach for exploring how civic societies and BPTs can work together to address problem buildings, and the scope for a new Trust in Leeds.

Booking details HERE