In response to the huge increase in the theft of scrap metal, wireless security specialists Tag Guard Ltd have developed a purpose-designed solution that could become a major deterrent.

Today, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has announced an investment of £17m – treble the amount it originally set aside - in 54 projects under its Skills for the Future programme¹.  This money will deliver 808 placements and adds-up to an impressive 780 years’ worth of paid training opportunities for people across the UK seeking a career in heritage.  It will not only support traditional conservation training but also a wide variety of more contemporary skills, such as managing volunteers and using social media to get people involved in heritage, that will help reinvigorate and broaden the appeal of the heritage industry to job-seekers.

Today, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) is announcing an investment of almost £1.2m into three projects across the North East under its Skills for the Future programme. 

An ambitious £260,000 restoration of Pittencrieff House, one of Dunfermline’s most historic buildings, gets under way this week.

To mark its 400th birthday, the exterior of the house is undergoing major restoration which is expected to be complete by the autumn.

For the first time the public will be able to search online a catalogue describing more than a million historical photographs and documents relating to England's historic buildings and archaeological sites held by the National Monuments Record (NMR), English Heritage's public archive

On Tuesday, 26 May 2010 a reception was held at Westminster Abbey to mark the completion of the repair and conservation of the exterior of the Chapter House. English Heritage's Chief Executive Dr Simon Thurley delivered the following speech, touching on the significance of the building, the craftsmanship involved in the project, the publication of a new book on the Chapter House as well as the current economic climate and as announced recently by the Government, the cuts to the public sector.

English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund announce grants to help restore Grade II listed places of worship

English Heritage (EH) and the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) have today (Monday 24 May 2010) announced funding of £7million to help restore 68 historic Grade II listed places of worship in England. Places of worship from a range of faiths and denominations are set to benefit from the organisations’ joint Repair Grants for Places of Worship programme.

The buildings set to benefit include the Memorial Community Church, a Grade II listed Baptist Church in Newham, East London; the Church of the Sacred Heart, a Grade II listed Roman Catholic Church in Portsmouth; and the Church of St Peter and St Paul in Lincolnshire.

Buriton Chalk Pits, near Petersfield, East Hampshire, is to be saved thanks to nearly £150,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

The money will be put towards conserving the ecologically valuable chalk pits in Buriton, a well-loved Local Nature Reserve and Site of Importance for Nature Conservation.

It will pay for a programme of maintenance work including scrub clearance and the creation of new habitats. New paths will be created and existing ones improved, local school children will be shown the natural and industrial history of the pits and a part-time ranger will be employed by Queen Elizabeth Country Park to help manage the site.

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has awarded a grant of £44,900 to Eglish Historical Society for a new project that will explore and record the history of the parish, it was announced today.

The two year project, ‘Eglish through the Ages’, will capture and record the cultural and natural heritage of the area over the past centuries to ensure its preservation for future generations.  At least fifteen volunteers will be recruited to help research, compile and record the heritage of the parish under the themes of history, literature, sport, folklore, politics and the industrial past. 

The unique heritage of Eglish includes its ancient church site, which is believed to have been a centre of worship since the dawn of Christianity, the base of an early Celtic cross, the sweat-house at Cadian and other places of historic significance including hill-forts, crannogs and holy wells.  Part of the Battle of Benburb was fought within the parish boundaries, Harper O’Neill is believed to be buried in the church grounds and connections with the milling industry date back to early monastic times, giving the area a rich heritage. 

One of Belfast's oldest and most beautiful churches has won an important prize following a huge renovation project involving tile company Armatile.

St Malachy's Catholic Church, in Alfred Street near the city centre, has been declared NI Project of the Year.
The 19th century church beat several multi-million pound commercial and government schemes.

 The results of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors competition were announced on Monday the 20 May.
Following the major renovations, many of the church's old features were brought back to life.
These included the altarpieces, the sanctuary, the "inverted wedding cake" ceiling and stained glass.
Designed by Consarc and manufactured and fitted by Armatile the main church floor has undergone a stunning transformation.
Incorporating new mosaic and water jet cut pieces, it succeeds in complimenting and enhancing the original sanctuary mosaic sections.
A bespoke original geometric design was also commissioned for the baptismal area which again was manufactured and fitted by Armatile.
All this was made possible by Armatile’s specialised manufacturing facility in Armagh, which allowed the floor designs to be realized to the exacting architectural design specifications.

The Lead Sheet Association (LSA) has appointed Nigel Johnston, their former Training Manager, as General Manager responsible for all aspects of the Association’s activities.