Quakers living close to the birthplace of their 357-year-old way of life are warming to a new solution for double glazing in listed buildings. The picturesque Sawley Friends Meeting House, a Grade Two-listed building that dates back to 1777, is situated on the edge of the Forest of Bowland in Lancashire – just a few short miles from Pendle Hill, where Quakerism first began, inspired by George Fox in 1652.

The transformation of The Bowes Museum at Barnard Castle in County Durham is continuing apace. The latest news is the announcement that a further bid for £250,000 to the Garfield Weston Foundation has been successful.

The Government and the Church of England has published guidelines to help all religious groups overcome the ‘squeamishness’ they can encounter from funding providers. Churches and Faith Buildings: Realising the Potential identifies funding and support for faith groups that will enable them to adapt their buildings for community use and build on their capacity to engage at local and regional level.

The annual ‘Museums at Night’ event will this year take place from 15-17 May. A national campaign for late night opening across the UK, it seeks to attract people into museums who don’t usually visit simply by staying open late or by creating special events. It will link up with the European-wide campaign of the same name (La Nuit de Musées), which takes place on 16th May.

Beamish Open Air Museum in County Durham will open its latest exhibit to visitors on 28 March following an exclusive VIP preview on 26th March when it unveils a new £1m colliery lamp cabin, which complements the existing recreated 1913 Colliery Village, a centrepiece of the museum.

A flint axe over 4,000 years old was the cream of a crop of discoveries during a two-year archaeological investigation into the past of London’s Olympic Park. Archaeologists believe the unfinished prehistoric axe was placed in waterlogged ground on purpose, giving a unique insight into the first eastenders that lived and hunted in the area.

London’s 120-year-old Blackfriars Railway Bridge is to undergo a £6m refurbishment by industrial services group Pyeroy.

Preserving and maintaining the nation’s built heritage is also part and parcel of preserving the environment in which we live. That environmental husbandry extends to the materials we use in the restoration projects we undertake and new additions to the built heritage. Re-using and recycling is central to that work and is typified by the extensive use of architectural salvage.

Hearing loss is the second most common disability in the UK. The number of people affected is increasing and estimates suggest that by 2035, 15.6 million people in the UK will have hearing loss – that’s one in five of the population. Like every public building, places of worship and heritage venues…

The Listed Property Show has brought together the industry’s best. Find experts on listed property regulations, have a chat with conservation officers and meet with architects and planners.

You can also track down that elusive specialist builder or supplier of windows, doors, paints, flooring and more – all under one roof at London’s Olympia.

There’s no other event like it. It’s a unique opportunity for a stress free one-to-one conversation with Conservation Officers, who will happily talk you through any hypothetical plans that you may have about altering or extending your home.

Alongside are architects and planners, window and door manufacturers, craftsmen, and “caring” builders as well as practical demonstrations and informative talks.

Entry to the show is free to readers when applied for in advance; get your free invitation now from www.lpoc.co.uk or email info@lpoc.co.uk. Alternatively ring 01795 844939.

If you own, or are thinking of buying a listed building, your first port of call should be the Listed Property Show!

One of the most important resources for those looking for specialist advice in the field of historic building conservation is the Historic Environment Service Provider’s Recognition (HESPR) scheme, part of the trading arm of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC).

HESPR has been described as “…a recognition and promotional service for companies and practices active in the historic environment, which work to the IHBC’s professional and ethical standards.

Lightning protection is widely used within the corporate sector but many churches and heritage buildings are unaware of the need for specialist lightning protection.

Erecting a lasting memorial is the final service we can perform for a loved one when they have deceased and we put a great deal of care into choosing the right one.

However, the same attention to detail needs to be given to the placing and erection of the memorial. Indeed, burial authorities – whether religious or secular – have a duty of care to all those using the site and in particular the qualifications and competence of those working there.

Projects in Scotland’s Isle of Cumbrae and in Birmingham, Yorkshire, Nottingham, Windsor and London were among the top award winners in the Stone Federation Great Britain’s 2008 national awards. The awards were presented at the beginning of December at a luncheon at Lord’s cricket ground compered by broadcaster Jim Rosenthal and the National Lottery’s ‘voice of the balls’ Alan Dedicoat.

In 2009 the cultural world celebrates a year given over to the baroque: music, architecture, art and style. Baroque 09 brings together museums, galleries, orchestras and broadcasting organisations to celebrate the opulence and splendour of the period from the mid 17th to the late 18th centuries.