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Technical training with prestigious Hard Metal Awards for the Federation of Traditional Metal Roofers
The new FTMRC Chairman, Trevor Corser, was host to a record attendance from the FTMRC membership at its annual Technical Seminar.
All Members of the FTMRC are regularly vetted and their grades published with a compulsory requirement to personally attend a technical seminar annually to develop their knowledge and assist in their professional development. The main auditorium was packed leaving standing room only. The assembled delegates listened to important and informative presentations then attended at specialist lectures covering fire protection, rainwater and substructures.
Magnificent self-built church accessible to all
When the congregation of High Street Church in Cambridgeshire outgrew the 19th Century chapel, members decided to rebuild a larger church in 2008, entirely by themselves. Finding the skills necessary to build the place of worship from within the congregation, The Ark is believed to be one of the largest self-built projects in the UK.
Nestled in the village of Isleham, The Ark Church, an impressive 2,200-sq-metre building. It is made from green oak wood, that was felled, machined, processed and jointed before it was seasoned and dried: a very traditional way of using wood and a way in which medieval houses were built.
Rochdale Town Hall restoration project
Rochdale Town Hall is widely-regarded as one of the UK’s finest examples of Victorian gothic architecture. The Grade-I listed building was designed by William Crossland and opened in 1871 as a symbol of the town’s industrial standing in the textiles trade. According to Historic England, its ornate stylings are rivalled only by the Palace of Westminster.
Iconic Liverpool building gains wireless FM assistive listening
Previously known as Great George Street Congregational Church, a £6m renovation saw this iconic building in Liverpool’s China Town converted into a community arts centre in 1975. Now known as the “The Black-E”, the management of the 19th century Grade II listed building asked Contacta to install a hearing loop in the main hall in 2021.
Following a site survey carried out by Contacta engineers, it became clear that a hearing loop wouldn’t give visitors with hearing loss the best listening experience. The space has been divided into two floors using metal sub frames, creating passages along the walls of the main hall. This metal content would heavily distort a loop’s performance.
Read more: Iconic Liverpool building gains wireless FM assistive listening
Rochdale shops given colourful facelift as part of major heritage project
A row of shops in Rochdale town centre has been given a new lease of life thanks to a series of colourful, Victorian-style facelifts.
The South Parade and Drake Street Property Improvement Scheme, a collaboration between Rochdale Borough Council and Historic England, has transformed 12 shops with a bright new look.
Read more: Rochdale shops given colourful facelift as part of major heritage project
New awards celebrate historic buildings and craftspeople
The SPAB are proud to announce a shortlist of 28 of the best built heritage projects and craftspeople from across the UK and Ireland. The winners of the first SPAB Heritage Awards will receive their award from designer, writer and TV presenter Kevin McCloud on 3 November at an event at Conway Hall in London.
Read more: New awards celebrate historic buildings and craftspeople
Variety of external lighting shows the splendour of Lincoln Cathedral
Standing tall over the city, Lincoln Cathedral is a magnificent and iconic international landmark, and one of Britain’s most spectacular pieces of architecture. Once admired as the tallest building in the world, the spire at Lincoln Cathedral was an impressive feat of engineering, reaching a remarkable 525 feet before the central spire collapsed in 1548, nearly 250 years after its completion, and was never replaced.
Read more: Variety of external lighting shows the splendour of Lincoln Cathedral
Live Streaming now available from Creative Audio Visual Solutions
Live Streaming, especially during the recent Covid-19 Coronavirus pandemic, is a vital means for churches to keep communicating to their congregation and the wider world.
Read more: Live Streaming now available from Creative Audio Visual Solutions
Conservation of historic library columns carried out by leading specialists
Extensive repair, restoration and replacement work on the Grade One-listed Laudian Library extension in the Canterbury Quadrangle of St John’s College, Oxford is being carried out by Szerelmey, working alongside Beard Construction and Wright and Wright Architects. It follows the successful delivery of a package of works to create a new library and study centre, with artwork walls and interior and exterior paving which was completed by Szerelmey in 2019. The Canterbury Quadrangle is one of the most famous, historic and beautiful of Oxford’s buildings.
Read more: Conservation of historic library columns carried out by leading specialists
Urban Edge submits plans to create visitor destination and education centre within the grounds of historic Harlaxton Manor
Urban Edge Architecture has submitted a planning application to South Kesteven District Council on behalf of Harlaxton College for the restoration of the disused Walled Garden at the historic Harlaxton Manor, near Grantham, to create a stunning and sustainable visitor attraction and educational experience.
'Common Ground in Sacred Space' - restoration project keeps Newcastle Cathedral at the heart of city life
Once a guiding light for ships sailing up the River Tyne, this hill-top, metropolitan Cathedral represents, in stone and glass, over seven centuries of Newcastle’s development.
Today, the completed “Common Ground in Sacred Space” project aims to continue Newcastle Cathedral’s place at the heart of modern city life, with renewed purpose to that iconic lantern tower’s ancient role as a beckoning welcome for the city and its people.
Dropping knowledge on a delicate issue
All of us have seen a fine building unhelpfully adorned with pigeon food in its (ahem) processed form. Perhaps we assume this is an issue of unsightliness and nothing more, but bird droppings create a host of problems from disease to corrosion and more, especially for heritage buildings.
All Saints Church, Boyne Hill: conservation of the victorian tiled floor
Cliveden Conservation carried out the sensitive repair of the floor in accordance with Street’s original design.
The tiled floor at All Saints Church, designed by G E Street in 1857, had become deteriorated and unsafe due to being laid on a defective substrate. Quantity surveyors Sawyer and Fisher and architect Roderick Maclellan, recommended Cliveden Conservation to carry out the sensitive repair of the floor in accordance with Street’s original design.
Read more: All Saints Church, Boyne Hill: conservation of the victorian tiled floor
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