IHBC welcomes COTAC’s new ‘Developing Personal Competences’ volume: Insight 2 – ‘…for those seeking re-accreditation…’

Posted on 15/09/2026 by IHBC Admin

COTAC’s newly issued ‘Insight 2’ provides helpful guidance, on the 14 ICOMOS Education and Training Guidelines for those seeking re-accreditation.

Edinburgh Group Chair Ingval Maxwell said: ‘In describing conservation projects, professionals commonly use third-party accounts of what ‘we did’. However, for the individual practitioner, what matters is their ability to make effective and relevant personal decisions as part of the project team.’

‘From a conservation accreditation perspective, it is these individual decisions and contributions that matter.’

‘Consequently, Conservation Scheme Assessors look for applicants to provide clear information about what ‘I did’ in their written submissions. This latest ‘Developing Personal Competencies – Insight 2’ volume from COTAC aims to promote a better understanding of what is relevant when compiling and submitting an individual application as part of the process towards achieving peer-reviewed accredited or certified conservation status.’

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IHBC hosts stall in Belfast’s Assembly Buildings, 28/09: Part of Heritage Network NI Conference: 27-29 September

Posted on 15/09/2026 by IHBC Admin

image for illustration: Belfast, Photo via IHBC

The IHBC is delighted to host a stall at the Heritage Network Conference 2026, on 28 September, with Branch and National Office leads attending, so if you are there be sure drop by, and remember to encourage your colleagues and friends to come along too!

IHBC Services and Support Executive Officer, and  Branch Link, Sarah Homer will be there and said: ‘I am really looking forward to working with our wonderful Northern Ireland Branch Colleagues to host our stand at this sector leading conference.’

‘It will be a pleasure to have the rare opportunity meet such a  wide range of delegates and to make new connections.’

‘The conference is focussing on the impact of community-led heritage on people and places, which is really important for the IHBC – and was an important theme in our case for a Charter – so please do spread the word, and if you are able to attend, drop by for an informal and friendly chat.’

‘We would love to make the most of this opportunity to hear about and share your thoughts and experiences.’

Architect Alina Holyst, Deputy Chair of IHBC’s Northern Ireland Branch said: ‘We’re delighted that the Heritage Network event is coming to Northern Ireland this year! Having such a fantastic gathering right on our doorstep is a wonderful opportunity to showcase our rich heritage, strengthen connections and create new opportunities for collaboration.’

‘The IHBC Northern Ireland Branch is very pleased to be involved, and we’re looking forward to welcoming colleagues from across the heritage sector to Belfast and Armagh.’

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IHBC launches ‘Early Career Network’ with calls to join up, as new Working Group explores plans for support and services

Posted on 15/09/2026 by IHBC Admin

The IHBC is delighted to announce the launch of a new Early Career Network, to support the next generation of heritage and conservation practitioners, players and professionals, inspired by a new Early Career Working Group initiative.

SIGN UP HERE for the IHBC’s Early Careers Network

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Don’t need your paper Context? Do everyone a favour and pass it on, ‘Spreading the Word’ to help the Conservation Professional!

Posted on 15/09/2026 by IHBC Admin

If you are no longer interested in holding on to your hardcopy Context don’t let it go to waste: ‘Help The Conservation Professional’ and pass it on to a friend or colleague, and help us all spread the word about the great benefits offered by the IHBC and our members!

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IHBC’s ‘Practice’ CPD Signpost: HE Guidance on ‘Control of Microorganisms in Historic Buildings’

Posted on 15/09/2026 by IHBC Admin

Historic England (HE) has recently published ‘Guidance on Control of Microorganisms in Historic Buildings’.

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IHBC HESPR’s ‘News from the Sector’….IHBC sponsors Gardens Trust on ‘New Town Landscapes,’ 23-24/09, Milton Keynes

Posted on 15/09/2026 by IHBC Admin

IHBC’s heritage business register HESPR – our Historic Environment Service Providers Recognition quality assurance scheme for heritage services – emails members weekly ‘News and Tender Alerts’, and this week features IHBC on Building on new NPPF ‘a pretty bold swing’… but…!’

SEE MORE ON HESPR

JOIN HESPR, FROM £145PA (TO 2 EMPLOYEES)

Download sample weekly alert

The IHBC writes:

IHBC sponsors Gardens Trust on ‘New Town Landscapes: Learning from the Past, Shaping the Future’, 23-24/09, Milton Keynes

The IHBC is delighted to help sponsor The Gardens Trust exploration of ‘New Town Landscapes: Learning from the Past, Shaping the Future’ which will be held in Milton Keynes on 23/24 September.

The Gardens Trust writes: ‘…. [the conference] will focus on how lessons from the past can meaningfully shape future planning, design, governance, and community life. It is conceived as both a scholarly forum and a space for professional and intergenerational exchange, encouraging dialogue between research, practice, and lived experience.’

Read more….

IHBC’s call to all HESPR members

Join IHBC’s Membership Assessors

Please submit your Expression of Interest NOW HERE

  • Join IHBC’s Membership Assessors to help ‘Shape our Conservation Professionals of the future’.
  • Benefits include: CPD, status, compensation, and more as thanks.

If you are an IHBC Full Member you can help evaluate the next generation of professionals, maintain our high standards, and earn valuable CPD along the way, by joining us as an IHBC Membership Assessor.

Please submit your Expression of Interest NOW HERE

Andrew Shepherd, Trustee and Chair of IHBC’s Membership and Ethics Committee said: ‘It is vital that established members come forward to join the Assessors panel so that their skills and experience can help to assess the burgeoning numbers seeking Full and Associate membership’.

Read more….

Download sample weekly alert

For a free promotion of your tendering opportunities and work needs to the IHBC’s HESPR members, please send details and links to Joanna at contact@ihbc.org.uk, as soon as possible.

Tenders can also be advertised for a fee with IHBC Jobs etc, including a targeted email to 2500+ recipients as well as full coverage on our NewsBlog alerts and social platforms (membership and followers c.25,000) and websites with c. 250,000 visits a month. Contact Joanna at contact@ihbc.org.uk

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IHBC features ‘Heritage from the doorstep’: Albert Bridge gets fresh paint job during repair closure

Posted on 15/09/2026 by IHBC Admin
File:Albert Bridge, London, UK.jpg

image: Albert Bridge, Michael Coppins, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Council bosses are making the most of the ongoing closure of Albert Bridge to give the iconic structure a fresh coat of paint ahead of its planned 2027 reopening, reports the Hounslow Herald.

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IHBC features ‘Heritage from the doorstep’: Historic status ruled out for Edinburgh block earmarked for demolition

Posted on 15/09/2026 by IHBC Admin

image: Westfield Court, Gorgie by Richard Webb, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Plans to give listed status to an Edinburgh block of flats have been dropped, clearing the way for the City of Edinburgh Council to press ahead with a buy-back programme, reports Scottish Housing News.

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TownsWeb digitisation grant: SPAB at 150… ‘from Stonehenge to St Mark’s, Venice’

Posted on 15/09/2026 by IHBC Admin

Thanks to a £3,000 digitisation grant awarded by TownsWeb, SPAB’s archive will be digitised, making some of its earliest and most interesting files available to a wider audience for the first time as it.

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CITB on ‘Why construction skills strategies must become place-based’

Posted on 15/09/2026 by IHBC Admin

The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) Insights Manager explains that as workforce mobility declines, the industry must shift towards place-based skills strategies to meet regional demand.

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UK Heritage Pulse on ‘Skills Exchange Request the skills you need. Offer the ones you have

Posted on 15/09/2026 by IHBC Admin

UK Heritage Pulse is welcome all to its Skills Exchange, a service connecting heritage organisations with people looking to share their time and talents

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Charity Commission issues ‘Research and analysis Charity Sector Risk Assessment 2026’

Posted on 15/09/2026 by IHBC Admin

The Charity Commission’s ‘Research and Analysis Charity Sector Risk Assessment’ for 2026 has been issued.

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IHBC features ‘Heritage from the Global doorstep’: Robots could harvest lava from volcanic eruptions to make ‘concrete’ of the future

Posted on 15/09/2026 by IHBC Admin

A Reykjavik-based architect believes a lava flow could contain enough building material for the foundations of a city to rise in a matter of weeks, without the climate impacts associated with traditional construction, reports Sky News.

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IHBC’s newest ‘Branch Committee Bulletin, from the IHBC’s Director’: IHBC’s national updates for local volunteer leads – Part 1

Posted on 11/09/2026 by IHBC Admin

The IHBC’s new Branch Committee Bulletin has been issued, updating our Branch committees on strategic developments and current priorities, while if you want to find out more just check the NewsBlogs or contact your Branch Officers or the IHBC’s National Office.

Click on the image below to sign up for IHBC member and network alerts:

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IHBC hosts stall in Belfast’s Assembly Buildings, 28/09: Part of Heritage Network NI Conference: 27-29 September

Posted on 11/09/2026 by IHBC Admin

image for illustration: Belfast, Photo via IHBC

The IHBC is delighted to host a stall at the Heritage Network Conference 2026, on 28 September, with Branch and National Office leads attending, so if you are there be sure drop by, and remember to encourage your colleagues and friends to come along too!

IHBC Services and Support Executive Officer, and  Branch Link, Sarah Homer will be there and said: ‘I am really looking forward to working with our wonderful Northern Ireland Branch Colleagues to host our stand at this sector leading conference.’

‘It will be a pleasure to have the rare opportunity meet such a  wide range of delegates and to make new connections.’

‘The conference is focussing on the impact of community-led heritage on people and places, which is really important for the IHBC – and was an important theme in our case for a Charter – so please do spread the word, and if you are able to attend, drop by for an informal and friendly chat.’

‘We would love to make the most of this opportunity to hear about and share your thoughts and experiences.’

Architect Alina Holyst, Deputy Chair of IHBC’s Northern Ireland Branch said: ‘We’re delighted that the Heritage Network event is coming to Northern Ireland this year! Having such a fantastic gathering right on our doorstep is a wonderful opportunity to showcase our rich heritage, strengthen connections and create new opportunities for collaboration.’

‘The IHBC Northern Ireland Branch is very pleased to be involved, and we’re looking forward to welcoming colleagues from across the heritage sector to Belfast and Armagh.’

Continue reading →
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IHBC welcomes RICHeS Access Fund second call, opening 14/09 – ‘access… cutting-edge equipment, collections & expertise’, to £20K, for charities, social enterprises, commercial companies etc.

Posted on 11/09/2026 by IHBC Admin

Save the date and register for the ‘RICHeS Access Fund Second Call’, opening 14/09, with Applicant Webinar, 21 October & further information and next steps (guidance being refreshed).

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Join IHBC’s Membership Assessors now and ‘Shape our Conservation Professionals of the future’, with CPD, status, compensation, and more as thanks and benefits

Posted on 11/09/2026 by IHBC Admin

If you are an IHBC Full Member you can help evaluate the next generation of professionals, maintain our high standards, and earn valuable CPD along the way, by joining us as an IHBC Membership Assessor.

Please submit your Expression of Interest NOW HERE

Andrew Shepherd, Trustee and Chair of IHBC’s Membership and Ethics Committee said: ‘It is vital that established members come forward to join the Assessors panel so that their skills and experience can help to assess the burgeoning numbers seeking Full and Associate membership’.

Continue reading →
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IHBC’s ‘Management’ CPD Signpost: Some sector takes on the NPPF

Posted on 11/09/2026 by IHBC Admin

The new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) has the power to create more sustainable and better-connected places across England, according to a review of key sector players’ responses, collated by Specification Online.

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IHBC’s ‘Practice’ CPD Signpost: Dry Stone Walling Association issues Anthology of International Writing, from past and present, for the future’

Posted on 11/09/2026 by IHBC Admin

The Dry Stone Walling Association has published ‘An Anthology of International writing from the past and present for the future’ compiled by Terry McCormick.

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IHBC Director’ from HESPR’s £5.25m ongoing costed works: Heritage Estate body seeks condition surveys etc, to 09/09

Posted on 11/09/2026 by IHBC Admin

The IHBC’s heritage business register HESPR – our Historic Environment Service Providers Recognition quality assurance service – sends members exclusive ‘News and Tender Alerts’, with the Director’s top taster for NewsBlog readers this week a call by a Heritage Estate body for condition surveys etc to £5.25M & 09/09.

SEE MORE ON HESPR

JOIN HESPR, FROM £145PA (TO 2 EMPLOYEES)

Download sample weekly alert

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IHBC features ‘Heritage from the doorstep’: Plans to transform South Lanarkshire former mining village

Posted on 11/09/2026 by IHBC Admin

Plans to transform the site of a former mining village into a major outdoor recreation, heritage and tourism destination are to go on public display.

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IHBC features ‘Heritage from the doorstep’: Mentmore Towers: Council orders owner to repair ‘exceptional’ grade I mansion

Posted on 11/09/2026 by IHBC Admin

image: CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Buckinghamshire Council has ordered the owner of one of the nation’s most important stately homes to carry out urgent repairs to its deteriorating roof, reports the Buckinghamshire Gardens Trust.

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HES Chief quits amid deepening governance crisis

Posted on 11/09/2026 by IHBC Admin

Scotland’s national heritage charity HES has been hit by another major leadership departure as Chief Executive Katerina Brown has resigned just months after returning from suspension, reports Third Force News.

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Heritage Fund & HE: Understanding the impact of climate change on historic parks, gardens and cemeteries

Posted on 11/09/2026 by IHBC Admin

The Heritage Fund worked with Historic England (HE) to better understand how the climate crisis is affecting the UK’s natural heritage sites and the people that manage them.

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HES launches pilot fund to support Scotland’s historic places of worship: Opens Autumn 2026

Posted on 11/09/2026 by IHBC Admin

image for illustration:Pitlochry, Smcairnx, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) has launched Scotland’s Places of Worship Fund to support eligible listed places of worship across Scotland by helping them recover VAT costs associated with repair works, with the fund expected to open in autumn 2026.

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