Volunteers wanted for new community heritage survey
10 Oct 2022 ARCHIVED (over 3 months old) - view latest news
Northumberland County Council is seeking volunteers for an exciting new project to gather information about the character of buildings in Berwick, Tweedmouth and Spittal.
The scheme is part of a project funded by Historic England and the Council and will contribute to the production of a series of online, user-friendly planning documents to help improve the management of the three conservation areas.
Anyone with an interest is invited to join and no previous experience is necessary as free training will be provided through a mentoring programme. This will help volunteers survey the areas and provide up-to-date information on the condition of the buildings. There will be an opportunity to learn about familiar buildings and a chance to find new hidden gems.
Councillor Colin Horncastle, portfolio holder for community services, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for the local community to play a part in protecting the historic buildings and spaces which make Berwick, Tweedmouth and Spittal such special places.
“We would encourage everyone who is interested to come along and get involved in this important and rewarding project and to learn new skills and meet new people along the way.”
The project is being run by specialist consultants, Urban Vision Enterprise, and will be supported by Berwick Conservation Area Advisory Group, whose Chairperson Margaret Shaw said: “We are delighted to be able to support such a project which will provide a record and evaluation of the key elements that make up the special interest and character of the conservation areas which will also help inform planning decisions in the future.”.
Zinnie Denby-Mann from Historic England said: “We are excited to co-funding this project as we hope it will inspire people to get involved with their local heritage, as well as provide valuable information that will help us look after these historically and architecturally rich areas of Northumberland for future generations.”
Anyone who is interested is invited to attend an online introduction to the project at 7pm on Thursday 20 October to find out more. There will also be two free training sessions running for volunteers at the William Elder Building, 56-58 Castlegate, Berwick-upon-Tweed, TD15 1JT on either:
- Friday 28 October 2022 between 10:00am and 12noon
- Saturday 29 October 2022 between 10:00am and 12noon
To register your interest and book your free place at the online introduction or a training event please contact Caron Colbert at info@uvecic.co.uk or alternatively call 01538 386 221.