North Devon Council is inviting construction tradespeople and trainees, home owners and enthusiasts in the district to a Heritage Skills Day, which will mark the official launch of a new North Devon Heritage Skills website. The event will take place on Saturday 14 September, 10am-3pm, at Barnstaple Pannier Market.
The ongoing Heritage Skills Project, funded by UK Shared Prosperity Fund, seeks to address the heritage skills gap in North Devon and help protect the district's local historic buildings. Following the council's successful heritage skills event at Arlington Court last November, a forum of sector specialist and stakeholders has been brought together to guide the development of the new website and project as a whole.
The website, which will go live in early September, will host a directory of trades and service professionals, information for property owners, and links to skills and training opportunities; organisers will be hosting a range of course between October 2024 and March 2025.
North Devon Council's Conservation Officer, Collette Hall says: "North Devon has a rich historical, architectural and rural heritage that contributes to the cultural identity of its towns and villages. We have identified an ongoing shortage of local tradespeople in the heritage sector, which reflects the national landscape.
Our Heritage Construction Skills project - of which a central part is the new website - aims to address this shortage by supporting the training and development of the skills needed to maintain the historic buildings and places of North Devon, where we live, work, learn and play. These buildings will go on for many years to come if we look after them well, with the right people, the right people, having the right skills, and using the right materials.
"Whether you are a mid-career professional looking to diversify, a school-leaver looking for a career opportunity, an enthusiast looking to develop a new skill or a home owner looking for advice on how to maintain your building, there really is something for everyone at this event."
The Pannier Market launch event will facilitate demonstrations from a wide range of heritage experts, including a skilled stonemason, thatcher, builder in cob, lime plaster specialist, stained glass restorer, lead-worker, dry-stone waller. The experts will also be available to answer questions about the work they do, careers in the sector and advice about how to maintain historic properties. There will also be stands with information about careers, jobs and training courses that range from fun recreational activities to bootcamps.
For more information on the upcoming Heritage Skills Day - or future courses - please contact economicdevelopment@northdevon.gov.uk. The URL for the new website will be announced at the event, and promoted thereafter.