Building our Heritage (2014-2017)

Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, CITB, Carmarthenshire County Council and National Trust.

Delivered in partnership with the Natural Building Centre and the CITB’s National Specialist Accreditation Centre.

Click here for 'Building our Heritage Conference and Open Day Report 2017'

Building our Heritage was a Wales-wide traditional building skills bursary programme which focused on the heritage craft skills of Plastering, Carpentry, Roofing and Stonemasonry.  Following on from the Foundations in Heritage Bursary Scheme it supported 30 students through a 1-year NVQ Level 3 giving them 4 weeks of specialist skills training and then placements with specialist Heritage Companies across the country.  It also supplemented their training with additional skills development such as Business Development, Equality and Diversity Awareness and Costing a building contract.

The project also supported 10 women to undertake an introductory course in Heritage Building Skills.  This was a 5 month programme covering Carpentry, Masonry and Plastering skills training, as well as personal development and Business skills.  The programme was based at the Tywi Centre, but included theoretical and practical training with all participants successfully completing the Level 3 Award in the Repair and Maintenance of Traditional (pre-1919) Buildings.

In addition, educational activities and CPD training and upskilling of the heritage construction sector was delivered through this programme.  This was undertaken through the Building our Heritage Conference, a Building Skills open day held at the National Botanic Gardens of Wales, a month long Drop-In renovation project at the Natural Building Centre and a series of short courses, for example in Lead Bossing and Sash Window Repair.

For further information about the project have a look at some of the student case studies.