Charity commits nearly £29m to saving heritage skills

UK-based charity the Hamish Ogston Foundation has committed nearly £29m to heritage skills training globally.

Addressing the chronic shortage of specialists who can prevent historic buildings from deteriorating beyond repair, it is expected that the money will train 2,700 new young people in the UK and across Commonwealth nations in heritage conservation.

Historic England listed almost 5,000 buildings and sites on its 2022 Heritage at Risk register. Carpentry, plastering, roofing and stonemasonry are among traditional crafts that differ from modern construction methods. The sector has long warned that many vital skills are at risk of being lost forever.

Recipients of grant funding include English Heritage, Historic Environment Scotland, Commonwealth Heritage Forum and Cathedrals’ Workshop Fellowship.

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