Have you ever wanted to have a go at stonemasonry, creating a gargoyle or dragon?
Well if you’d like to have a go at ‘chipping off the old block’, put a date in your diary.
Bullen construction who specialise in stonemasonry will be hosting a drop-in heritage construction skills event at the Prince of Wales hotel, Lord Street, Southport on Wednesday 25th October, 10 while 3pm.
The event will be held on the car park, encouraging everyone from passers-by and students to architects and anyone with a general interest in old buildings to drop in, watch master craftsmen give demonstrations and you’ll be invited to have a go yourself.
Also on hand will be joiners, lead workers and others with heritage skills, so if you have a question to ask regarding a problem at your own property, or you want to see how building work should be done, the Prince of Wales car park is the place to be.
The event is being arranged to celebrate the Southport Townscape Heritage project which helps grant fund repairs to specific older property in the town centre. Now in its fourth year, significant activity is happening with shopfront repairs on Bold Street whilst the Southport TH team continues to negotiate with property owners on Coronation Walk, Scarisbrick Avenue and Nevill Street.
Cllr Daren Veidman, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning and Building Control, said: “This is a fantastic and rare opportunity for people to experience professionally led teaching in a skill and sector that is extremely specialist.
“This is not your average skills workshop and we expect this to be very well attended by both DIY amateurs and seasoned professionals alike.
“I am proud of Sefton’s Townscape Heritage team and the incredible work they have done on the Southport Townscape Heritage Project. This workshop is yet another fantastic testament to their commitment to preserving and enhancing our historic buildings.”
The Southport Townscape Heritage project, which is taking place thanks to a significant grant contribution from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, will see a number of building’s brought back into use with heritage features such as sash windows, verandahs, shopfronts and rainwater goods reinstated and restored.
Mike Bullen of Bullen Conservation Ltd., said, “The heritage skills day is a great opportunity to either gain interest in a career in the specialist heritage field of the construction industry or we can hopefully offer an understanding into how your historic building was put together or just an insight what is required to restore and conserve these historic buildings securing them for future generations.”
For further information about the Southport Townscape Heritage project, to follow progress on individual buildings and to learn about related town centre activities allowing people to learn more about the towns’ historic streetscape, take a look at the Southport Townscape Heritage project Facebook page or the dedicated www.southporttownscape.org.uk website.
About The National Lottery Heritage Fund
As the largest dedicated funder of the UK’s heritage, The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future as set out in our strategic plan, Heritage 2033.
Over the next ten years, we aim to invest £3.6billion raised for good causes by National Lottery players to bring about benefits for people, places and the natural environment.
We help protect, transform and share the things from the past that people care about, from popular museums and historic places, our natural environment and fragile species, to the languages and cultural traditions that celebrate who we are.
We are passionate about heritage and committed to driving innovation and collaboration to make a positive difference to people’s lives today, while leaving a lasting legacy for future generations to enjoy.
Follow @HeritageFundUK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use #NationalLotteryHeritageFund www.heritagefund.org.uk
