Fund now closed

Celebrating 50 years of Conservation Areas
IHBC-funded local support valued up to £2,500

Including a prize of one free place at the IHBC’s Annual School, worth up to
c.£500 for the proposal judged most impressive by the award partners.

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Terms & Conditions

• Funds are awarded for sums between £100 and £200, with fast-track responses for applications of £100
• The awards are promoted in partnership with the national link civic bodies representing the countries covered by the 1967 Civic Amenities Act that gave rise to Conservation Areas:

• Trusts can make more than one application
• Applications may be submitted only using this online form linked below
• Applications will be signed off by national civic bodies before the award is made
• The IHBC’s decision is final.
• Deadline for submissions: following allocation of funds.
• Prize: One free place at the IHBC’s Annual School, worth up to c.£500

Process

• Applicants should complete and submit the form linked at the bottom of the page
• We hope to have responses within 4 weeks, subject to demand
• For queries please email support@ihbc.org.uk or contact your national civic body.
  

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Take a look at some of the great ideas we’ve received already:

Cockermouth & District Civic Trust
2017 marks the 50th anniversary of both the establishment of Cockermouth & District Civic Trust and the creation of the first Conservation Area in the UK. The 3 Conservation Areas covering Cockermouth and neighbouring Papcastle were established in 1975, 42 years ago, and were the first in the local district. The Civic Trust plan to utilise these anniversaries as an opportunity to both celebrate and inform on our Conservation Areas and their role in the protection of our heritage and pride in our town as a place to live. A key element of our project will be to produce a booklet on our Conservation Areas & distribute to all properties within our 3 areas. The funding will be used to fund this.

The Coventry Society: Civic Day Event to celebrate the Burges Area
The Coventry Society is proposing to organise a partnership event to celebrate Civic Day on 17th June 2017. The aims of the event are to promote and celebrate the history of the Burges area of Coventry (now in a conservation area). The event will comprise: an exhibition of the history of the Burges area; consultation on the plans;  walking tours; an urban wildlife project; an arts / drama element; promotion / consultation for City of Culture; tours of the Old Grammar School; a talk about the River Sherboure and the production of a leaflet / handout to support the event and promote the different elements.  IHBC funding will enable a higher quality event and associated elements to be organised.

Dronfield Civic Society: Conservation Area Character Statement
Dronfield Conservation Area Character Statement was published in 2000 since which time many buildings have suffered from neglect or inappropriate development and the public realm in general has deteriorated. However significant new research is now available to illustrate the history of significant buildings in the area. We are proposing to work in co-operation with the Dronfield Heritage Trust , a partner organization in the town, to update the character statement and make this available to our planning authority. The funding would be used to produce publicity material to raise awareness of the conservation area as the first stage of our work.

Altrincham & Bowden Civic Society: Video
We want to use the services of students from any one of many excellent local colleges to make a video about our Conservation Areas and why they matter. Our early idea is around “Look up and enjoy our heritage”. An alternative plan is to generate a series of story boards on the highlights each of the nine Areas. The money will be used to buy video stock, generate simple art work, cover travelling and out-of-pocket expenses of the students, to print as short run flyer on the video.

Huddersfield Civic Society: The Villas of Edgerton
In support of Civic Day 17 June 2017 Huddersfield Civic Society will publish an illustrated c120 page history of the Huddersfield suburb, Edgerton. ‘The Villas of Edgerton’: Homes to a Victorian elite’ will celebrate the history of the buildings and people at the heart of the 1976 Edgerton conservation area. The book is being written, illustrated, edited and published through volunteer effort and the funding will used for the inclusion of images.

Causey Develoment Trust: Edinburgh Southside Conservation Area
Working with the local Edinburgh Southside community the Trust has been active in transforming a neglected corner of the capital’s historic old town, in the Southside Conservation area, into a vibrant, accessible public space—the Causey—that celebrates the history, heritage and spirit of the Stouhside, promotes healthy lifestyles and wellbeing and plays host to arts, cultural and community events with people at their very heart. The funding would be used to cover our public liability insurance costs, without which we are unable to continue working with our volunteers in the community.

Leek & District Civic Society: Celebrating the Conservation Area
A programme of celebration of Leek’s Conservation Area to include an exhibition illustrating the extent and purpose of the Conservation Area, a 20 minute film, an illustrated talk, ‘The development, purpose and scope of Conservation Areas’, guided walks highlighting key features and a booklet illustrating the emergence and development of the Conservation Area.

Pontefract Civic Society: Celebration of Pontefract’s 4 Conservation Areas
2 of these areas were created following campaigns from Pontefract Civic Society. However, time has now elapsed and awareness of the importance of these conservation areas needs to be raised particularly when resources appear limited. Events will be run around the Civic Day to achieve this.

Malvern Civic Trust: Civic Day Annual Lecture
The first of what is intended to be a prestigious Malvern Civic Society Annual Lecture to be held on Civic Day each year. Next year’s lecture will be given by the Chief Executive of Malvern Hills District Council and Managing Director of Wychavon District Council and the theme will be the role of Conservation Areas in Planning.

Mitcham Cricket Green Community & Heritage: Mitcham Cricket Green in 50 objects
The project will celebrate the conservation area and identify 50 ways of telling the story and describing the significance of Mitcham Cricket Green Conservation Area today, identifying 50 objects to inform the next 50 years.The results will be published online and in a free bulletin issued to c4,000 households in and around the conservation area.

Alnwick Civic Society: Research Project
Taking a unique view of the heritage of Alnwick Town by researching the positive heritage contributions of a local historian (1860), an international urban academic (modern), a local illustrator and the Civic Society up to the present day, and publishing the research in an illustrated booklet, including details of the architectural and townscape treasures of Alnwick’s own Conservation Area. 2,000 free copies of the booklet will be made available for schools, local organisations and tourist venues.