The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings

Join expert plasterer and pargetter Bill Sargent for two technical courses exploring the use of lime for both plain plastering and decorative pargetting on historic buildings. These sessions are aimed at all interested builders, conservation officers, architects, surveyors, engineers and homeowners.

The Joint Committee of National Amenity Societies consists of the national amenity societies which by law must be notified of all applications that involve the demolition of listed buildings in England and Wales. It also includes the Civic Trust and the Garden History Society which must be consulted over certain works to historic gardens and landscapes. This response is the collective view of the Joint Committee, though individual societies may also be submitting their own more specific comments.

Most people focus on fitness and lifestyle when thinking about New Year resolutions. If you live in a period property it might be just the time to get your house into shape too? SPAB's (the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings) Weekend Homeowners' Course is designed to give people who care for older or period properties the knowledge and confidence to make informed decisions about the care and repair of their property.

On Monday December 3rd Jeremy Musson, presenter of TV's 'Curious House Guest', and until recently Architecture Editor of Country Life, will be our guest speaker for the first of SPAB's December evening lectures (details below). As usual, all our winter lectures will be held at the Art Workers' Guild in Bloomsbury (full details below). The cost to SPAB members is £6 and £7 for non members. The lectures are very sociable occasions and include the chance to chat and socialise over wine.

Although it might not be the most glamorous date in your diary, Friday November 23th is the day when spending just a little time to clear leaves and other debris from your gutters and drains could actually save you from having to spend hundreds of pounds at a later date to put right any damage caused by blockages.

This year National Maintenance Week takes place from Friday November 16th to Friday November 23rd. The aim is simple - each year in November SPAB wants to remind anyone who looks after a building, regardless of its age, type or purpose, of the simple, achievable steps they can take to prepare for the worst that winter can bring.

The search is on for four young professionals from the world of architecture and building for the unique SPAB (Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings) Scholarship 2008.

Young Londoners aged 18 -25 will have an inspirational opportunity to explore a beautiful and significant building when SPAB (The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings) hosts a free creative architectural workshop day at The Union Chapel, Islington, on Saturday October 13th. Using drawing and photography, they will be able to explore and record their response to a fascinating building. The workshop, which includes a free lunch, is part of The Big Draw.

At a time of growing national demand for highly trained craftsmen and women from all disciplines The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings’ (SPAB) has this year added a Millwright Fellowship to its prestigious annual William Morris Craft Fellowship training scheme to encourage and nurture young people from any trade employed in the repair of historic buildings. Applications to join this unique training scheme and for the new Mills Fellowship are invited now.

Proposals for the expansion of Stansted Airport take no account of the significance and importance of the historic built environment, contravening the Government’s own planning policy for the protection of listed buildings and conservation areas. That’s the view of Britain’s oldest heritage and conservation body SPAB (The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings).