Hamish Ogston Foundation Launches Largest Commonwealth Heritage Conservation Project in History at Commonwealth HQ, Marlborough House
Founder of The Hamish Ogston Foundation, Hamish Ogston CBE, and Philip Davies, Chair of the Commonwealth Heritage Forum, are pictured here signing the agreement for the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Commonwealth Heritage Skills Training Programme
The Hamish Ogston Foundation has launched the largest ever Commonwealth heritage programme at the Commonwealth Secretariat HQ, Marlborough House. The Programme, which has been granted the rare accolade of being named in honour of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, will provide £4.5million in funding towards the protection of historic buildings across the Commonwealth.
The Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Commonwealth Heritage Skills Training Programme was unveiled at Marlborough House, in the presence of Baroness Scotland of Asthal QC, the Commonwealth Secretary-General; it will see an unprecedented and timely investment into replenishing the Commonwealth’s heritage conservation workforce, as many Commonwealth nations currently lack the skilled workers needed to repair and conserve historic buildings at risk.
Sir Rodney Williams, Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda and Patron of the Commonwealth Heritage Forum, was in attendance with his wife, Lady Williams, to honour the launch of this ambitious conservation initiative
Over an initial five-year period, the programme will build heritage conservation capacity across the Commonwealth by training up to 600 people in a wide range of heritage skills from stonemasonry and joinery to mud brick and thatch. Through targeted training projects, it will help secure the future of up to twenty threatened buildings and places across the Commonwealth.
The programme will be delivered by both UK and international partners, including The Prince’s Foundation, The World Monuments Fund India and a network of educational institutions. Opportunities for would-be heritage conservation workers will include bursaries at The Prince’s Foundation Summer School, scholarships at The Prince’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts, Commonwealth training fellowships and online courses covering up to twenty core heritage skills.
The Durbar Hall Osmania University College for Women, Hyderabad, where vital restorative work is already underway. Picture by World Monuments Fund India
The initial focus of the programme will be on the Caribbean and the Indian subcontinent with countries including Antigua and Barbuda, Jamaica, Barbados and India benefiting immediately. Trainees are already undertaking crucial restoration work under expert supervision on three historic gateways at the Osmania University College for Women in Hyderabad, India. Later phases of the programme will be extended to cover Commonwealth countries in Africa, Australasia, the Far East and the Pacific.
Robert Bargery, Heritage Project Director at the Hamish Ogston Foundation: “The Hamish Ogston Foundation is proud to be funding this unique programme in honour of Her Majesty The Queen, whose dedication to duty over seventy years is repaid with the respect and affection of Commonwealth peoples across the world. We are delighted to be providing, in Her Majesty’s name, training opportunities for young people that will stand them in good stead for sustainable careers and enable them to contribute to the preservation of historic buildings of real value to their communities.”
Philip Davies, the Chairman and Founder of the Commonwealth Heritage Forum: “Supporting heritage training and building local capacity in some of the world’s most disadvantaged communities, our Commonwealth Heritage Skills programme will make a real difference. By creating the heritage champions of the future, we will help local people save the buildings and places they value generating unprecedented opportunities to enhance heritage skills, create jobs and build a more sustainable future.”
Amita Baig, Executive Director at the World Monuments Fund India and John Darlington, Executive Director at the World Monuments Fund Britain: “As two of the World Monuments Fund Commonwealth affiliates (India & Britain) we are delighted be key partners in an inaugural conservation project for the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Commonwealth Heritage Skills Training programme. Funded entirely by the Hamish Ogston Foundation and managed by the Commonwealth Heritage Forum, this pioneering project involves the repair and restoration of the three monumental gateways at the Osmania University College for Women in Hyderabad (once the former British Residency), as well as the reinstatement of its grand axial central Mall. Six UK trainees will have the opportunity to join ten local apprentices working alongside each other to learn a range of specialist heritage skills.”
You can read more about the launch of the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Commonwealth Heritage Skills Training Programme here in The Evening Standard.
Visit https://www.hamishogstonfoundation.org/heritage/building-heritage-skills for more information on our heritage apprenticeship initiatives.