see my current projects (March 2023) here
major projects
Newcastle Diocese’s Rural Churches for Everyone project.
Strategic development, sustainability planning, training, trials, scaling, and enabling works. Working with 35 churches and their communities at extremes of rurality in England.
Synthesising recent church buildings research with requirements for Net Zero Carbon, increasing biodiversity, and becoming ‘Open and Sustainable‘ into a simple toolkit easy to use at the grassroots. Followed by enabling works for 20 of the churches, including champing, community take-over, Northumbrian Innovators heritage project, accessibility audits, funding bid development for low-carbon capital improvements.
A cluster led approach, collaborating with partners: Northumberland Coast AONB, Northumberland National Park, North Pennines AONB, Community Action Northumberland and the Centre for Rural Economy at Newcastle University.
Funded through the National Lottery Heritage Fund
Project Development, funding and management for 6As of Blanchland: heritage-led community regeneration
Blanchland’s residents want to recreate a thriving place in which to live and work, rooted in its unique historic fabric, authentic monastic heritage, and tranquil location. Through the Blanchland Community Development Organisation (BCDO) and the church PCC, residents began with the Blanchland Abbey Resilience Project in 2019 which developed strategies for future use and management of their Scheduled Grade 1 parish church, the only community building under the control of the residents, and identified potential for sustainable economic development.
Funded through the National Lottery Heritage Fund
Whilst a Director of Living Woods North East CIC, I secured £250,000 Woods Into Management Forestry Innovation Funding from the Forestry Commission for Rekindle: a 3year project sustaining management of small woodlands with income from commercially unviable material, generated by community groups and private owners previously supported with public funds. Scalable, collective social innovation for FSUK management, upskilling owners and volunteers, training an apprentice, and creating new local supply chains for woodland products.
Whilst a Director of Natures Living Room CIC, I secured around £10,000 of funding for increasing the accessibility of this nature based space for people of all ages and abilities to create, play, gain skills and feel at home in the outdoors
Evaluation of Chase Park Parks for People project for the Friends of Chase Park and Gateshead Council
Hamstrung by the Covid-19 pandemic, finishing off the Chase Park project was even more of a challenge. The new play equipment, restored windmill, sculptural ironwork and woodland walks have proved a real lifeline for Whickham residents during lockdown.
Project management for Blanchland Abbey resilient heritage project
Taking on this project half way through was a big challenge. Supporting the village residents to consider future sustainability of their grade 1 listed church within its estate village (which uniquely reflects the medieval monastery‘s footprint) has led to some intriguing discoveries. Plans are in development to investigate the sound secrets suggested by the geophysics survey – keep an ear to the ground!
Living Wild Interpretation for Kielder Water and Forest Park Development Trust.
In collaboration with Marcus Byron Design for Interpretation I delivered the outdoor and online elements of the Interpretation Plan we developed in the Spring of 2016. This includes geocaches, app based walk routes, website content, interpretation panels and leaflets, information in the new wildlife hides and visitor welcome structures designed and built by Newcastle University Architecture students, and family activities. More than 110,000 visitors developed a greater awareness about Kielder’s wildlife through digital or physical interpretation or face-to-face engagement – read their impact report
Strategic Planning & Organisational Development for Epiacum Heritage Ltd
Supporting the directors of this scheduled Roman fort to deliver HLF’s Resilient Heritage fund project to improve their governance and undertake long term planning for audience development and archaeological research, improving their strategic business development. This is in order to secure the accessibility of their Roman and wider landscape heritage, working hand-in-hand with sustainable rural development through their upland hill farm and farmshop cafe.
Project Management and Learning programme for the Dukesfield Smelters and Carriers Project
Completing the delivery phase of the HLF Heritage Grant project on behalf of Hexhamshire and Slaley Parish Councils and the Friends of the North Pennines. 2013 – 2015 £280,000 AWARD WINNING www.dukesfield.org.uk
Smaller projects
The Hive at Nenthead – evaluating the project as it grows into a sustainable business run by the community at the heart of their remote village. 2021
Kielder Wildwood – Digital walk for Northumberland Wildlife Trust’s flagship rewilding project (also taking in part of Restoring Ratty) 2020
Weardale Museum – Supporting the trustees in their purchase, restoration and relocation into Ireshopeburn’s listed former Wesleyan High House Methodist Chapel 2019-20
Elsdon Pinfold – supporting a community group to collectively plan the way forward for making the most of their village green’s intriguing listed structure. 2016
Nenthead Chapel Restoration – Audience Development and Training Planning for R2 submission of HLF Heritage Grant on behalf of the Nenthead Chapel community group 2015
Living Wild at Kielder – Interpretation Planning for R2 HLF Heritage Grant submission for Kielder Water and Forest Park Development Trust 2016
Evaluation of £5.5M project for South Tynedale Railway This complex project is achieving great things for this award winning railway. It is now succeeding in it’s aims to become self-sustaining financially, and to meet local demand for learning and training opportunities, whilst remaining an appealing heritage attraction for visitors to the area.
St Robert’s of Newminster, Morpeth – Fundraising and Action and Activity Planning for HLF Grants for Places of Worship R1 and R2 for the parishoners. 2016
Allendale First – Chair of community group investigating social enterprise opportunities to convert a disused listed building. HLF Start-up Grant. Allendale First 2015 £8,600
Learning programme for Wall Face on behalf of Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site Dispersed exhibition along Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site – Learning Programme development and delivery (including Bronze Arts Award) of Arts Council England Grant for 2014-2015 £15,000
Allendale Preschool Improvement Plan – Chair of governors of local Charity, delivering organisational change and customer improvement ratings from 33 % to 100% 2010 – 13. Budget neutral
Yvonne Conchie 