Plaudits and congratulations have been offered by IHBC officers to the organisers, supporters, sponsors – notably School main sponsor and HESPR member Heritage Collective – as well as our speakers and exhibitors, who helped make the IHBC’s 2018 Belfast School such a success, with all now looking forward to Nottingham 2019!
IHBC President David McDonald said: ‘I was hugely impressed with the enthusiasm and interest of our delegates, organisers and the wide range of speakers, sponsors and exhibitors in Belfast this year.’
‘Visitors seemed especially taken both by all the city had to offer, as well as the diverse and stimulating programme – from new ways to approach shared heritage, to the networking opportunities (in and out of the sun), and even to our presence on social media.’
‘This success is all a clear sign of a living, vibrant, and rapidly evolving organisation.’
‘Our volunteers and conference speakers and tour leaders, as well as all others along in Belfast, demonstrated well how ‘sharing’ roles and responsibilities – imaginatively and with a positive attitude – is the best way to build capacity across our specialist conservation interests and beyond.’
James Caird, IHBC Chair and Chair for the Day School’s morning session, said: ‘For the Chair of any organisation, there can be few things more satisfying than seeing its members and supporters pull together at critical moments – annual conferences, AGMs, challenging governance developments and the like.’
‘Over last weekend the IHBC faced all three, and our staff, volunteers, members and supporters all responded with a dedication and spirit far above the call of duty – self-imposed, as is the case for volunteers, or otherwise. I was hugely impressed by it all, though given my experience of the IHBC, not at all surprised.’
‘So, I would like to echo the thanks and admiration of our President to all involved with our 2018 School and the associated AGM. In particular I would like to offer my warmest gratitude to the Branch as a whole, and to the organising committee and our own staff, for raising the bar yet again in showing how we deliver cost-effective, quality training to our members and colleagues.’
IHBC Education Secretary Andrew Shepherd said: ‘My expectations of Annual Schools are not only that there will be something new to learn, but also that I will be inspired. Belfast has fulfilled both these expectations admirably. The Day School, along with the tours on Thursday and Saturday gave the delegates an exemplary CPD experience.’
‘Informal feedback on the CPD value of the School programme already has been very positive, so I’m really looking forward to hearing the detailed analysis to come from the online survey and our own internal assessments.’
‘So, for any of you attending, please be sure to fill in the feedback survey as that’s the best way to help us make 2019, in Nottingham, live up to, and maybe even surpass, 2018 in Belfast!’
For a reminder of the School programme, supporters such as Historic England, speakers, sponsors and exhibitors see our forthcoming School issue of Context, and Nottingham 2019.
For the Belfast School resources see belfast2018.ihbc.org.uk
For Nottingham 2019 see nottingham2019ihbc.org.uk
