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Heritage Skills C.I.C

CarringtonLIME Heritage Skills C.I.C was established in 2020 as a Community Interest Company in response to the national shortage of Heritage Building Skills. We are now the largest provider of lime courses in the UK, running courses throughout the year in our dedicated, heated training centre. We are the only course provider that offer progressive courses that take students from complete beginner all the way to professional with formal qualifications.

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Ours aims and objectives:

  • Promote the use of traditional and natural materials and methods nationally

  • Make training accessible to all

  • Up skill tradespeople to be able to confidently work on older properties

  • Empower homeowners living in dilapidated older properties to have the knowledge and skills to tackle projects themselves or be able to confidently appoint suitable tradespeople

  • Improve local housing stock in particular in The Forest of Dean where we are based

  • Educate the next generation of builders in the use of natural and traditional materials and methods of building.

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We carry out these objectives in the follow ways:​

  • Offer subsidised Heritage Skills course places to tradespeople looking to upskill

  • Build relationships with local construction colleges and construction companies with the view to promoting the use of natural materials in both retrofits and new builds.

  • Working with local heritage sites to provide work experience opportunities and raise awareness of heritage skills

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Our work is funded predominantly by:

  • Course fees

  • Small Grants

About us

Ben Kerslake
 

With 25 years experience in the conservation and restoration industry, a Msc in Architecture: Advanced Environmental and Energy studies, and Master Plasterer status, Ben has a wealth of knowledge to share. Just don't get him started on his specialist subject of damp!

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Although Ben's passion is Lime, he has skills in all areas of restoration: rendering, plastering, stonework, wood work and damp consultation.

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More recently, Ben has completed his Level 3 Award in Education and his Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocationally Related Achievement, was awarded 2023 Mentor of the Year by the FIS & Plaisterers  Guild Training Awards, awarded Master Plasterer and is a member of the SPAB Technical Committee.

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Kate Kerslake
 

Kate developed her passion for traditional quality workmanship through renovating her own home. Bodged jobs resulted in escalating costs and never ending time scales. When she met Ben she realised that this didn't have to be the norm.​

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As well as teaching marketing and business skills on the Professional Programme, Kate is also a qualified Domestic Energy Assessor (the people who produce EPCs) and a Retrofit Assessor.

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Cracking the whip back at the office, Kate will always be on the end of the phone when needed. Apologies for the barking when you call - the dogs like to help out in the office.

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Funded by:

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