BEFS Bulletin 399 – SHEF, surveys and a BEFS vacancy!

Publications

Built Environment Roadmap to Circularity (Zero Waste Scotland May 2026)

Energy Infrastructure Roadmap to Circularity (Zero Waste Scotland May 2026)

Creative Industries Skills Audits (Creative Industries Policies and Evidence Centre May 2026)

Report: Monitoring a just transition to a net zero and climate resilient Scotland (ClimateXchange 08/05/2026)

‘White Thinking’ and the failed promise of diversity in Scottish heritage (Museums Galleries Scotland 11/05/2026)

2025-2026 Reuse Consortium Annual Impact Report (Circular Communities Scotland 15/05/2026)

June Edition of Net Regs – monthly updates on new environmental legislation and guidance for businesses in Northern Ireland and Scotland (Net Regs June 2026)

Historic Environment Scotland: Organisational and Cultural Review (HES 02/06/2026)

Property Market Report 2025-26 (Registers of Scotland 09/06/2026)

Culture Spending Tracker, June 2026 Analysis (Culture Counts 09/06/2026)

For further listings, please see BEFS events calendar

Reviving the Trinity Stones – Exhibition
Dates & Times: Saturday 9 May – Sunday 28 June 2026; 10am-5pm
Location: Museum of Edinburgh, 142-146 Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8DD
Medieval Edinburgh’s Forgotten Royal Masterpiece. This exhibition tells the story of the Trinity Collegiate Church, medieval Edinburgh’s forgotten royal masterpiece. Founded over 560 years ago, by Queen Mary of Guelders, the church was the most sophisticated and beautiful example of gothic architecture in Scotland. Discover how it was celebrated, demolished, forgotten and revived. Located on the ground floor with no booking required.

GCHT – From Well to Wellspring
Dates & Times: Saturday 30 May until Friday 18 September 2026; 11am-5pm
Location: Glasgow City Heritage Trust, 54 Bell Street, Glasgow G1 1LQ
In October 2025 the Glasgow collective Aproxima Arts, in collaboration with Professor Stephen Driscoll (Glasgow University) and David Sneddon (Clyde Archaeology), excavated the thirteenth-century St Mungo’s Well in Glasgow Cathedral. This was part of the five-year ‘Glasgow Requiem’ project aimed at exploring artistic connections to Glasgow’s medieval and pre-industrial history. Following excavation, Aproxima and artist Joanna Kessel installed a coloured glass mosaic designed by James Johnson on the Well’s interior. This exhibition, hosted by Glasgow City Heritage Trust, will cover the history of the well and showcase artefacts, such as dice, coins, and rings, unearthed during the excavation. Open weekly every Wednesday & Friday until end date.

Under One Roof – Damp and mould in tenement flats webinar with East Lothian Council
Date & Time: Thursday 18 June 2026;12-1pm
Location: Online, via Microsoft Teams
Awaab’s Law is coming to Scotland, changing the way that social and private landlords deal with damp and mould in their flats. If you are a landlord in East Lothian, find out how you can tackle the problem of damp and mould at this free lunchtime webinar. Learn about updates to legislation, and expert information on how to deal with damp and mould in common areas of your building. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A, where you will have the chance to ask an expert about your own damp and mould issues.

Historic England – Digital Emissions – should heritage organisations worry about them, and how can we lower them?
Date & Time: Thursday 18 June 2026; 1-2pm
Location: Online
In this webinar, Claire Marchetti, Carbon and Sustainability Manager for Historic England will discuss how the organisation is addressing the environmental impact of its digital activity. The webinar will look at the challenges identified, the technical changes underway, how to use procurement to support ambitions, and how staff are engaged in reducing digital emissions. There will also be a look at practical steps heritage organisations can take to reduce their digital carbon footprint while embracing the benefits digital ways of working offer, helping the sector move toward a more sustainable, low carbon future.

AHF – 50th Conference: Heritage – Radical. Reimagined. Revitalised.
Date & Time: Thursday 18 June 2026; 2-8pm
Location: St Bartholomew’s Hospital, West Smithfield, London EC1A 7BE
The Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) is celebrating 50 years of transforming historic buildings and supporting communities across the UK. Join real estate professionals, heritage practitioners, social enterprise developers, policymakers, funders, and researchers as together they consider the potential for heritage-led regeneration to improve our communities in the next 50 years and beyond. This afternoon and evening event will bring together diverse voices and approaches to consider how heritage can help transform local communities and economies, shining light on proven models from around the UK and exploring policy changes that could supercharge adaptive reuse in the UK.

IHBC – Annual School 2026 Newcastle I Adaptive Reuse
Date & Time: Thursday 18 – Saturday 20 June 2026
Location: Newcastle-upon-Tyne (In Person and Online)
The IHBC Annual School in Newcastle explores the theme of Adaptive Reuse through inspiring tours, expert talks, and networking opportunities across this 3-day programme, starting on Thursday with CPD Study Tours of iconic sites including the Byker Wall and Ouseburn, followed by a Welcome Reception at the Baltic Centre. Friday’s Day School, available in-person or online features specialist speakers at the Grade II* listed Common Room, and an Exhibitor Hub. The weekend concludes with the Annual Dinner and Awards at the Royal Station Hotel, followed by study tours on the Saturday for Full School delegates.

Behind the Restoration – Meet the Architect & Engineer
Date & Time: Friday 19 June 2026; 9:30am-4pm
Location: Bannockburn House, Stirling FK7 8EY
This is a unique opportunity to step inside one of Scotland’s most ambitious community-led conservation projects and meet the professionals helping to save Bannockburn House. Throughout the day, guests will hear from the conservation architect, conservation structural engineer, and other specialists involved in the project. Each will share how they have approached the challenges of working with a fragile Category A listed building, the decisions that shape emergency conservation work, and what it is like to build a career in heritage, architecture, engineering, and traditional skills. The event is designed to be informal, engaging, and practical, with plenty of time for conversation, questions, and networking over coffee. Guests will also enjoy a guided Heritage Conservation Tour of Bannockburn House, exploring the building, its current condition, and the emergency works now underway. The tour will highlight how conservation professionals, volunteers, funders, and the wider community are working together to protect the house and bring its stories back to life. Courtesy of Stirling City Heritage Trust, the day will also include live traditional skills demonstrations, including stonemasonry and roofing, giving guests the chance to see conservation trades in action and understand the specialist craft skills needed to care for historic buildings.

DTAS – New Futures Workshop: Listed Building Consent
Date & Time: Tuesday 23 June 2026; 1-2:30pm
Location: Online
Part of the New Futures: Former Places of Worship workshop series. This workshop will clarify the situations were Listed Building Consent may be required and will provide an overview of the application process, specifically relevant to community organisations looking to take a former place of worship into community ownership.

Under One Roof – Navigating common repairs in tenements with Aberdeenshire Council
Date & Time: Tuesday 23 June 2026; 12-1pm
Location: Online, via Microsoft Teams
If you own a flat in Aberdeenshire, and don’t know where to start with repairs and maintenance, join this free lunchtime webinar with Aberdeenshire Council, on managing common repairs. Under One Roof will be sharing expertise on how to identify problems in your tenement building, and explaining how to work with your neighbours to fix them. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session with the Education and Training Officer, where you will have the chance to ask questions about your own tenement building.

Heritage Network – Sustainable Island Heritage
Date & Time: Friday 26 June 2026; 10am-4pm
Location: The St Magnus Centre, Kirkwall, Orkney Islands
Join the Heritage Network in Kirkwall for an inspiring gathering bringing together community groups, heritage professionals, and local changemakers from across the Orkney Islands. An ideal opportunity for networking, the day will celebrate the incredible work happening across the region – showcasing innovative heritage projects, grassroots initiatives, and collaborative efforts that are preserving, sharing and reimagining Orkney’s rich cultural story. Confirmed speakers include Heritage Network members, Boloquoy Victorian Farm & Watermill, and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, who last year announced Orkney as the second place in Scotland to benefit from its ‘Heritage Place’ investment initiative.

Under One Roof – Understanding mandatory owners’ associations webinar with East Lothian Council
Date & Time: Thursday 2 July 2026; 12-1pm
Location: Online, via Microsoft Teams
Working together with your neighbours to take care of your building can be challenging, but being part of an owners’ association can make the process much easier. At this free lunchtime webinar, learn about the benefits of joining an owners’ association, with expert advice on how to set one up in your own building, and explanation about the proposed changes to the law to introduce mandatory owners’ associations. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session, where you will have the chance to ask an expert speaker your own questions about owners’ associations.

DTAS – New Futures Drop In: Involving Your Community
Date & Time: Thursday 2 July 2026; 1-2:30pm
Location: Online
Part of the New Futures: Former Places of Worship workshop series. This event will provide a chance for community organisations looking to take ownership of a former place of worship to share their experiences of getting their community involved. The Churches Advisors of the New Futures: Former Places of Worship programme will share top tips on how to ensure meaningful community engagement.

SPAB – Maintaining Historic Places of Worship: Helensburgh
Date & Time:  Friday 10 July 2026; 9:30am-3:30pm
Location: Rhu & Shandon Parish Church, Gareloch Road, Helensburgh G84 8RP
Are you involved in caring for and maintaining a place of worship in Scotland? Caring for a historic building can feel like a never-ending task, but thankfully there are some simple steps you can take to keep your building in good condition and reduce the likelihood of large repair projects further down the line. This series of one-day courses, supported by Historic Environment Scotland, will explore the practical steps you can take to look after your building. All dates and locations can be found here

Save the date/Early booking open now/Applications invited

BEFS – Communications Officer
Salary: £30,000 FTE
Status:  Part Time; 30 hours per week. Permanent; subject to funding – organisation funding in place to April 2028
Location: Home-working based – the team all work remotely and are based in/around Edinburgh and Glasgow with regular face-to-face meetings expected.
Leading on the communication activities of the organisation, BEFS Communications Officer will work closely with BEFS team to strategically amplify the sector’s policy interests and ensure that BEFS role as a trusted and informed sector voice is reflected visibly across all our communications channels.
Working closely with the Board, Director, and team – as well as communicating with our Member organisations – the post holder will be responsible for managing the breadth of the organisation’s (digital) communications channels. Adopting a proactive cross-sectoral approach, the postholder will play a key role in maintaining and raising BEFS profile with policy makers, the sector and wider stakeholders. We are seeking the right individual – with an excellent turn of phrase, and an eye for detail – to fit into a small, friendly team. If invited to interview, you will be asked to demonstrate how your experience meets the requirements of the post. We will look for evidence of past experience, and your approach to the key responsibilities.
For full details on the role and to apply, see the full listing here.
Closing Date: 12 noon on Friday 26 June

Foundation for Jewish Heritage – Historic Synagogues Project Development Officer
Salary: £40,000 per annum
Status: Fixed term (one year), 30 hours per week, flexible working available
Location: Remote, with regular in-person meetings and travel to synagogues across the UK
The Foundation for Jewish Heritage is looking to appoint an experienced Project Development Officer to join their team as a pivotal element of a new National Lottery Heritage Fund-supported project. The project will significantly augment capacity to support UK synagogues in need of support to preserve their historic fabric and protect and make accessible the Jewish heritage they embody. The successful candidate will report to the Foundation’s Projects Director, leading on essential organisational development and project set-up in the year 1 Development Phase of the project.  While a specialist consultant team will be recruited to implement this project during years 2-6 of the project subject to a successful Delivery Phase application, the Project Development Officer is integral to scoping and developing the delivery programme in the crucial initial planning of the project. Working with the Projects Director, the post-holder will lead on recruiting and managing consultants, establishing governance processes, carrying out baseline assessments of at-risk synagogues, and developing strategies for a Historic Synagogues Heritage Route, an oral history project, and a small grants scheme. Apply here.
Closing Date: Friday 3 July 2026

Planning Aid Scotland – Opportunities for chartered planners
Becoming chartered is a significant professional milestone, signalling competence and a commitment to public service. Planning Aid Scotland, the national charity working to widen access to planning, offers newly chartered planners a way to put these values into practice through its national planning Advice Service. Volunteers support members of the public with a wide range of planning questions, gaining direct experience that is often hard to find in day-to-day roles. The opportunity is flexible and open to all chartered planners. In return, volunteers receive professional training, access to a video archive, and ongoing support. Get in touch to find out more at volunteer@pas.org.uk.
Closing Date: Not applicable

Planning Democracy – Trustees
Planning Democracy are looking for new trustees to join their board. They are particularly interested in recruiting trustees who have skills in either Governance or Communications (social media, online resources, website management). They are also keen to hear from anyone who feels that Planning Democracy is an organisation they are interested in getting involved with. In return they are offering training opportunities, learning opportunities, experience in campaigning and advocacy, the opportunity to travel in Scotland and meet new people, as well as being part of a committed group of people. If you are interested, contact Chair, Helen Todd on info@planningdemocracy.org.uk and they can then send you an application form and/or have a chat.
Closing Date: Not specified

SHBT – St Ninian’s Manse
Location: Quayside Street, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6EJ
Size: 2,889 sq ft
Availability: March 2026
Tenure: Available as single tenancy or individual floors
With origins dating back to 1493, St Ninian’s Manse is thought to be the oldest building in Leith and is topped by Edinburgh’s sole surviving 17th century timber steeple. It formed part of the original entrance to St Ninian’s Chapel, which was mostly demolished during the 19th century when the site was converted to industrial use as a mill. From 1996 to 2002, SHBT restored both St Ninian’s Manse and the adjacent Quayside Mills, creating desirable waterfront office space whilst also preserving an important historic structure and a key part of Leith’s history. The manse now offers four floors of adaptable office space with period character, modern amenities, and five dedicated parking spaces. Brochure.
Enquiries: info@shbt.org.uk

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