More than 140 landowners, regional builders, materials suppliers, funders and other professionals from across the built environment gathered at St Giles House in Dorset for the launch of the Regional Building Foundation’s first regional forum, at the Hampshire Basin.
The event was hosted by the Earl of Shaftesbury and the Lord-Lieutenant of Dorset, Dr Michael Dooley. Few settings could have suited the occasion better. St Giles House, shaped by centuries of care and craftsmanship proved the perfect backdrop for launching a movement dedicated to building places with the same lasting character.
The day began with a guided tour at Wyatt Homes' Rivers Edge development in nearby Wimborne, where guests saw place-based building in practice. At St Giles House, newly appointed Chair Tim Gray opened talks and presentations quoting Winston Churchill: "We shape our buildings: thereafter our buildings shape us." Ben Bolgar, Board Director of the Regional Building Foundation, reflected on the founding mission of the Regional Building Foundation and outlined plans to roll out the regional forums. The Earl of Shaftesbury and Lord Lieutenant each spoke about the importance of building better in the region, creating places that the next generation can be proud of and which support positive health and social outcomes. Following the presentations, guests convened around stands representing the Regional Building Foundation's four pillars: Networking, Educating, Enabling and Innovation.
A warm thank you to the five Founding Sponsors, Carlisle Brass, Imperial Bricks, Saint-Gobain UK, VELUX and Worcester Bosch, each of whom has committed to a three-year partnership with the Regional Building Foundation with each embodying the shared commitment to heritage, craftsmanship and quality in the built environment.
As dusk fell, the ceremonial bronze Regional Building Foundation torch, built by local blacksmith Ian Thackray, was lit to mark the beginning of a new chapter and the passing of knowledge to the next regional forum in Kent, launching in January, with the North West to follow in the spring. Hampshire Basin is just the beginning. Regional builders, landowners, suppliers and funders across the country are invited to join the network as it grows.