C O N T E X T 1 2 0 : J U LY 2 0 1 1 35 Dutch bean sprouts. I would suggest planning policy teams as a likely source of contagion. I had to impound the spoon for an evening in order to clean it thoroughly before a visual identification could be confirmed. But spoon and I are now happily reunited. That is an illustration of the efficiency of mass communication. However, those of us working in the historic environment can experience information overload.We need sufficient information to assess development proposals.We have to provide information to support our assertions or conclusions.We all appreciate that ‘significance’ is important.We know that an understanding of an area, site or building is invaluable when we come to assess them for listing, development proposals and appraisals. Knowing more about a building or area enhances our appreciation. But do we know when to stop? Do we know when enough is enough? Most of us are details people.We poke and prod about in buildings to uncover the last little detail.We pore over plans, photos and drawings to squeeze out a tantalising nugget of information.When I watched the head of planning read through a few paragraphs of one of my conservation area appraisals, I realised that her pained expression was due to my three paragraphs about Neolithic settlement in south-west Surrey, which had eventually concluded that there was no evidence for Neolithic settlement in my conservation area village. I had been carried away with the knowledge, the research and the detail. There had been no need to mention the Neolithic research at all. Too much information! Too many of us get carried away with the detail.We have an important message which it is hard to distil into a few pithy phrases. Perhaps the IHBC should have a little card, like a kidney donor card, with three or four sentences printed on it. These could be our mantra, our mission statement – perhaps a reference to crystallise what is important and what is not. There are a few things that we know we know and we know how important it is to know them.With the pressures on our work from cuts and changes to policy and legislation, it is vital that we focus on the key message. There are some eternal imponderables.Why does You and Yours get a full hour on Radio '? What are those yellow squares, triangles and octagons on road signs? Who thought Esperanto would ever catch on? Most important, why did Nigel have to die while Helen Archer still lives? Jo Evans, [email protected] IHBC notes Welcome to new members The following members were voted in at the council meeting on & June &"!!.Welcome to you all. Full members Malcolm Cooper (SC) Richard Donoyou (EA) MaryWorsfold (WM) Upgrades from affiliates to full members Elizabeth Hirst (EM) LindseyWeaver (EA) Affiliate members Marta Bartroli (SC) Mark Bradburn (WA) Mark Brewer (SO) Jennifer Bunce (EM) Patricia Craggs (EA) Benjamin Evans (SO) Amanda Feather (SW) Thomas Gilbert-Wooldridge (EA) Victoria Godberford-Orton (WA) Richard Greenwood (SW) Edward Kepczyk (YO) Laura Levitt (EA) Kelly Madigan (LO) Maria Perks (SC) Timur Tatlioglu (LO) CharlotteWright (WM) Associate Members Richard Baddeley (WA) Kati Preston (EA) Technical matters Context welcomes brief contributions from readers on technical matters – as weird, wonderful or mundane as you like – that you have come across in your work. Please share them: contact [email protected]
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjgyMjA=