Members only
Mel Houston Accreditation Grant
Who was Mel Houston and how did this grant come about?
Mel Houston was a preventive conservator of outstanding ability, who made her career in Scotland. Mel’s path into conservation included degrees in Biochemistry and Photography and a period working for the National Trust for Scotland (NTS), which inspired her to undertake Northumbria University’s MA in Preventive Conservation. She went on to secure an Icon/HLF internship at NTS, followed by various roles including Project Conservator for the new Robert Burns Birthplace Museum and several years as NTS’s Preventive Conservator. She joined the National Library of Scotland as their first preventive conservator and continued there until her untimely death on 1 January 2023.
Mel achieved great things in her career: she revolutionised preventive conservation at NTS and then NLS, raising standards and assimilating heritage science approaches into every-day practice. She is remembered particularly for her training and mentoring abilities which benefited so many colleagues. Integrated Pest Management was a particular passion for Mel, and she developed a national and international reputation for her work, with numerous academic and mainstream publications, accompanying the particularly niche qualification of a bat survey licence.
Mel was a firm believer in the importance of continuing professional development, having obtained her own Icon Accreditation in 2013. She went on to serve for six years as an Icon Trustee, chairing the Professional Standards and Development Committee. The Icon Scotland Group is therefore delighted to have re-launched its existing Accreditation Grant in Mel’s memory. This has been made possible through the generous support of her partner, friends and colleagues, and with the wholehearted approval of the donor who instigated the original Scotland Accreditation Grant several years ago.
What the funding can support
The Mel Houston Accreditation Grant offers grants of £475 to cover 50% of the costs of applying for Icon Accreditation; up to three applicants can be funded in each calendar year.
How to apply
The Mel Houston Accreditation Grant applications are assessed by a small panel drawn from the Icon Scotland Group Committee and Observers; all applications are treated confidentially. Successful applicants will be notified within a month of receipt of their application.
Current criteria for applicants are evidence that the candidate:
- Is a full member of Icon
- Is resident and working (or actively seeking work) in Scotland
- Is not in receipt of more than 50% funding towards total Icon Accreditation costs from their employer or other external funding sources
Please apply by filling in the Mel Houston Accreditation Grant application form and emailing it to the Vice-Chair of the Icon Scotland Group ([email protected]).
How to donate to the Mel Houston Accreditation Fund
The Mel Houston Accreditation Grant has been secured through the generous support of her partner, friends and colleagues. Further donations would allow us to develop the Fund and continue it for longer. If you would like to contribute you can donate via the Icon website using the button below, scrolling down and selecting ‘Mel Houston Accreditation Fund’ in the drop-down menu.
If you would like to discuss your donation please contact the Icon team at [email protected] or 020 3142 6799
