March 2013 - HRH Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, and The Countess of Wessex, paid an official visit to the Czech Republic On 12 March 2013, Dr Irena Edwards, then Chairman of The Friends, met HRH Prince Edward and The Countess of Wessex at the British Embassy in Prague at a gathering of voluntary and charitable organisations. She had a chance to dis...

April 2013 - A new permanent exhibition opened at the Château of Mnichovo Hradistě, called 'The Meeting of the Monarchs of the Holy Alliance'. The Friends contributed £3,000 towards the restoration of a Baroque tiled stove, which was made in Southern Bohemia.

February 2013 - The Friends are very pleased to annouce that our patron Eva Jiřičná has been awarded the 2013 Jane Drew Prize for her outstanding contribution to the status of women in architecture.The jury was unanimous in its decision to award Jiřičná the prize, describing her work as ‘incredibly influential’. Known for her glass and steel stairc...

October 2012 - The Friends presented a Czech exhibition of photographs of restored churches, curated by Aleš Kozák, in St John’s Church Notting Hill, Lansdowne Crescent, London W11 2NN that ran to the end of February 2013. The pictures were accompanied by stories of the churches’ history and the efforts that brought them back to life and to their s...

November 2012 - The Friends with the co-operation of the Czech Embassy organised a lecture 'Splendour and Spectacle: Great Buildings and Gardens of Moravia' by Barbara Peacock, architectural historian, director of Wessex Fine Art Study Courses, co-founder of The Friends, given in the Czech Embassy on 6th November 2012. Wines sponsored by Vinovitaj ...

October 2012 - The Friends had a stand at 'Památky' (Heritage), the first national fair in Prague dealing with all aspects of heritage. We made contact with people involved in many aspects of building conservation.