Community Support

Fix That Hut

IKO Group’s Fix That Hut scheme was launched in 2006 to repair roofs in the community to celebrate the company’s centenary year. It involves IKO donating waterproofing materials that were employed when it was founded in 1911 to worthy projects such as village halls, scout huts and other buildings which are at the heart of local communities in the UK. Each year, IKO hopes to help many more communities preserve and restore their precious meeting places.

Click here to view a copy of IKO’s Terms & Conditions for the Fix That Hut initiative.

Antarctic Heritage
When it comes to Boy’s Own tales of heroism, hardship, and self-sacrifice, Captain Scott’s ill-fated 1910-1913 expedition to the South Pole is the stuff of legend.

IKO PLC – Still Serving 100 Years On
The Antarctic Heritage Trust is embarking on a programme of conservation. As part of its Centenary celebrations, IKO PLC has pledged to support the conservation of the roofing fabric with technical guidance, design support, donation of free materials and delivery of materials to New Zealand.

The company is even sending a volunteer technical advisor to Antarctica to advise on the correct fixing of material. Today the hut is protected and designated as an Antarctic Specially Protected Area.
The conservation of Scott’s Hut must rank as one of the most complex, difficult and dangerous conservation projects on the planet, but it is one which excites the team at IKO, as the Managing Director explains: “This is a very exciting project for IKO in this its Centenary Year. The fact that IKO material was originally used and documented in such an important historical building is of immense importance to IKO as a company. The fact that the original IKO material survived for such a significant period of time in the harshest environment on the planet underlines the durability of bitumen membranes. In addition, the fact that IKO is still here to provide this replacement roof nearly 100 years later, shows the proven durability of the IKO brand. We are delighted to be helping with this important preservation project and are proud that we will be helping to protect Scott’s Hut for another century”.

The Expedition
In 1910, Captain Robert Falcon Scott boldly led the British Antarctic Expedition. His mission was to be the first man to reach the South Pole. It was a mission that would end in failure and tragedy. By the time he and his men reached the South Pole, a flag was already there. They had been beaten in their quest by the Norwegians.  And worse was to come.  Due to the extreme conditions, not one member of the expedition would live to tell their tale.

But remarkably the 15m x 8m hut constructed using IKO building materials in which Captain Scott and his men sought refuge remains standing to this day. It is crammed with thousands of items from the expedition, from furniture to supplies.  The great irony is that the harsh, sub-zero conditions that claimed the lives of Captain Falcon Scott and his team are also the conditions which have preserved the hut and it contents and frozen them in time.

Scott’s Hut
During the preparation for the push to the Pole, Captain Scott’s expedition had enjoyed considerable comfort at its shore base at Cape Evans in a prefabricated hut which was the largest building constructed in Antarctica at the time and which provided a secure and comfortable base for the 25-strong shore party.

The original hut featured the use of IKO bitumen waterproofing membranes in the floors, walls and roof, as Captain Scott recorded in his diary: “The roof has a single matchboard inside, but on the outside is a matchboarding, then a layer of 2-ply ‘IKO’, then a layer of quilted seaweed, then a second matchboarding, and finally a cover of 3-ply ‘IKO’… The hut is becoming the most comfortable dwelling place imaginable. We have made ourselves a truly seductive home, within the walls of which peace, quiet and comfort reign supreme.”

Does your “Hut” meet the following criteria?

• Are you a charitable or self-funded organisation?
• Does your organisation support or offer services to your local community?
• Does your building require urgent flat roofing replacement?
• Can you demonstrate to us your importance to your local community?

What do you have to do?
Initially all you have to do is fill in an application form; After approval, locate a contractor to price and install your roof /or arrange other means. At this stage you might well be required to take part in PR, etc.

What will we do?
We will assess your application in the first instance to ensure you meet the application criteria.

If successful we will arrange a site survey to assess the works and to produce a specification. On final approval your donated materials will be despatched to our designated local merchant. We may then visit your site with a view to taking some photographs.

To nominate a suitable project please email marketing.uk@iko.com
We will send you an application form which you can then complete with as much detail as possible.

Click here to view a copy of IKO’s Terms & Conditions for the Fix That Hut initiative.

Fix That Hut Success Stories