My second appointment today was to attend the wonderful awards ceremony for Craft Fellowships given by the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings. The Chairman of the Craft Committee, Chris Causer, and I had been invited by Liveryman and Master Craftsman Emma Simpson, a prominent member of the Society. The awards ceremony was held in the Great Chamber at the Charterhouse, a magnificent venue, and so appropriate for the presentation of these fellowship awards.

The Craft Fellowship Awards were launched in 1986 by a group of like-minded people who had a passionate interest in traditional buildings and the range of skills and methods used in their conservation. The Fellowship is designed to meet the growing demand from those responsible for historic buildings for sensitively trained craftspeople that have a highly developed sympathy for, and wider understanding of, traditional buildings and their needs.

The large audience was welcomed by Lord Cormack, Chair of the William Morris Craft Fellowship Founding Committee and Matthew Slocombe, the Director.

Four awards were given out today to Stonemasons, Luke O'Hanlon and Sean Henderson, Bricklayer, Matthew Wilson and Carpenter/Joiner, Sam Matthams. These four young men had taken their craft to the next level by studying hard and working diligently with their tutors. They were shining examples of what can be achieved through careful nurturing and hard work. The awards were very well deserved indeed.

The guest speaker, Heather Newton, Head of Conservation at Canterbury Cathedral gave a very interesting talk about her career and the work she has been doing at Canterbury Cathedral for over 30 years.

The event concluded with a round of thanks by Lord Cormack and an invitation to partake in lunch with further networking. This was a very enjoyable event where Chris and I met many different professionals who are incredibly enthusiastic about the preservation of our ancient buildings. Long may they continue to work their magic to ensure that our buildings keep their magnificence.