Cash boost for heritage skills
Council chiefs in Carmarthenshire are celebrating a £669,400 Lottery windfall to revive the ancient art of heritage skills.
A huge training programme is to be put in place to teach young people about lime plastering, stone masonry, roofing, carpentry and joinery.
The aim is to ensure that the traditional building skills needed to conserve heritage buildings in the county are not lost.
Carmarthenshire County Council has been awarded the grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, under the Skills for the Future Programme.
Under the project, 30 trainees will be given work based training at genuine heritage construction sites.
They will spend a year working towards a heritage qualification under the guidance of a mentor and trainers.
Regeneration bosses say they delighted with the grant for the Foundation in Heritage Bursary Programme.
It follows the success of the council led Tywi Afon Yr Oesoedd Landscape Partnership Project, which has identified the need for more expert heritage tradespeople in the area.
The council’s Regeneration Executive Board Member cllr Clive Scourfield said: “I am absolutely delighted that we have received this funding.
“There is a significant shortage of these traditional building skills in West Wales that are essential for the conservation of the high number of heritage buildings in the area.
“I commend everyone involved in ensuring the funding bid was successful.”
Local heritage employers say they have struggled to find apprentices with relevant experience in recent years.
Ammanford stone mason Selwyn Jones said: “I’ve not come across anyone in recent years with the basic skills needed to develop a career in the heritage building sector.
“I’m delighted to hear that this will now be reversed and I’ll be putting myself forward to offer work based training placements.
“I’m passionate about traditional skills and I want to be able to pass on this knowledge to the next generation and make sure the techniques are taught correctly.”
Carmarthenshire’s Head of Planning Services Eifion Bowen said: “The scheme is an excellent example of how conservation can lead regeneration in rural areas.
“Conservation schemes in towns and villages in Carmarthenshire have shown there is a demand for these traditional skills, generated through the repair and maintenance of older buildings.
“How to work with traditional materials is also an important element of how an older building functions.
“Not only will it create jobs for staff to run the programme but it will provide the relevant skills and experience for students to progress and succeed in the heritage construction industry in the region.”
A huge training programme is to be put in place to teach young people about lime plastering, stone masonry, roofing, carpentry and joinery.
The aim is to ensure that the traditional building skills needed to conserve heritage buildings in the county are not lost.
Carmarthenshire County Council has been awarded the grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, under the Skills for the Future Programme.
Under the project, 30 trainees will be given work based training at genuine heritage construction sites.
They will spend a year working towards a heritage qualification under the guidance of a mentor and trainers.
Regeneration bosses say they delighted with the grant for the Foundation in Heritage Bursary Programme.
It follows the success of the council led Tywi Afon Yr Oesoedd Landscape Partnership Project, which has identified the need for more expert heritage tradespeople in the area.
The council’s Regeneration Executive Board Member cllr Clive Scourfield said: “I am absolutely delighted that we have received this funding.
“There is a significant shortage of these traditional building skills in West Wales that are essential for the conservation of the high number of heritage buildings in the area.
“I commend everyone involved in ensuring the funding bid was successful.”
Local heritage employers say they have struggled to find apprentices with relevant experience in recent years.
Ammanford stone mason Selwyn Jones said: “I’ve not come across anyone in recent years with the basic skills needed to develop a career in the heritage building sector.
“I’m delighted to hear that this will now be reversed and I’ll be putting myself forward to offer work based training placements.
“I’m passionate about traditional skills and I want to be able to pass on this knowledge to the next generation and make sure the techniques are taught correctly.”
Carmarthenshire’s Head of Planning Services Eifion Bowen said: “The scheme is an excellent example of how conservation can lead regeneration in rural areas.
“Conservation schemes in towns and villages in Carmarthenshire have shown there is a demand for these traditional skills, generated through the repair and maintenance of older buildings.
“How to work with traditional materials is also an important element of how an older building functions.
“Not only will it create jobs for staff to run the programme but it will provide the relevant skills and experience for students to progress and succeed in the heritage construction industry in the region.”
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