Trainees join heritage building course

A total of 14 trainees have embarked on a course to learn how to restore old buildings.
They are taking part in the Foundations in Heritage Bursary Scheme at the Tywi Centre in Llandeilo.
Foundations in Heritage is led by Carmarthenshire County Council and receives funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-2013 which is funded by the Welsh Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.
The scheme covers Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire and is based at The Tywi Centre, Llandeilo.
Becoming a builder equipped with the skills and understanding to conserve and restore old buildings is the dream of 14 trainees who have just embarked on the Foundations in Heritage Bursary Scheme.
The scheme will provide them with the foundations upon which they can build a solid future for themselves and our built heritage in Wales.
Staff at the Tywi Centre we were thrilled by the number and quality of applications that were received for the scheme.
It demonstrates how much interest there is amongst young people to learn the traditional skills that are essential to conserve and maintain old buildings appropriately.
Thanks to the great support the Bursary scheme has received from local building companies working in the heritage field, diverse and exciting experiences have been provided for the trainees during their 12 months on the programme.
The six carpenters, three plasterers and five stonemasons will work alongside skilled crafts people, learning the trade as they work on real heritage projects.
Their work and learning will be assessed by the Heritage Craft Alliance and at the end of the programme they will achieve NVQ3 in Heritage Construction.
During the second week of September, the trainees began their first placements. The placements include work on historic monuments with CADW’s work teams and local stone mason Selwyn Jones.
John Weaver Construction has provided a unique opportunity for two of the plastering trainees to work on the Llanelly House restoration project.
Towy Projects, Heritage Building Maintenance, Murray Price Conservation and Heritage 2000 are providing students with the opportunity to learn the skills that are essential to conserve, maintain and restore old domestic buildings that make up such an important part of our built heritage in West Wales.
The National Trust, who support the Tywi Centre in many ways are now also providing an opportunity for one of the carpenters to learn traditional skills by working with the National Trust works team. TRJ Ltd have also provided opportunities for Bursary Students to learn traditional skills whilst working on the renovation of two Grade II listed buildings - Zion Chapel and the neighboring Old School which form part of the new cultural and creative centre in Llanelli Town Centre.
Carmarthenshire County Council executive board member Cllr Clive Scourfield said: “I am delighted that there has been so much interest in this course which offers people the opportunity to develop a worthwhile career conserving and restoring our old buildings. It is an important part of our heritage.”
The Tywi Centre will be accepting applications for the second year of the Foundations in Heritage Bursary Scheme in 2012.
For further information please contact Helena Burke on (01558) 824271 or email post@tywicentre.org.uk