May 2008
At its AGM on 2 June, the Foundation awarded its annual bursaries. There were 19 applications this year, which was reduced to a short list of eight which the judges considered. The judges (Graham Wilford of the Merchant Taylors, Roger Carr-Whitworth of the National Trust, Jim Spriggs and Andy Lawson) met the short listed applicants at the Kings Manor where they interviewed them.
There was no one on the short list who met the criteria for the Merchant Taylors award, i.e. from the York area and preferably a young person, and so that award was not made for 2008 and is held over until 2009.
However, all the candidates impressed the judges, and it was with great difficulty that they finally decided to dispense the available £8,000 as follows:
£2,000 - Scottish Lime Centre Trust National Lime Centre (for taking on new apprentice)
£1,000 - Ryedale Plasterers Ltd Plasterers (to train two high potential craftsmen)
£1,500 - David Davies Carpenter and SPAB William Morris Fellow (meet living costs while undertaking fellowship)
£1,500 - Ben Levings Trainee Carver and Stonemason (to finance career change City and Guilds stonemasonry course)
£1,000 - Emma Schmuecker Conservator of Asian Armour (to attend specialist conference in India)
£500 - Suzanne Kitto Metalwork Conservator (to attend a course in metalwork conservation at West Dean)
£500 - Sayaka Fakuda Book Conservator (towards cost of MA on lacquered covers of Japanese souvenir albums)
The Consortium also awarded it's annual trophy and a prize of £250, which is given to a student at York College, who shows great potential. This year this was awarded to the very impressive trainee stonemason, Leonie Driver.