July 2009
There was a record number of applicants for the £12,000 available for this year’s Foundation bursaries. Most showed strong commitments to developing their skills and knowledge, and all demonstrated a real need for funding support. Selecting the final winners therefore proved extremely difficult for the judging panel, which comprised photographic conservator Susie Clark, Lord Ronaldshay of the Historic Houses Association, Freemason John Halliwell, and Phil Thomas of the York Diocesan Fabric Committee.
Seven awards were agreed and were presented by Dr Peter Addyman, the Consortium’s President, following the AGM on 1 June. To assist the taking on of new apprentices £2500 went to stonemasons Burrows Davies Ltd (the Freemasons’ Award), £2500 to stained glass conservator and designer Keith Barley (the Merchant Taylors’ Award), and £3000 to blacksmith Chris Topp (the HHA/Coutts Bank Award). The remaining awards were to assist increased skills or knowledge: £1500 to Catherine Dand, trainee archivist at the Borthwick Institute, for a Society of Archivists course, £1000 to Nicola Dowsett towards living costs for the MA course in stained glass at York University, £750 to Nick Teed, Chief Conservator of the York Glaziers Trust, for a “Chemistry for Conservators” course, and £750 to Sophie Adamson of the Newport Ship Project for an internship at the York Archaeological Trust.
With interest rates now so much lower than in recent years it may not be possible to offer bursaries to quite the same value in 2010, but it is hoped that those other organisations, which gave bursaries this year alongside those of the Foundation, will be able to continue their support.
The picture above shows Chris Topp’s new apprentice Neal Armstrong at work.