The Geoffrey Walton Practice are used to opening up new mines and quarries for clients but when it came to opening their new offices in Charlbury, Oxford, they invited Sir John Knill FREng, pictured here, to do the honours.

Sir John, an eminent geologist and engineer and a former head of the Natural Environment Research Council, said: "We all offer our very best wishes to the Geoffrey Walton Practice in their new offices in Upton House and hope that you will all enjoy working here. We have every confidence that the Practice will continue to have a flourishing and successful future in Charlbury."

Sir John spoke of the development of the practice and how he had first met Geoffrey Walton the man at Imperial College, London, where Sir John was a professor.

The consulting section of the Partnership is now located in the new offices while the surveying and dust research sections are in the nearby Griffin House.

Sir John had said in his speech that one of the Practices strengths was the quality of people it employed. And the people it employs has just been increased by one with the appointment of Maarten Velzeboer as senior mining manager. He was previously mineral resources manager with BPB and before that technical manager with Shell Coal.