More than 3,000 primary school children in Essex are being introduced to traditional building skills thanks to a £69,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The three-year project is a co-operative effort between Essex County Council and the Construction Industry Training Board. It introduces 8-10 year olds to building techniques such as oak framing and wattle and daub as well as stonemasonry in hands-on workshops that are followed by visits to buildings that incorporate the techniques.

The Heritage Lottery Fund is particularly interested in reviving traditional building skills following their survey that led to the report \'Sustaining Our Living Heritage\', which contained a warning that the built heritage was being put at risk by skills shortages.