Rowan Swailes (left) is pictured here with Craig Murphy, head of stonemasonry at Moulton College in Northampton. He is holding the Portland basebed trophy he has made for the Business Initiative Award to a design by John Webb, another of the college’s stonemasonry students.

The Award recognises moves by companies in the stone industry to develop and grow in spite of the difficult economic times. The winner of the trophy and an iPad from sponsors of the competition Bryan Waters Stone Ltd, will be announced in NSS next month.

Darren made the trophy before Christmas after he had finished his Level Two course work. “It was good,” says Darren. “It was the first time I had done anything like that and it was a good design. I enjoyed making it.”