Stonemason and carver Matthias Garn from York has won a £2,750 Queen Elizabeth Scholarship to attend a Master Course in stonemasonry in his native Germany.

Queen Elizabeth Scholarships are designed to advance education in modern and traditional crafts and trades in the United Kingdom and are open to men and women of all ages. Scholarships are awarded twice a year and in the latest round £37,000 was handed out to seven recipients. Stone workers have featured regularly as winners of the scholarships that take their name from the late Queen Mother.

Matthias (31) is an architectural stone carver, stonemason and lettercutter. Following his apprenticeship he spent five years working in Dresden and six months in Switzerland before coming to England in 1998, when he joined Wells Cathedral Stonemasons.

For the past four years he has been with master carver Dick Reid in York where his work has included recreating traditional architectural features such as pinnacles and fireplaces, repairing original pieces and designing new work. One of his jobs was working on the Millennium Fountain at Sandringham.

Matthias is now self-employed and winning the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship has enabled him to attend the four month Master course in stone masonry, carving and conservation in Demitz-Thumitz in Germany. The subjects covered range from the history of architectural styles to geology and forging tools.

The course is an excellent preparation for the new business Matthias is setting up with a colleague in Yorkshire.

Their workshop will specialise in figurative and stone carving, stone masonry and lettering. Matthias says: "My ambition is to follow in Dick Reid\'s footsteps by building up one of the leading stone carving workshops in the North, producing the finest hand carved work.

"I am passionate about the history and technique of my craft and will eventually teach the crafts of stone carving and masonry, lecturing about the importance of sustaining the craft and upholding the finest standards of craftsmanship."I see myself as a link between past and present generations of craftsmen and am determined to pass on my knowledge and skill."

The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust, the charitable arm of the Royal Warrant Holders Association, was set up in 1990 with money contributed by its members to mark the 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Association.

Between 1991 and 2003 the Trust has made cash awards worth almost £735,000 to 115 craftsmen and women aged between 17 and 50 plus to help them to develop their skills.

The Trustees look for well thought out projects which will contribute to the pool of talent in the UK and reflect the excellence of British craftsmanship as symbolised by the Royal Warrant of Appointment.

Application forms for spring 2004 Scholarships (closing date 16 July 2004) may be obtained by sending a stamped (34p) self-addressed envelope to: