Sean Adcock, a Dry Stone Walling Association Master Craftsman has been awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to dry stone walling. Adcock is the six-time North Wales Professional Champion in dry stone walling and has taught students across the world, undertaken large-scale projects (including a temple in California) in addition to writing a number of books and producing technical guides on the subject.

The Caernarfon-based waller told the Rhyll, Prestatyn and Abergele Journal: "My partner had seen the envelope and was urging me to open it – I was more interested in the DIY parcels that had arrived; I didn't even notice 'The Cabinet Office' on the envelope, and probably wouldn't have twigged even if I had!  I'm certain there are others in the area more deserving than myself but haven't been fortunate enough to have been nominated in the first place."

Adcock who earned a degree in Modern History and Politics in the 1980s, has been a waller for 35 years after initially taking a year off after university to join a conservation volunteer project. 

A commemorative plaque to honour the life and marriage of Charles Ignatius Sancho – the black abolitionist – has been unveiled during a ceremony at St Margaret's Church, Westminster Abbey conducted by the Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle –  Dean of Westminster. The actor and author Paterson Joseph who wrote The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho was also present and read a letter by Sancho.

London-based sculptor and carver Marcia Bennett Male created the Portland stone memorial in her studio in Woolwich. It also pays tribute to his wife, Ann Osborne and features the quote: "use your endeavour to be a good man and leave the rest to God."

Sancho was born on a slave ship in 1729 and, at two years old was taken to a house in Greenwich where he lived until 1749. It was during this time he met John Montagu – the 2nd Duke of Montagu who would later employ him and help Sancho further his education in the Arts. 

During his life, Sancho worked tirelessly for the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade and is believed to be the first man of African descent thought to have voted in a British election. He married his wife, Ann Osborne in St Margaret's Church in 1758 – the couples eight children were also baptised there and, following his death in 1780, he was buried in the churchyard there.

On the memorial, Marcia said: "Sometimes an engraving commission can become just another job if you’re not careful. You focus on the letters, the spacing and the depth. You can forget that there’s a person ‘behind’ it. I got into that mindset with the Sancho plaque until I reached a certain point towards the end when the realisation of the deep history regarding the people and the plaques eventual siting came back to me. Very moving."

St. Paul’s Cathedral was announced as the newest member of the Cathedrals’ Workshop Fellowship (CWF).  It joins twelve other institutions to be part of the Fellowship including Canterbury, Chester, Durham, Exeter, Gloucester, Lichfield, Lincoln, Salisbury, Westminster Abbey, Winchester, Worcester and York Minster.

During a visit to the London landmark, Clare Howcutt-Kelly of Stone Specialist talked to Rebecca Thompson – who became director of property at St Paul's in 2023 – about her plans to establish a new workshop facility in order to preserve heritage skills and encourage a more diverse team. 

On CWF's website, Frances Cambrook, the executive director of CWF said: “We are thrilled to welcome St. Paul’s Cathedral as our newest member. This collaboration exemplifies a joint commitment to sustainable conservation and the preservation of essential craft skills, ensuring the longevity of our architectural heritage. Both organisations are privileged to be working together and we can only strengthen the commitment to craft training and architectural conservation in our shared vision.”

Stonemasonry company stoneCIRCLE has completed its fourth project with artist Susanna Heron. The work called Esquina (which means outside corner in Spanish and Portuguese) is situated in the extension to Furness Lodge, Emmanuel College, Cambridge.

The work is roughly 2300mm long by 1700mm high and is made from Ancaster Hard White, a British limestone from Lincolnshire in 100mm thick blocks with the base stones in Cadeby, another British limestone. Susanna oversaw all stages of the project and the team worked with her 2D file with a list of depths that the stone has to be cut to. The work was then carved on the Omag machine before being taken to have the sharp corners chiselled by hand before being installed by stoneCIRCLE.

Susanna was commissioned to make the work by Emmanuel College, and worked with Stanton Williams, the site architects for the new college buildings to select a location for the work. She chose the external corner of the lodge as the sun traverses the area catching both faces, allowing her to create a shallow relief providing a light sensitive surface that is continually changing. This is one in a series of drawings carved in stone in negative relief that Susanna has been creating for over 30 years, and she is fascinated by the interplay of light and shadow, especially when making a site specific work. The contractor for the project was Gilbert Ash.

Steve Vanhinsbergh, director of stoneCIRCLE said: “We enjoy doing Susanna’s work because it’s unique, and we work very closely with her; she is very involved with the team.”  

Learn more about the project by watching this video by Ross Harrison.

Robertson Granite, the specialist memorial masons established in 1876 has announced it has taken over Sam Jacob Memorials in Gainsborough. This is the latest acquisition for Robertson Granite which already operates twenty outlets in Scotland and a further 10 in England.

In addition, it owns a substantial manufacturing facility where craftsmen take time to make, polish, carve and letter memorials using a combination of modern machinery and traditional hand crafts.

Twelve UK towns and cities are to benefit from a new £5 million fund to help communities restore their disused and at-risk historic buildings. This funding includes support for organisations in Medway, where a Grade II-listed former hospital mortuary will be turned into a new community space, Derry/Londonderry where work is focused on restoring a number of heritage buildings within Derry/Londonderry’s historic walled city and Glasgow where work will focus on revitalising the city’s rich heritage.

Funds are being awarded as part of a new partnership between the National Lottery Heritage Fund and charity the Architectural Heritage Fund, to expand the Architectural Heritage Fund’s Heritage Development Trust model across the UK following the success of a pilot programme in England.

The programme has already supported seven Heritage Development Trusts to repair, restore and reuse at-risk buildings in their local areas, including not-for-profit Valley Heritage in Bacup, Lancashire. Last year, Valley Heritage restored an empty Victorian bank building into a new co-working space and housing for homeless young people. Meanwhile in Sunderland, Tyne & Wear Building Preservation Trust has transformed a row of Georgian merchants’ houses once threatened with demolition into a music venue, coffee shop and bar.

The 12 new Heritage Development Trusts will also operate in areas such as Leicester, Luton and Haverfordwest, and they will each funding of between £55,000 and £70,000 a year to acquire and redevelop a pipeline of local historic buildings. The trusts can also apply for grants to support early project development, and will be given guidance from consultants and mentors to develop their skills and knowledge alongside peer-to-peer support to expand their network of contacts.

Matthew Mckeague, chief executive of the Architectural Heritage Fund, said: “Heritage has a lot to offer the future of the UK’s places and people. Bringing old buildings back into productive use will protect our country’s rich architectural past while creating important new homes, workplaces and community and cultural venues. We’ve already seen the many benefits this work can bring to communities across the country, including through the success of our first Heritage Development Trusts across England.

“Our partnership with The National Lottery Heritage Fund is an important commitment to continuing this work in 12 more areas of the UK by giving more people the funding they need to work together to save and restore their most historic and at-risk local buildings. We’re very grateful to The Heritage Fund for this partnership, and to National Lottery players for making it possible.”

Eilish McGuinness, chief executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “As the UK’s largest funder of heritage, we collaborate with organisations which share our vision for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future.

“I am delighted that our £5 million grant funding is supporting the expansion of the Heritage Development Trust programme across the UK – stretching from Medway to Glasgow. This partnership with the Architectural Heritage Fund  is supporting communities, charities and heritage groups in 12 towns and cities, to develop plans for the transformation of at-risk historic buildings – boosting pride in place, connection to the past and investing in the future."

Within the past seven days, Safe Work Australia CEO Marie Boland has issued a statement surrounding the prohibition of engineered stone under the model WHS (work health safety) laws to protect thousands of workers from respirable crystalline silica. However, until the new legislation comes into effect, workers and businesses can continue to work with engineered stone in a controlled way, as detailed in the model WHS Regulations.

Exposure to silica dust from engineered stone has led to a rapid increase in the number of workers developing the serious lung disease silicosis in Australia and Safe Work Australia will now draft amendments to the model WHS Regulations. The amendments will then be implemented in each jurisdiction’s WHS laws. Safe Work Australia will also develop a national framework to ensure anyone working with engineered stone products installed prior to the prohibition is doing so safely.

Boland said: "Workplace exposure to respirable crystalline silica has led to an unacceptable increase in the number of cases of silicosis and other silica-related diseases. Expert analysis shows that silica dust from engineered stone poses unique hazards and there is no evidence that low silica engineered stone is safe to work with. This prohibition will make Australian workplaces safer and healthier."

Following this, in the US, the Los Angeles Times reported that: "the deaths of young workers who cut kitchen and bathroom countertops prompted a state board to back emergency safety measures Thursday aimed at preventing silicosis, an incurable lung disease that has risen along with the booming popularity of engineered stone."

The article cites goes on to state that site regulators estimated that 800 of the industry’s more than 4,000 workers could end up with silicosis if California failed to take protective action with up to 160 likely to die of the disease.

It is expected that these temporary rules adopted by the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board will be introduced by the end of December 2023 and will aim to provide clear requirements for workplaces using engineered stone. These rules include: the use of water during stone cutting; the provision of RPE; banning of sweeping dry dust that may contain silica and a mandate requiring the employer to report any cases of respiratory disease – and in cases where premises are deemed too dangerous for workers, operations will be shut down.

Moulton College Stonemasonry student Louise Regan is set to appear on the new series of BBC's Make it at Market on 14 December.
 
The show is presented by Dom Chinea alongside a team of business and craft experts who work together to help budding entrepreneurs make a living from their hobby. Louise stars alongside a host of other artists and crafters in the series. 
 
Louise, who is studying for her Level 3 Stonemasonry qualification, was encouraged to take part in the show by a fellow Moulton College student. After meeting with the show’s makers, Flabbergast TV, Louise impressed producers with her talent and was invited to take part.
 
Filming took place over the summer at Waterperry Gardens in Oxfordshire, with Louise showcasing her abilities by creating pieces crafted from Ancaster stone. She also had the chance to meet with Dom Chinea and a team of business and craft experts, receiving mentoring support and advice on how to transform her hobby into a full-time career. She is also sharing her knowledge offering stone carving starter courses, introducing beginners to the craft.
 
Louise said: “I learned so much on the show and am excited to put this knowledge into practice and kickstart my career. Stonemasonry is an important skill that should be retained and supported to help preserve the UK’s history and culture and I love being able to shine a spotlight on it.”
 
Corrie Harris, principal and CEO of Moulton College commented: “We are delighted that Louise’s immense talent is being recognised and all that she has achieved so far. We can’t wait to tune in to Make it at Market to see how she gets on."
 
*Make it at Market will air on 14 December at 4:30pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
 

Caesarstone has announced its first certified Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) report in a bid to be transparent on the full environmental impact of its products, including the surfaces’ impact on climate change, ozone depletion, land use, and water use.

In addition, the company also produces yearly Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reports and holds verified Declare label status. It also offers Lifetime Warranty, has earned ISO 14001 (environmental management standard) and ISO 9001 (quality management standard) and NSF (public health and safety) certification.

Edward Smith, managing director for Caesarstone UK and ROI, says: “Caesarstone is committed to protecting and sustaining the environment, and we strive to conduct our business in a manner that reduces strain on the planet and all ecosystems where we operate. Receiving an EPD certification is a key milestone in this sustainability journey, helping to further guide Caesarstone and our customers to understand the environmental effects of our products in an even clearer way. It marks an important step in our eco-friendly vision and forges our path towards a more sustainable and healthy future.”