Hosted annually by the Master and Wardens of the Worshipful Company of Tylers and Bricklayers, the presentation of the 2015 Craft Awards was held on 9th of March at Trinity House in the City of London. Guests not only enjoyed a splendid lunch and terrific views of the Tower of London, but also witnessed the presentation of an award to the first female member of the Royal Engineers to win in a bricklaying category.
Guests of the Master of the Company, Roger Westbrook CMG, included the winners of the E & R Fuller Award for Bricklaying; the Mason-Elliott Award for Roof Slating and Tiling; the Montgomery Award for Wall and Floor Tiling; the Stokes Royal Engineer Awards for construction trainees and winners of the Company?s Awards to the Royal Engineers Army Cadet Force in London.
The Awards were presented by the Master and Principal Guest Alderman Dr Andrew Parmley, a Sheriff of the City of London. The 2015 winners were introduced by Chairman of the Craft Committee Mr Jeff Fuller.
The E & R Fuller Award for Bricklaying
The award was made to the winners in the SkillBuild National Final competition held in November 2014 at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham. SkillBuild, including its 15 regional heats, is organised by CITB ? Construction Skills.
The standard of entries was extremely high. Observers commented that this year?s piece was one of the most difficult set at SkillBuild and it is a testament to the quality of the competition that the judges were unable to choose between the two best pieces.
The Winners: Thomas Sinnfield of Leicester College and Tom Dixon of Hull College.
Thomas?s Course Tutor at Leicester was Mr Keith Binns. Tom?s Course Tutor at Hull was Mr Andrew Bannister.
The Mason ? Elliott Award for Roof Slating and Tiling
The finalists who won their regional heats worked against the clock to prepare and complete a roof testing piece utilising a pre-formed standard rig, simulating typical roofing techniques which included ornamental detailing in both natural slates and concrete plain tile. The competition was sponsored by the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC).
The Winner: Kyle Friendship of Cornwall College, St Austell.
Kyle?s Course Tutor was Mr Sean Sullivan.
The Montgomery Award for Floor and Wall Tiling
The selected tiling finalists tackled a competition which required them to prepare backboards for the execution of two decorative tile panels needing elaborate circular or raking cutting with hand tools only and a section of floor tiling.
The Winner: Armondas Tamulis of Southern Regional College Northern Ireland.
Armondas?s Course Tutor was Mr Paul Doran.
The Stokes Royal Engineers Awards
These awards are given to the best Class I and Class II Bricklaying and Concreting Trainees at the Royal School of Military Engineering at Chatham. The Class II winner is drawn from a pool of around 100 Sapper trainees; the Class I winner comes from a smaller group where account is taken of their supervisory duties.
The Winners: Class I – Sapper Dhiraj Rai Class II ? Sapper Terrie Cooper
Sapper Terrie Cooper is the first female member of the Royal Engineers to win this award.
Royal Engineers Army Cadet Force Awards
Started in 2009 to establish cadet corps links and further the Company?s connection with the Royal Engineers, these annual Awards are made to the Best Adult Volunteer and the Best Cadet chosen from the Royal Engineers? six London Region Cadet Units.
The Winners: Adult Volunteer of the Year ? Sgt Instructor Chris Sullivan
The Company commander?s citation reads:
?Underpinning all he has achieved, Chris is a warm, approachable, enthusiastic and committed adult instructor who has gained the respect and admiration of cadets and staff, including those in other detachments of the Company. He is inspirational to the cadets building their confidence, skill and resilience. Chris continues to improve the unit by demonstrating the ACF values in every way.?
Cadet of the Year ? Cadet Sgt Rajan Gopalji
The Commandant?s citation reads:
?Cadet Sgt Gopalji demonstrates the highest standards of achievement that one could wish from an Army Cadet. Showing selfless commitment, strong leadership and mentoring qualities, Rajan is a visible inspiration to other cadets and young people with whom he associates. Well done!?
Chairman of the Company Craft Committee, Mr Jeff Fuller then went on to make special mention of Mr Sean Sullivan, Roof Slating and Tiling Tutor from Cornwall College, St Austell in recognition of this being the third consecutive occasion that one of his students has been the winner of the Mason ? Elliott Award.
The Annual Craft Awards were established in memory of Past Masters of the Worshipful Company of Tylers and Bricklayers and include: Edward Fuller (1954) and Robert Fuller (1962); Brian Montgomery (1980); Newlyn Mason- Elliott (1997); Christopher Stokes (1984) and Jeremy Stokes (1989).
Chairman of the Company Craft Committee, Mr Jeff Fuller, acknowledged the generosity of these families who have helped the Company to nurture and reward excellence in our traditional crafts and is our positive response to the need for Livery Companies to be relevant to and involved in the crafts that form their historic bases.