Standards in Craft

The Heritage Crafts Association is currently helping CCSkills to produce the new National Occupational Standards for craft. These standards are important because if we are successful in achieving the increased funding for training and apprenticeships (which we hope to) then that training will have to tick the boxes laid out in the National Occupational Standards. Now is our chance to make sure those boxes are appropriate to as wide a range of traditional crafts as possible and that people feel that they are an accurate description of the skills required to successfully practice their craft.

There is an online survey which we would encourage all involved in craft in the UK to look at and input to. Now is your chance to make sure that this becomes a useable set of standards. If the tick boxes of the survey do not accurately describe what you do then there are comments boxes where you can be more descriptive.

The online survey can be found at www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=9aRK2k2BIPVqEW2uI5HKiA_3d_3d.

Mastercraft television series to showcase traditional crafts

Ricochet TV is creating new six-part television series called Mastercraft, focusing on some of the country’s oldest and most highly-skilled crafts. They have enlisted some of the UK's top craftspeople from a variety of disciplines who will each mentor three apprentices on an intensive training course (from mid August to September this year). Among the crafts are green wood working, metal work, thatching, stonemasonry, weaving and stained glass.

At the end of each training period the apprentices will have the opportunity to create a final piece which will be judged by their mentor. This will be a great opportunity to raise the profile of traditional crafts and their continuing relevance today.

Ricochet have recruited the master craftspeople and are now looking for potential apprentices. The project takes place over six weeks, with accommodation provided, during which students will create a finished piece of work at the end. This has been advertised widely on the web and will have attracted a great number of applications.

If you are interested in finding out more, contact the Mastercrafts team on 01273 224800 or email mastercrafts@ricochet.co.uk.

Buy a piece of Sheffield history for £20

Nick Wright is the fifth generation of Wrights in the Sheffield scissor-making business (now trading at Kutrite). Though his team continues to produce hand crafted products of the highest quality, sadly the availability of cheap, mass-produced scissors has meant that they are currently short on orders and working a three day week.



As a result, Nick is hoping to market some scissors directly rather than selling everything wholesale. He has agreed to do a mail order service for supporters of the Heritage Crafts Association for one of their most popular lines: 8 1/4" dress making shears. These tools are at once a mini sculpture and a gorgeous piece of engineering ... and great value for money at only £20 plus £5 post and packing.



The difference between these and a cheap pair of scissors is that these are drop forged out of high carbon steel then hardened and tempered to give a very tough and hard long lasting tool. The other big difference is the setting. On a pair of cheap modern scissors the two blades never actually touch; they lie parallel to each other and do not cut as a pair of proper shears do. The two blades are skilfully ground and set in a slight curve so that they always touch just at the point you are cutting.



So here we have the perfect gift for anyone who has ever been frustrated at the lack of quality in modern tools. For just £20 plus £5 post and packing you can have a little bit of Sheffield history and help to keep this wonderful trade going for a little longer.



At the moment Nick does not accept PayPal or credit card payments so to order our scissors please send a cheque made payable to 'Kutrite of Sheffield Ltd', including your address and a note asking for 8 1/4" dress making shears to:

Kutrite of Sheffield Ltd
Kelham Works
72 Russel Street
Sheffield
S3 8RW

Thatching apprentice wanted - based in Salisbury

Thatcher Adam Nash is looking to take on a new apprentice. The individual will work with a small team (three at present) and over a two to three year period and will be taught to thatch and all aspects of thatching (combed wheat and water reed).

He or she needs to be fit and robust, and happy to work in all weathers. Hours are 8am to 5pm on site. Pay will be £46 per day with four weeks paid holiday. A sense of humour is vital!

Ideally they will have their own transport. Adam’s team is located in Salisbury but works as far away as Shaftesbury (one hour commute).

Anyone interested should come and spend two days with the team as their interview to dispel the romance attached to thatching – it is hard work.

For more information about Adam's work, visit his website at www.adamnashthatcher.co.uk. Adam can be contacted on 07976832393.

Adjournment debate on the preservation of traditional crafts

Less than six months after the formation of the Heritage Crafts Association, the first debate on the state of traditional crafts has taken place in the House of Commons, with the Culture Minister answering questions put to her by High Peak MP Tom Levitt.

Speaking at the Adjournment Debate on traditional crafts on Thursday (25 June 2009), Barbara Follett said:

“We are keen that the rich intangible cultural heritage of the United Kingdom is properly valued and, when necessary, preserved…. Whether tangible or intangible, … our heritage is a marvellous asset that we want to protect and nurture.”

She then called on local and regional authorities to do their bit along with central Government and its agencies to support these vital heritage crafts:

“As a Regional Minister, I see a role for the regional development agencies and local authorities. They need to play their part, along with central Government and non-departmental bodies, in ensuring that our traditional skills are upheld and preserved.”

The full transcript of the 30 minute debate is available at the They Work for You website and on Hansard.

The Chair of the Heritage Crafts Association, Robin Wood, welcomed the Culture Minister’s comments:

“For people like Mike Turner, the last traditional sieve maker in this country, Barbara Follet’s comments represent a beacon of hope that when they retire, their skills gained from a lifetime of practicing traditional crafts may not fade away with them.

“However, we are concerned that the full picture of the value of the heritage crafts to the economy, and the scale of the loss that lack of action could produce – both the loss of cultural traditions stretching back in some cases thousands of years, and the loss of economic potential which this cottage industry presents – has not yet been fully appreciated by the Government.

“In light of the Minister's comments in support of traditional crafts, it seems fair to ask for some alternative plan to safeguard this vital part of our living heritage, and some money to do it with. We look forward to continuing to discuss these issues with the Minister and her department on an ongoing basis”

Adjournment debate this Thursday

On Thursday (25 June 2009) there will be an Adjournment Debate in the House of Commons on the preservation of traditional crafts. The debate will be raised by Tom Levitt, MP for High Peak some time before 6pm. You can watch it live on the Parliament Channel.

Tom has also written a short piece for the Epolitix web site, which will be published on Wednesday.

Launch of the Craft Blueprint

Creative and Cultural Skills (CCSkills), the sector skills council for the creative industries, in association with the Crafts Council, launched the Craft Blueprint at the House of Lords on Wednesday (10 June 2009). The aim of the document is to create a plan of action for developing the craft workforce across the UK.

CCSkills and the Crafts Council have heard from education providers, craft employers and those running courses about their provision and the changes that are impacting upon them, and have taken into account current policy developments, changes in technology, and, crucially, the effects of economic change. The resulting recommendations, including many from the Heritage Crafts Association, lie at the heart of the Blueprint.

The Heritage Crafts Association was represented by four committee members: Patricia Lovett, Robin Wood, Chris Rowley and Daniel Carpenter. Here is the video shown at the launch, featuring a good representation of traditional heritage crafts:



Copies of the blueprint are available to download for free.