2023 Recipients of York Conservation Trust YCCC Bursaries

On Tuesday 4th July the York Consortium for Craft and Conservation (YCCC) had its Annual General Meeting, lecture and bursary awards. Held at Bedern Hall, the Trust CEO Jonathan Bryant and Trust Trustee Ruth Morrell, also a member of the YCCC bursary panel, attended to represent the Trust.

Bursaries were presented this year by Sir Ron Cooke who, as Vice-Chancellor of the University of York, was a passionate advocate for the establishment of a conservation collective as a way of building on York’s experience and expertise to create new careers, business opportunities and wider reach in the sector.
This year a total of £30,486 was awarded to 27 of 51 bursary applicants and the Trust is delighted to be able to support new craftspeople with three bursaries:

Kate Longworth, a bricklayer embarking on a Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) William Morris Craft Fellowship (£1,000)

James Osborne, a conservation blacksmith also engaged in the SPAB William Morris Craft Fellowship programme (£1,000).

YCCC has been developing an ‘apprentice-type’ category with funding for a trainee for up to three years. We have committed to support this and for the next two years will support Eden Stained Glass (Cumbria) with £3,000 each year towards the employment of a craft trainee.

The annual John Shannon lecture was delivered was Professor Robin Cunningham – UNESCO Chair in Archaeological Ethics & Practice in Cultural Heritage at the University of Durham, his subject Rebuilding the Kasthmandap; Research, Reconstruction and Resilience. He spoke about the collaboration between archaeologists, craftspeople, conservators and architects in reconstruction following the 2015 Gorka Earthquake in Nepal.