Dennis Jones Named Project Craftsman of the Year at Duke of Gloucester Awards 2009

CWO is delighted to announce that Site Supervisor Dennis Jones has been named the first-ever recipient of the prestigious Project Craftsman of the Year Award, a new category in this year’s Duke of Gloucester Awards organised by the Worshipful Company of Masons.

The Duke of Gloucester Awards were first launched in 2007 to encourage high standards in all aspects of stonemasonry. At this year’s awards ceremony, held on 20 October in Mercers’ Hall, Dennis Jones was named the clear winner of his category, nominated a Yeoman Mason and presented with a cheque for £500 by HRH Duke of Gloucester to be used to help advance his career in stonemasonry.

Project Craftsman of the Year, a new award launched and supported jointly by Stone Federation Great Britain and the Worshipful Company of Masons, is an accolade for a stonemason with a minimum of five years’ post-qualification experience who has shown high standards in a portfolio of projects.

In a rigorous judging process, Dennis Jones was asked to display evidence of experience in both site and shop work, an ability both to work with and interpret drawings, as well as to produce templates and setting out on new build and refurbishment projects. With over 30 years’ experience in stonemasonry and an impressive portfolio including such high-profile projects as Chichester Cathedral, St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle and Christchurch Priory Winchester College, Dennis was the unanimous choice of the assessors.

The assessors commented: “Dennis, as you will see from his work, shone out way above most applicants. He continues to pass on his skills and knowledge to other masons, demonstrates regularly that he can work on the tools but most importantly, he manages the team, the contract and instils confidence in the client. He shows great love for the buildings he works on.”

Bernard Burns, MD of CWO, said: “We are extremely proud of Dennis and his achievement in winning this new award. Over the years he has proven himself to be an excellent project leader in every aspect, managing and overseeing every phase sensitively to ensure an excellent end result. Dennis combines a broad knowledge and practical experience of stone masonry skills with a natural ability to communicate clearly and effectively with all those involved, and has been pivotal in the success of all his many projects.”

The Duke of Gloucester Awards take place every two years. They were named in honour of HRH Duke of Gloucester, who has been a liveryman of The Worshipful Company of Masons since 1975 and an honorary member of its Court since 1995. Through his architectural background, he has a keen interest in the construction industry, our national heritage and in the training of craftsman in the industry. The Improver Mason is the original award and is supported solely by The Masons’ company.

The Project Craftsman of the Year Prize was sponsored by the law firm Watson Burton LLP. The 2009 Duke of Gloucester Awards were again sponsored overall by the RO Group.