York Foundation for Conservation and Craftsmanship helps Neal Armstrong retrain as a blacksmith near Easingwold (From York Press)

York Foundation for Conservation and Craftsmanship helps Neal Armstrong retrain as a blacksmith near Easingwold

11:42am Wednesday 1st July 2009 in

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FORMER software engineer Neal Armstrong is forging a new career away from the keyboard – as a blacksmith.

Neal has become an apprentice for Chris Topp at his forge in Carlton Husthwaite, near Easingwold, helped by a £3,000 bursary from the York Foundation for Conservation and Craftsmanship.

The 45-year-old, from Bishopthorpe, York, said he worked for six years as a software engineer with Etas at Osbaldwick, but had always wanted to be a blacksmith. Two years ago, the opportunity had come up to work for Chris Topp, and he had taken it.

He said much of his work involved creating genuine wrought-iron gates and railings, and also restoring existing gates and railings.

Some from the Houses of Parliament were currently being restored.

The foundation awards were presented at a ceremony at the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall.

Strensall stonemasons Burrows Davies Ltd, which has recently taken on two enthusiastic young apprentices, received a £2,500 Freemasons’ Award.

Keith Barley, an expert stained-glass conservator and designer who is looking to take on a young apprentice directly from schools in the York area, received the Merchant Taylors’ Award for £2,500.

Other awards included:

* £1,500 to trainee archivist Catherine Dand, of the Borthwick Institute.

* £1,000 to Nicola Doswett, who is joining the University of York’s new MA course in medieval stained glass at Kings Manor.

* £750 to Nick Tweed, chief conservator at the York Glaziers Trust.

Meanwhile, wet-wood conservator Sophie Adamson, who is working on the preservation of a waterlogged ship recently unearthed at Newport, South Wales, and who is starting an internship at the York Archaeological Trust, received £750.

A further award, the York Consortium Trophy, and a £250 prize, went to Nick Bragg, who works at Worcester Cathedral, but comes to York College for formal crafts training.

The foundation, the charitable arm of the York Consortium for Conservation and Craftsmanship, has given bursaries totalling £51,000 since the awards were launched in 2000 with the aim of ensuring people are trained to preserve the nation’s heritage.