Burngate Purbeck Stone Centre in Dorset has been releaunched to continue training in the use of stone.
After a challenging couple of years due to Covid closures, the Centre has just published its summer programme, which includes a range of courses including geology, stone carving, lettering and masonry. You can find out more about them on the Burngate Centre website: burngatestonecentre.co.uk.
The Centre is run as a small charity that does not receive any external funding and the courses have to be self-supporting. However, Juliet Haysom, a trustee of charity, says that following consultation with Natural Stone Industry Training Group and CITB, the Centre is now offering professional training in support of the local Dorset stone industry. It believs that might be particularly beneficial now Weymouth College has closed its stonemasonry courses. “We're hoping we might be able to contribute to training via apprenticeships and 'upskilling' in due course, if we can fund this activity,” says Juliet.