Wood Awards

Well apologies for not saying to much recently, have been distracted mainly by my step son Dicken who was seriously injured in a car accident in France. He is recovering remarkably well now after his 5 week stay in Toulouse hospital for serious head and chest injuries.

But back to the wood awards, They gave me the conservation award!

I am now getting a wall full of certificates and trophies!

Giles Downes the Chairman of the Judges said "A labour of love undertaken to rescue this house and restore it to its former glory. The quality and attention to detail achieved throughout make this a project worthy of great praise and admiration."

So I am considering my options of what comes next. I am available to help plan sympathetic conservation and restoration work and could be starting an educational facility too. I may also become a training assessor for the National heritage training group too.

Anyway, off to the RICS awards tomorrow. I am running up against some seriously large and complicated internationally recognised buildings so the odds are very long, but the Rics say this about their awards "They recognise the diversity of talent behind such projects - the property developers, engineers, planners, architects, and surveyors - and raise the profile of the vital contribution they make to our society, whether it is a small scheme achieved by the vision and persistence of one person, or a high budget, global development." So who knows maybe as smaller scheme could take a prize.

It has come across as unusual that I have choosen to do this project and then learn about all of the aspects to undertake it to a very high standard to a reasonable budget managing and undertaking the work myself with a few specialist subcontractors. This appears to set me apart from many others in the field. I have received comments like "the world is better for eccentric people like you" from judges!