Gary Holliday from Consett, has been given the Masons’ Livery Company : Journeyman Mason Certificate Award for 2021.
The award comes from the Worshipful Company of Masons and is given to those who have consistently shown high standards of crafting skills for ten years or more, and who have also shown commitment to not only their own skills, but to pass those valuable skills onto mentees and apprentices.
He has worked on Durham Cathedral for six years now and in his time there has become a Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings fellow and a mentor to two masons.
Gary said: “Receiving the Journeyman Mason Award is definitely a career highlight for me. I feel extremely honoured to receive such a prestigious award, especially as I was nominated by my peers.
“Working at Durham Cathedral has provided me with many opportunities to further my knowledge as a stonemason working in conservation.
“I am extremely passionate about passing on everything I have learned through my career to apprentices and young stonemasons to ensure the traditional craft skills of stonemasonry remains ever-present in the modern world.”
Gary was nominated for the award by Maya Polenz, head of property at Durham Cathedral, in recognition of his outstanding supervision of the cathedral’s junior masons, as well as his own impressive portfolio of masonry work.
Gary’s work was submitted to the chairman of the Stonemasons Award Sub-Group, before being considered by an appointed panel of Liverymen and Freemen with extensive stone industry experience.
Commodore Adrian Munns, chairman of the Masons’ Livery Company Craft and Training Committee said:
“Since 2014 the Masons’ Company has participated in the national awards, developed by the Livery Company Skills Council, that offer through career certification to specially selected craftspeople – apprentices, journeymen and master craftsmen.
“The awards are designed to encourage the pursuit of excellence in vocational education and training through craft skills.
“I am delighted that Gary Holliday from Durham Cathedral has been selected to receive this prestigious award and wish him continued success into the future.”