The first UK Masonry Skills Challenge was held on a fine and sunny day at Weymouth College on 14 June.

The Federation would firstly like to thank the sponsors DBR (London) Ltd for their generosity and Albion Stone Plc for kindly donating the stone.

17 apprentices were entered from the following colleges:

Glasgow Metropolitan College 2

Moulton College 3

Weymouth College 3

Bath College 3

Telford College Edinburgh 3

York College 3

In addition, Weymouth College entered a 'B' team for the experience but they were not included in the marking for picking a winner or winning college.

The Competitors all wore t-shirts provided by the Federation featuring the sponsors' logos.

The competitors were provide with a drawing of the test piece at a scale of 1:2 and were instructed they had to make a full size zinc section, zinc reverse section and bed mould in plastic and that the quality of the templates and moulds would be part of the challenge.

No mechanical tools were allowed, the stone which was Portland Stone from Jordan's Basebed, had to be worked with a mallet and chisels.

The competitors all worked well and proved to be great ambassadors for their colleges and a credit to the employers. During the day, several of the local press stopped by and took photos and produced a video of John Bysouth (this can be viewed on Dorset Evening Echo's website www.dorsetecho.co.uk)