Heritage Crafts awards for contemporary glass workers

Heritage Crafts has awarded training bursaries to two contemporary glass workers to enable them to learn heritage craft skills.

Glass flameworker Elena Fleury-Rojo, from Essex, wishes to develop her skills in the specialist field of scientific glassblowing.  She will train with Brian Jones at the National Glass Centre in Sunderland. She plans to raise awareness of the craft of scientific glassblowing through her artwork, as well as offer other services, such as making and repairing scientific glass apparatus. Her bursary is funded by the Maxwell Hanrahan Foundation.

Elliot Walker, from the West Midlands, wants to incorporate the making of mouth-blown flat glass in his glassblowing practice. He will train with Fremont Antique Glass and Monarch Glass Studio in the US to master the technique. He plans to offer small batches of artisan glass to stained glass craftspeople and conservators. His bursary is funded by Soane Britain.

The two recipients were among 29 people across the UK given bursaries of up to £4,000 each to develop skills in heritage crafts.

Environmental Sustainability Awards

In addition, glassblower Allister Malcolm has been recognised by Heritage Crafts and the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) in their Environmental Sustainability Awards. He received a £1,000 prize and a specially commissioned trophy at a presentation at Eltham Palace in London.

His award recognised the achievements of a craftsperson or microbusiness that has made measurable progress in transforming the environmental impact of their craft business through a series of incremental changes and improvements.

Allister is an Honorary Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers and has helped to raise substantial funds for Stourbridge Glass Museum. In the past 12 months he has converted his glass studio from fossil fuels to renewable electricity, installed three-phase solar power, as well as working with a UK manufacturer to enhance an electric furnace design. It is the first time such measures have been combined in this way.

Judges for the awards included design consultant and journalist Roddy Clarke, independent editor Kerryn Harper-Cuss, QEST CEO Debbie Pocock LVO, plus Heritage Crafts Trustee Jo Sealy.

Image: Allister Malcolm receiving the 2024 Environmental Sustainability Award. Photo: Robert Wade.