Student in bid to hatch new crafts with help of prince

Johnny Brigs, 23, who lives on the Boston Abbey estate in Hilton East, is seeking one of just eight coveted places on the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment's heritage skills building crafts course next year.

He has just completed a three-year NVQ carpentry and joinery course at Leeds College of Building and works for Tim Hendry joiners and building contractors. In his spare time he is looking to boost his CV further by restoring an old hatchery barn in Storiths village close to Boston Abbey by installing new window frames and carrying out repairs to the building's cast ironmongery.

He said: "As I rent one of the properties on the estate I thought it would be a good idea to speak to an estate representative to see if I could put some of the skills I have learned at college into practice."

Alasdair Jones-Perrott from Boston Abbey said: "We were delighted to have such an enthusiastic and talented craftsman like Johnny approach us. He has already built and installed new window frames and also stripped back the door and repaired the cast ironmongery using traditional techniques.

"His work is outstanding and it's great to see a young apprentice using traditional work methods which will help retain the Storiths hatchery for future generations and in turn safeguard the estate's heritage."

Mr Brigs will submit his portfolio of work in February where he will be in competition with hundreds of talented craftsmen from across the country. The course aims to bridge the gap to allow people to go from earning basic building qualifications to becoming a master craftsman.

It includes an intensive, three-week residential summer school followed by seven months of placements working on new building schemes with traditional designs and conservation projects.

Mr Brigs' lecturer at Leeds College of Building Joe Clancy said: "It is very difficult to get a place on this course but I believe he has the skill and determination to do it. I am sure all of his hard work will pay off."