The Dry Stone Walling Association of Great Britain has received initial support from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to ensure wall building skills are not lost.
The project aims to improve career prospects in dry stone walling by providing five training bursaries throughout North West England and offering support for established dry stone wallers to enhance their skills.
Development funding of £8,300 has also been awarded to help the Dry Stone Walling Association progress their plans to apply for a full grant at a later date.
The provision of training bursary opportunities in the north west of England will enable individuals to learn heritage skills that will ultimately provide an income whilst also helping to maintain the landscape for future generations to enjoy.
Ray Stockall, chairman of the Dry Stone Walling Association, said: "We’re delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund has given us this support.
"Traditional dry stone walling skills are being lost at an alarming rate and it is vital that these skills are passed from the experts of today to future generations to secure our landscape heritage."
The project will also deliver an educational programme for schools and colleges providing access to online teaching resources and offer students the opportunity to engage with the age-old craft of dry stone walling.
Local communities will be encouraged to get involved in local restoration projects and help address the decline of traditional boundaries which affects both their practical and aesthetic value.
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