Stone Federation

Stone Federation Great Britain is the offical trade association for the Natural Stone Industry, co-ordinating all aspects of the industry and providing users and specifiers with a first point of contact for advice and information.

French Jones has looked after the Federation's public relations and media relations since 1993, working closely with chief executive Jane Buxey to write feature articles and press releases, create advertising and publicise major events such as the Donovan Purcell lecture and the Natural Stone Awards.

Projects including restoration work at St Paul's Cathedral and the regeneration of the Old Market Square in Nottingham were among the top award winners at November's 2008 Natural Stone Awards. Results were announced at a luncheon at Lord's cricket ground in London, organized and promoted by French Jones and compered by broadcaster Jim Rosenthal and the National Lottery's "voice of balls" Alan Dedicoat.

Three projects shared the award in the category for repair and restoration. They were for the restoration of Birmingham Town Hall; the restoration of the fire-damaged and abandoned Millport Garrison House on the Isle of Cumbrae and the restoration of St.George's Chapel in Windsor Castle.

Top award in the new build (load bearing stone) category went to a project to build a new pavilion in a private residence in Wiltshire, while a scheme to give a Georgian building near Regents Park "a more refined appearance" won the new build (non load bearing) category.

Judges for all the awards were: John Burton, chairman of the judging panel and a senior partner at Purcell Miller Tritton; Richard Carr-Archer, from Leeds School of Architecture; Julian Limentani, partner in Marshall Simmons Architects; Paul Gibson, joint founder of the Sidall Gibson Partnership and Eric Parry, principal of Eric Parry Architects.

For all Stone Federation Great Britain enquiries, please contact Brian Roach on 01491 410987 or e-mail Brian@frenchjones.co.uk