Essex County Council are delivering a series of free Traditional Building Skills courses for the Managing a Masterpiece Stour Valley Landscape Partnership aimed at people based or working within the Stour Valley.

Hosted at Lower Dairy Farm, this practical course will cover:

- Introductory talk - Correct methods of repair - Laths (riven or sawn) & fixings - Sands & aggregates including hair - Preparation of lime plaster, including mixing & gauging - Ways of giving a set - Methods of aftercare - Patching existing plaster

The focus will be on increasing awareness of the need to continue working with traditional materials and in traditional styles to ensure the survival and continuation of built heritage. This course is aimed at craftspeople and plasterers working in the Stour Valley.

Course tutor - Roy Cafferty - Traditional plasterer

Roy Cafferty runs his own plastering business and has been in the trade for forty years. He works in all aspects of lime plaster but specialises in fine plaster finishes. He is one of the few lime plasterers who still run mouldings in situ.

For further information and bookings contact Katie Seabright on 01245 437672 or e-mail traditional.buildingskills@essex.gov.uk