Crisis in Britain's traditional skills

Nearly 100 heritage crafts practised in the UK are on the endangered 'Red List'. KAREN ROCKETT speaks to four dyed-in-the-wool artisans determined to keep their trades alive before they're lost forever

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Mildred Cookson fears for the future of our mills

THEY'RE the ultimate tool kit handed down for generations. Yet traditional skills - some of which have existed for millennia - are at risk of dying out because so few people practise them.

Published annually by Heritage Crafts, the Red List categorises crafts or skills by their risk of extinction; this year's list includes 72 "critically endangered" and 93 "endangered" crafts out of 285 in total.

Cut crystal glass making, quilting in a frame and rattan furniture making are among those recently added to the list.

Meanwhile, the Government, through the Department for Education and Skills England, is exploring policy options to address skills gaps in heritage crafts and says it is working with the sector to understand its challenges with a view to fostering a thriving craft scene.

"The Red List underscores the urgent need for greater investment and support to safeguard these skills for the next generation," says Daniel Carpenter, executive director of Heritage Crafts.

"Reversing this decline would represent not just the continuation of skilled trades, but also a significant boost to the UK's cultural heritage and countless opportunities for future innovation."

Karen Rockett speaks to four craftspeople whose unique trades working with wood, stone and metal are critically endangered, and asks what can be done to save them from extinction.

MILLWRIGHTING

THE specialist trade dates back to the Middle Ages when skilled craftsmen were essential in constructing and maintaining the water and windmills that powered the country's agricultural and industrial activities. Early millwrights were highly regarded for their ability to design, build and maintain the complex systems of gears, shafts and wheels that turned mills into efficient powerhouses.