"I'm thankful for the opportunity that the Award For Excellence provided me, particularly the my time working with John Patsalides, Alf Fisher, and the Derix family and craftsmen, and the ongoing friendship with Helen Whittaker."
Saga Arpino, 2001-2 Award for Excellence

"As a summary I would say that glass has been my only income, my only job and my only life, so far."
Sigrid Blekestad, 2003-4 Award for Excellence

"I'm just about to get started on my first commission. Kiln is in & ready & finishing touches just going on to workshop. I've sorted out a couple of local exhibitions & picked up 2 more commissions too."
Angharad Whitfield, 2005-6 Award for Excellence

"I have to add to this report how important and how much a young person can receive from the Ashton Hill Award. I feel I had learned a great deal about restoring glass, and my own work has greatly improved as can be seen in my latest work."
Annette Smith, 2002-3 Ashton Hill Award

"The Canterbury experience was a real privledge and an invaluable learning curve. For me it was a springboard from finishing my degree in Swansea into taking over a business in Eastbourne. The experience and expert knowledge I gained at Canterbury gave me the confidence to move somwhere new and consider biting the bullet and running my own business. Thank you Glaziers, your investment in my training in Canterbury was well spent. Despite getting a first class degree, without this extra input and specialist knowledge I doubt whether I would have taken the plunge."
Ruth Fisher, 2003-4Ashton Hill Award

"I am currently working as a painter and glazier at Chapel Studio. I have also done some design work on a small scale. I used unpainted coloured glass in geometric patterns to frame victorian panels in new lights. I am hopefully, soon to start work on my first ecclesiastical commission for a church in Dorset."
Jamie Clarke, 2005-6 Ashton Hill Award

"I am now a member of the team at the stained glass studios at Canterbury Cathedral. As I told you earlier I had been offered full time work with them and it has almost been a month now since I started. I find it enormously rewarding and am very happy with this direction in my career. I hope that my progress in this field through the invaluable placement from the Ashton Hill Award and your knowledge and foresight into what studio was best for my placement will make these awards so beneficial and invaluable. " Grace Ayson, 2005-6 Ashton Hill Award