January 2003

THE WOOD AWARDS 2003

The sponsors of the former Carpenters Awards have re-launched the competition as "The Wood Awards" to reflect the true nature of the event, to take place on 15th October 2003 at The Carpenter's Hall in the City of London.

The continuing aim of The Wood Awards is to recognise and encourage outstanding design, craftsmanship and installation in joinery and structures in timber. Entries will shortly be invited from architects, designers, joinery companies, building owners and developers. The new administrators who will run the competition and award ceremony, Turnstone Communications, will shortly launch a dedicated website giving terms of entry, award categories and an online application form.

The main sponsors of The Wood Awards 2003 are The Carpenters' Company, wood. for good, the American Hardwood Export Council and the Timber Trade Federation, as well as returning key sponsor, the British Woodworking Federation.

The awards will be presented for the following categories: Commercial Project, Private Project, Structural Project and Restoration/Conservation Project. There will also be a Gold Award for the best project overall and an Assessors Special Award to any entrant demonstrating innovation or special achievement. The criteria for each award will be published on a dedicated website www.woodawards.com, to be launched shortly.

A team of judges will visit all short-listed projects and the winners will be announced at the presentation ceremony on 15 October 2003.

Mark O'Brien, Chairman of The Wood Awards, said: "This new launch represents an important step forward at a time when wood is enjoying a renaissance among architects in Britain. The Wood Awards will celebrate the highest standard of design and craftsmanship in wood as a modern material, and will recognise the vital link between design and installation."

For more information, please contact:
Lucy Kamall
Turnstone Communications
Tel: 020 7929 5363
Fax: 020 7929 5364
Email: lucy@turnstonecommunications.com

New pledge made on procurement by Meacher

Environment Minister, Michael Meacher has met with the Timber Trade Federation and promised that he would examine the possibility of setting up a new working party to oversee the development and future direction of timber procurement policy.

The lunch meeting took place on Tuesday 21 January and covered such issues as certification, sustainability, illegal logging, the Climate Change Levy and packaging waste regulations. The role the Federation is playing in developing the Government's public sector procurement policy was highlighted but it was felt that even more could be done to focus on this issue.

Mr Meacher agreed that he would look at the viability of creating a working party to bring all the stakeholders together in the timber procurement process including the importing sector, ENGO's and government officials.

The Federation is currently involved in four areas of timber policy development including: the UK Forest Partnership for Action; UK and Indonesia Memorandum of Understanding; DEFRA's procurement policy and the Forest Industries Development Council Sustainability Task Group.

Mark O'Brien, TTF Head of Public Affairs said, " This was another important step in the trade getting its message over to the Government. It gave Members another opportunity to put their concerns and views directly to the Minister responsible for shaping the Government's procurement policy. "

Other recent developments include DEFRA's agreement in principle to back the secondment of a DEFRA official to the Federation, prior to the creation of the Government's centre of expertise on timber procurement. A delay in such a decision would be due to limitations on manpower and resources particularly after recently announced economies in the DEFRA budget.

In addition the Federation has been approached to participate in a wide-ranging conference on timber procurement later in the year, which bring specifiers, architects, procurement officials and the trade together to discuss how to source timber legally and sustainably.

For further information contact Mark O'Brien on 0207839 1891 or email mobrien@ttf.co.uk