NAJ Education Awards 2019
21 Mar 2019
On Tuesday 19th March, the annual NAJ Education Awards were once again held at the stunning Livery Hall, where we welcomed the many NAJ graduates.
In her opening address, NAJ chair Harriet Kelsall highlighted some of the noteworthy features of the Livery Hall, as well as the Goldsmiths’ Company’s history. She reminded students and guests that hallmarking has been carried out on the site for over five centuries. “We are here to celebrate your success and to share with you, our admiration for what you have achieved,” she said, adding: “You have made it here tonight to this truly magnificent setting, because you have worked and studied hard – and for that I personally commend you. Hard work and passion for jewellery will get you far in this amazing industry.”
Last year’s winners of the Bransom Awards were congratulated by Emma Garland programme manager of the retail systems business. We then applauded the many students who had achieved Professional Jewellers’ Diploma, Certificate of Appraisal Theory (CAT), Jet Management Diploma and Institute of Registered Valuers’ Fellows. As ever Beaverbrooks was heroically represented – 21 students – and many other NAJ members celebrated the success of multiple graduates, for instance Chisholm Hunter, Watches of Switzerland, Allum & Sidaway, Bentley & Skinner, WE Clark, Wakefields… And while the NAJ’s education reaches the UK’s length and breadth, it was great to celebrate the gains of Dovile Bakanauskaite-Kairiene, who had travelled from Lithuania to collect her CAT certificate.
Every year one student in particular has every right to smile more broadly than others stepping up to collect their certificates… and that’s the winner of the Greenough Trophy. This prestigious award is a mark of recognition for skill, dedication and hard work and is presented to the student who achieves the highest aggregate marks, having completed the most outstanding project in the Professional Jewellers’ Diploma.
This year the accolade went to Leah Hyden of Bright & Sons, Scarborough. Her name joins all previous recipients engraved upon the beautiful trophy that was first awarded in 1946.
what came across in several places was the fact that she has obviously got such a passion for the trade.
The praise from the project moderator was unstinting: “This was a ‘wow’ project – it made it worthwhile getting up at 6.30am when the postie delivered it on Saturday morning! Every part was superb. All done by hand; but what came across in several places was the fact that she has obviously got such a passion for the trade."
Amid the celebration there was also sadness. Simon Forrester gave a tribute to dedicated and popular NAJ tutor Mary Garland, who passed away earlier this year. And it would have been impossible to let the evening go by without thanking a pivotal education team member – Mandy Kelly – who leaves the Association after 17 years of unstinting service. In making a presentation, Heather Callaway, head of the education steering group, reminded us that without Mandy, there would simply be no awards. Good luck in the future Mandy… we’re going to miss you!