Our heritage bricklayer Tracy Brindley has put the finishing touches to the brickwork on the Randall Street façade that she has been restoring. This project has been paid for with a £3000 grant from the Freshgate Foundation, matched with the same amount from Friends reserves.

It is easy to forget the terrible condition the brickwork was in two years ago, when several hundred bricks were crumbling away, spoiling the appearance of the main elevation and ultimately threatening its stability. The work has transformed the appearance of the building.

After a long search, special bricks matching the size and as closely as possible the colour came from the York Handmade Brick Company. Special mortar has also been used to meet the heritage standards required for a grade 2* listed building.

Friends have already got funding to replace the gratings and windows for the basement workshops on Randall Street. This will be the next step forward in restoring this part of the works. The brickwork round the corner on Hill Street is also in bad shape. We hope to start work there next year.

Meanwhile thanks to everyone whose support has enabled us to pay for these projects.