A NEW career is taking shape for one former Cirencester student with help from the town's oldest society.

Apprentice Jemma Simmonds was helping her boyfriend look for a job when she came across the bursary scheme funded by the Cirencester Society in London which would help her become a fully qualified stone conservator.

Jemma, 24, of Black Jack Street, had started studying environment science at university but had always had a passion for more creative subjects.

She was working at Hunters Care Home, in Cherry Tree Lane, when she saw the grant on offer from the 300-year-old Cirencester Society in London.

The £1,500 bursary is funding part of her training as a stonemason apprenticeship as she works on the repair project at the historic South Porch of Cirencester Parish Church. It has provided money for the specialist tools as well as paying college course fees.

"It's amazing that this society's bursary scheme exists and that it benefits the young people in Cirencester," she said.

"Thanks to the society I now have the tools needed to start my apprenticeship at Weymouth College in November.

"Not only have they provided me with the necessary tools but the society will also be funding my training which is great. I'm currently looking into doing a stained glass window course next year which I'm really looking forward to."

Lord Apsley, presiding steward of the society, said the bursary award was a perfect illustration of the aims of the organisation - to enable young Cirencester people to learn a skill that would help the town prosper in the future.

"The South Porch has provided an ideal classroom and with Jemma's help has conserved for this, and hopefully the next generation, this unique Cotswold building," he added.

Jemma, a former Cirencester College student, joined the team repairing the South Porch as a trainee conservator in April and has since been offered a full apprenticeship by Carrek Limited, the contractor carrying out the work. Alison Giles, fundraising director for the Parish Church project, said: ‘We're delighted that the project has had such a positive outcome for Jemma. "Making sure that traditional skills flourish is an important part of what our Heritage Lottery Funding is all about."

To find out more about bursaries from the Cirencester Society in London contact 01285 650000.