Joseph Jenkins, Master Roofer Slater and Tiler has been involved in preservation roofing trades since 1968. Joe, a successful owner and director of a Slate and Tiling Restoration Company in North Western Pennsylvania has personally worked on thousands of slate and tiled roofing structures; some well over 100 years old. Joe is a true connoisseur of roofing skills and has studied and researched roofing structures from all over the world. Indeed I believe a holiday or break from work consists of Joe climbing a roof some where in the world, whether it be in Spain, Scotland or the USA to discuss with fellow roofers what techniques, tools and materials have been used. I first met Joe several years ago at the World International Roofing Federation Youth Championships, held at Edinburgh’s Telford College, where he was a spectator. Every since that meeting I have been an admirer of Joe’s skills and knowledge with my involvement with the IPTW over last six years. Over this time I have observed Joe presenting and demonstrating his slating and roofing skills , disseminating any underpinning knowledge, freely to all attendees present. As the author of the Slate Bible, Joe has shared his knowledge with all within the preservation industry, sending copies of the Slate Bible to several Building Schools and Preservation Colleges for student use, in Europe as well as the US. Joe constantly presents at trade shows and is ever present at the IPTW sharing his skills and knowledge with all who attend. In closing, the Askins Achievement Award is presented to a recipient, whose work and accomplishments have reached the highest realization of quality, availability and viability in a preservation trade. I for one think Joe Jenkins, Master Roofer and Preservation Educationist has achieved this status and think he would be an excellent recipient of this years 2005 award for his contribution to the preservation of roofing trades and his unselfish way he shares his knowledge and skills with tradespersons, Architects and students throughout the Europe and the US.

Nomination statement by John William Laing, Assistant Head of School, Edinburgh's Telford College