The Natural Stone Institute, established by the Scottish Stone Liaison Group, was dissolved on March 31. Its functions of research, international liaison, education, and promotion transfer to the Scottish Stone Liaison Group. The Institute was intended to become an umbrella body for the stone industry throughout the UK and even into the rest of Europe, although it only ever managed to attract 10% of its membership from outside Scotland. When it closed, it had 20 corporate members and 70 individuals.
The SSLG grew out of the Traditional Building Materials Conference organized by Historic Scotland in 1997. It was formally launched as an entity in its own right on May 22, 2000, by Scottish Culture Minister Rhona Brankin (NSS June 2000). The Stone Institute was part of the SSLG structure. Funded by Historic Scotland, SSLG brought together the various interests involved in the conservation of the stone-built environment in Scotland to ensure the future of that built environment. The Institute's role was to develop training and create a library of information about stone. It published the book *Building with Scottish Stone* that was distributed to Scottish architects and a few others beyond Scotland.
Until last year, the Stone Institute had been funded by Historic Scotland, but with the success of the Scottish Nationalists in the elections, funding for an organization operating beyond Scotland was withdrawn. Historic Scotland continues to fund SSLG. The Institute Board met, and Sarah Bailey, the Institute’s education and development officer, now takes up the role of Education Projects Manager with the SSLG. She says: “The core remit of the NSI will now be taken forward through the work of the Scottish Stone Liaison Group (SSLG).”
She says she will be working closely with organizations such as the Scottish Lime Centre to develop training in the use of stone for architects and other professionals both for conservation and new build. First on the agenda is the development of the website.