I live in St Albans, Herts. Having easy access to the M25, A1 and M1 allows me to serve customers in Hertfordshire and Essex, as well as Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

Thatching – it’s in the blood
My family has a proud tradition of thatching that stretches back for at least six generations – in fact, as far back as we can research. My dad, Stephen Shelley, is still thatching today, and my cousin Paul also works as a master thatcher. You could say it’s in the Shelley genes!

Professional thatcher accreditations
In addition to the many years of thorough training I received on the job from my dad, I also completed a two-year NVQ in thatching at Knuston College, Northampton. As far as I know, it was the only thatching course in Europe. Unfortunately, the course isn’t available any more, which is a shame as it gave me an excellent understanding of thatching techniques.

Professional thatching bodies
I’m a member of the National Society of Master Thatchers – the UK’s largest professional thatching association. I’m also the Treasurer of the East Midlands Master Thatchers Association – which, despite the name, covers an area from the Fenlands in the north east to the North Downs in the south east.

These associations hold regular meetings, which are a great opportunity for me to get together with other thatchers to discuss best practice and share new developments regarding building regulations.

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