On 15 April 2019, a fire ripped through the Notre-Dame de Paris, engulfing the entire original oak roof. Known as ‘la forêt’ or ‘the forest’, the oak timbers had stood for 800 years prior to their destruction. From that point on, the race was on to work out how it could be rebuilt and who could do the work. Now as members as the public await eagerly to see the restored appearance of the iconic landmark – opening on Sunday 7 December – it’s more important than ever to recognise the immense body of work required to achieve its rebuilding. In the initial days and weeks after the fire, many doubted whether the skills still existed to rebuild Notre-Dame’s ancient timber roof.

And if it weren’t for a body known as Charpentiers sans Frontières (Carpenters without Borders) and their founder, François Calame, they more than likely would have been proved right. …One of the band of 25 itinerant carpenters who answered that call was former Royal Marines commando Mike Dennis. …A stint in Canada saw him help restore a trestle bridge on Vancouver Island. …The carpenters are unfazed that their craftsmanship will be hidden away to the public upon the Notre Dame’s opening. They know it’s there and that they built it. Hopefully, in 800 years, it will still be there. Dennis has one final thought. He says it was great that they were paid as much as Ateliers Desmonds and the restoration project could afford, but adds: ‘The truth is, we would have come and built this for free.’