Gloucestershire Wood course for women in June

[cazzz at gmx.co.uk]

Hi all
Just wondering if anyone would be interested in this Woody Women course in June? Have a look here :
20th/21st June 2012: Woody Women, Westonbirt Arboretum
http://www.westcountrycoppice.co.uk/Courses%20and%20Shows.htm

 I'm hoping to go, but it needs more people at the moment, so please forward this to anyone you think would be interested.

 Carolyn
 xx


Editor's suggestion on the low turn out: Is it a good idea to hold womens' woodworking courses next door to Highgrove, the wife murdering Prince's palace?


Courses and Shows
The 2012 course programme -

A 'Week in the Woods'!  Westonbirt Arboretum, woodcraft courses, camping and home cooking! What better way of spending a week this autumn than in the company of like-minded people, learning greenwood skills from accomplished tutors in the setting of Britain's premier Arboretum.

2012: Making Wattle Hurdles, Westonbirt Arboretum.

Learn how to use a billhook, split hazel, make the twist, build up the weave and start and finish a hurdle. All tools and materials will be provided, and you should be able to take a small hurdle home with you. Please note: this is a strenuous course but there are some good, fundamental greenwood working techniques to be learned.

£120 for the weekend (materials included), all tools provided. Bookings through Brian, brian.hurdles at virgin.net  or 01453 790666.

20th/21st June 2012: Woody Women, Westonbirt Arboretum.

The aim of the weekend is for participants to go away with a rich woodland experience.  We will focus on skills that women will find useful and empowering, such as: effective wood splitting, the safe use and sharpening of fine edge tools (axes, drawknives), and moving heavy timbers with levers and ropes.  We will cover topics that will broaden knowledge and spark the imagination, such as: woodland management, tree folklore and woodland crafts.  We'll be addressing issues that women face in our society around using our bodies in physically demanding activities, as well as collecting tinder, exploring different materials for fire-lighting and cooking our meals on an open fire!  Come and join us for fun in the woods and take home your own hand-made spatula!  Suitable for ages 14 upwards (under 16's will need to be accompanied by an adult).  

£135 including camping and materials.

Led by Ruth and fellow professional coppice worker Jenna Higgins.  Bookings through Ruth: 07794 054623, rgoodf at hotmail.com .

23rd/24th June 2011: Woody Women, Westonbirt Arboretum.

See above.  Bookings through Ruth: 07794 054623, rgoodf at hotmail.com 

24th - 28rd September 2012:  A Week in the Woods, Westonbirt Arboretum.

Five days of inspiring traditional woodland skills and craft training in the beautiful setting of Silk Wood, WestonbirtArboretum. There will be four       1-day activities: cleft ash gates, basic tree-felling and shingle-making, pole lathing turning, and spoon carving.  Friday will be an open workshop day with invited tutors.

Venue: Silk Wood Barn and surrounds

Led by experienced professional woodland workers: Brian Williamson, Jenna Higgins, Adrian Leaman and Steve Tomlin. 

£350 (includes delicious wholesome food, materials and camping).  Bookings through Ruth: 07794 054623, rgoodf at hotmail.com 


The 2012 show programme - 

  The show season for 2012 will begin for us with the Silk Wood Fair over the first May bank holiday at Westonbirt Arboretum. Here we will be bringing together a number of local craftspeople to showcase the best of local, small woodland production.  If you'd like to meet us/see us at work (and have a day out) at other times you could pay a visit to either of our two work sites: Silk Wood, Westonbirt Arboretum (www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt), or our new workshop near Tetbury.  Alternatively you could visit us at Stroud Farmer's Market (www.fresh-n-local.co.uk) where we will have a stall on the first and third Saturdays of each month throughout the summer.

National Beanpole Week. We will be selling our beanpoles and peasticks over the course of the Silk Wood Fair and also at a Stroud Allotments Day earlier in April (details to be announced).
 

May : Silk Wood Fair, Westonbirt Arboretum.
June: The Scythe Festival, Somerset.
August:  Festival of the Tree, Westonbirt Arboretum.