Woodland Pioneers Week 2022
The Bill Hogarth MBE Memorial Apprenticeship Trust
presents
Woodland Pioneers
Introduction to Coppicing Week:
Treen, Oak Panels, Charcoal and Greenwood Stools
Advanced workshops for returners in timber-framing and stick chairs.
22nd to 26th August 2022
£295 - £495 (pay what you can afford)

Bill Hogarth MBE (1928-1999) was a coppice merchant who worked the woods of South Cumbria. The memorial trust (BHMAT) was set up in 2000 to continue his work and now runs a 3-year apprenticeship training scheme which leads to the Bill Hogarth Coppice Diploma.

Course venue: Chapel House Woods are owned by the Sir John Fisher Foundation who sponsored our first two apprentices. There is a hall opposite the wood which we have use of. This has toilets, a shower and places to charge your phone.

Monday – Thursday: Four 1-day workshops for newcomers:
Treen with Lorna Singleton: Lorna will teach you the skills required to create a range of small wooden products including spatulas and ‘gypsy roses’.
Riven Oak Panels with Owen Jones: Owen (MBE) will show you how to cleave, boil, rive and weave oak to produce a beautiful, individual fence panel.
Charcoal with The Coppice Co-op: The Co-op will teach you a range of methods used to create charcoal, from DIY in your back garden, to the very latest in modern environmentally sustainable practices. Expect to get grubby in your quest for black gold!
Greenwood Stools with Helen Clarke: Helen will show you how to use traditional tools to shape and assemble the necessary parts to create your very own unique stool to take home with you.

Monday – Thursday: Two 2-day workshops for returners:
Stick chairs with James Mitchell: James will guide you through the processes needed to produce an individual, beautiful rustic greenwood stick chair, taking advantage of interesting forks, bends and twists found in coppiced rods. You may wish to weave the seat or have a more solid base. However you make your chair, it will be a beautiful addition to your garden!
Timber-framing with Jack Holden and Tom Wright: Hew, scribe, joint and raise the new medieval tea tent frame! This two-day timber framing course will introduce you to the basics in the layout and cutting of mortise and tenon joints into some curved oak beams. Over two days we will produce one half of a frame for the new woodland pioneers tea tent, giving you the chance to be involved in the building of a piece of south lakeland greenwood history.

Friday workshops: We run a number of short woodcraft workshops on the Friday (e.g. tool sharpening, willow weaving, besom brooms). You will be able to sign up to these during the week.

Location: Staveley in Cartmel, Newby Bridge, Cumbria. Chapel House Woods are owned by the Sir John Fisher Foundation who sponsored our first two apprentices. There is a hall opposite the wood which we have the use of. This has toilets, showers and places to charge your phone.

Camping: Pitches on site in the woods are included in the course fee.

Food: The cost of a hearty, veggie/vegan lunch and evening meal is included in your fee. Breakfast will be provided at a small extra cost. There is also a tea tent in the woods that will keep you supplied with brews – and, more importantly, cake – during the day!

Certificate: If you wish to gain a certificate for the course (cost £10), you will be asked to complete a workbook detailing your learning throughout the week. This will be emailed to you beforehand then you can either print it out or complete it electronically. For those wishing to apply for a BHMAT placement, it is essential that you attend the full course and gain a certificate.

Concessions: If you are unable to afford the course fee we might, in certain circumstances, be able to help, so do get in touch.

We prefer you not to bring dogs. Exceptions may be made if they are very well behaved or guide dogs – please get in touch.

The minimum age for participants and people on site is 18 years of age – we can take no responsibility for those under 18.

BHMAT and our tutors take every precaution to ensure your safety and we will have a number of qualified First Aiders on site.
We need to know of any special medical or mental health condition or medication that might compromise your safety or that of others.
Disability access is very limited on site, so please talk with us about any specific needs before you book on the course.

Our Woodland Pioneers week is a break-even event. Any additional donation to help BHMAT with costs and its apprenticeship programme would be very much appreciated.

Booking Information:

Book online via PayPal (includes debit card payments).

If you prefer to pay by cheque, BACS or postal order - please email info@coppiceapprentice.org.uk for details.

Further information will be sent to you nearer the time.

Current availability:
  • For newcomers: 13 PayPal places left.
  • Advanced workshops: 1 PayPal place left.

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