The Society is currently thinking about how best to manage its quillets for biodiversity, which will involve some carefully thought-out felling. We have not fully developed our plans, but one principle we wish to observe wherever possible is to find sutainable uses for any tmber that is of good quality.

Eminent green wood chair-maker, Mike Abbott, has very generously agreed to conduct trials with us to find out how well Brineddin oak lends itself to chair-making. Mike will be running a four-day course using recently felled timber from the quillets, He has three people signed up, but there is still one spare place available on a first-come first-served basis. The end result will be a simple but beautiful green wood chair

The first two days shaping the components will be at Chapel Lawn on Wednesday and Thursday, 16th/17th of this month. The second two days will be later in the spring to assemble the chairs – dates to be negotiated between Mike and the four participants and to be held near Ledbury. Depending on progress, a fifth day might be required to weave the seat. As this is experimental, the cost is heavily discounted at £100 in aid of Society funds. No previous experience is required.

If you wish to take part, please email me, Patrick Cosgrove, at pccosgrove@icloud.com, and the first taker will be the winner. The idea of course, should the wood prove suitable, is to run full cost courses in the future. Please note that the plan is to run the February days in a garden marquee, so it may be a little chilly. A sandwhich lunch will be included and there will be tea/coffee on tap. It is also possible, although not yet definite, that we will be filming the event, so best not to apply if you’re camera shy!