Suitable for: Beginners, improvers, professionals

Considerations: Physically demanding, partially outdoors

Refreshments: Tea, coffee and biscuits will be available throughout the day. We also have a fantastic on site cafe, Embers, run by local chef Shropshire Lad.

What to wear: Sturdy shoes, clothes that you can get messy

The course:

Suitable for beginners and more experienced learners.

Shrink pots originate from Scandinavia, and are traditionally used for storing dry goods in the kitchen and pantry. They can be made so the bark is left on, or can be peeled or carved and maybe painted; there are many creative opportunities!

You will learn:

- How to select suitable material

- Sawing and splitting the pot body 

- Drilling with hand drills

- Carving with knives

- Shaping a base to fit

- Popping the base in

- Consideration to pot lids

Tutor: Maurice Clother, BSc(Hons) forestry, PTLLS teaching qualification, Forest School Leader (Level 3)
Associate member of ICF Member of APTGWW

"I love the simplicity of ancient woodworking techniques, harvesting green wood and making it into useful and attractive products. Although the tools are very basic, often unchanged since the iron age, there's a lot of skill to be developed in using them. I enjoy sharing my passion with eager learners."

Maurice began his green woodworking career in 1990, learning hurdle making from Ken Gaulton in Hampshire.

He then studied forestry at Bangor, completing a dissertation titled "Underwood Industries Past, Present and Future" through which he met and learned from a number of seasoned crafts people including Bill Hogarth, Hugh Roberts, Mike Abbott, Hal Wynne Jones and Gerwyn Lewis.

After a spell of working in woodland management, Maurice became a green woodwork tutor at Glasshouse College, then worked with Wye Wood Project specialising in therapeutic woodland crafts. For the last decade, Maurice has been running woodland craft courses in his own workshop and other venues.