Final Training Course of VINE in Tyllwyd Comes to an End
Written by Tir Coed / Friday 23 September 2016
The final training course of the VINE project in Llanfarian has finished at Coed Tyllwyd. Participants developed their woodworking skills under the excellent instruction and support of Gavin Doram and Polly Williams, getting an understanding of both traditional pegged mortise and tenon joints and more modern carpentry using power tools. Using timber straight from the woods (felled by the previous training course and milled on site) the group worked tirelessly to weatherproof the structure, constructing walls, floor, roof, door, and window frames, often starting with irregularly shaped timber or working with the natural curves of the wood.
Though a number of participants came and went due to other commitments or life events over the summer period, a strong and committed core of trainees developed, with one driving up from Barry in south Wales each week to attend. The cabin that is the end result of their work speaks volumes for their engagement with the course and the meticulousness of their handiwork. In every possible application timber from the woods has been used with ingenuity, from the scorched blocks keeping the king posts off the damp ground, to the coat hooks made from branch crooks. The structure promises to become an invaluable resource in the woods, with a small library of woodland management and green woodworking reading material and as a cosy weatherproof space for the cold winter days. All of the participants should be immensely proud of their achievement and are commended for their support of each other and their contribution to developing the woodland as a community resource and training facility.
New participants: 8
Volunteer hours: 672
Volunteer days: 112
Participants completing accreditation: 3
